Imprinting of Hatchery-reared Salmon to Targeted Spawning Locations: A New Early Imprinting
Paradigm for Supplementation Programs?
Andrew Dittman Todd Pearsons David Noakes Ryan Couture Joseph O’Neil
Darran May Michelle Havey Thomas Quinn
M. Gorman
2012 NW Fish Culture Conference December 12, 2012
Millions of hatchery salmon are transported and released annually into Northwest Rivers
Keri Wiginton
Smolt acclimation is the primary tool for imprinting salmon to release locations.
Smolt acclimation is the primary tool for imprinting salmon to release locations.
Issues: -Cost -Permitting -Logistics -Multiple locations -Inappropriate locations
An Alternative (Complementary) Approach: Larval Imprinting to “natal” sites
M. Gorman
1. The concept 2. Background 3. Set-up 4. Experiments -Larval learning -Water handling -Real world testing
Sequential Imprinting hypothesis
From Keefer and Caudill 2012
Larval Imprinting Scenario
S
Spawning site A
Spawning site B
C
-Collect broodstock from spawning populations -Spawn and fertilize at Central hatchery
Hatchery Acclimation
pond
Larval Imprinting Scenario
S
Spawning site A
Spawning site B
C
-Collect broodstock from spawning populations -Spawn and fertilize at Central hatchery -Collect natal site water and transport to hatchery -Incubate in natal water during hatching and emergence
Hatchery Acclimation
pond
Larval Imprinting Scenario
S
Spawning site A
Spawning site B
C
-Collect broodstock from spawning populations -Spawn and fertilize at Central hatchery -Collect natal site water and transport to hatchery -Incubate in natal water during hatching and emergence -Transport to acclimation site and release
Hatchery Acclimation
pond
Larval Imprinting Scenario
S
Spawning site A
Spawning site B
C
-Collect broodstock from spawning populations -Spawn and fertilize at Central hatchery -Collect natal site water and transport to hatchery -Incubate in natal water during hatching and emergence -Transport to acclimation site and release -Adult returns to targeted spawning area
Hatchery Acclimation
pond
An Alternative (Complementary) Approach: Larval Imprinting to “natal” sites
M. Gorman
1. The concept 2. Background 3. Set-up 4. Experiments -Larval learning -Water handling -Real world testing
Experimental evidence for imprinting hypothesis
Scholz et al. 1976
Imprinting is associated with thyroid hormone surges that occur during smolting
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
28-Feb 27-Mar 24-Apr 27-May 27-Jun 25-Jul
ATPase
Plasma T4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Smolt PresmoltUninjected
PresmoltSaline
PresmoltTSH
Perc
enta
ge o
f mat
ure
fish
at
trac
ted
to Im
prin
ting
odor
Treatment
PEA
Morpholine
Hasler and Scholz 1983 (Dittman et al. unpublished)
Salmon experience T4 surge as smolts and as embryos
0
5
10
15
20
25
Fertilizedegg (0-
30d)
Eyed egg(30-60d)
Hatch(53-63d)
Alevin(60-90d)
Emergence(88-93d)
Fry(94-125d)
Fry(126-155d)
Fry(156-185d)
Fry(186-227d)
Tota
l T4
(ng/
g bo
dy w
eigh
t)
Developmental Stage of Odor Exposure (Time period in days post fertilization) Tilson et al. 1994
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Fertilizedegg (0-30d)
Eyed egg(30-60d)
Hatch(53-63d)
Alevin(60-90d)
Emergence(88-93d)
Fry(94-125d)
Fry(126-155d)
Fry(156-185d)
Fry(186-227d)
Smolt(481-541d)
Perc
enta
ge o
f mat
ure
fish
att
ract
ed to
Impr
intin
g od
or
Developmental Stage of Odor Exposure (Time period in days post fertilization)
PEA
Morpholine
Salmon imprint to natal site as smolts and as embryos
Tilson et al. 1994
T4 surges are associated with imprinting
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Fertilizedegg (0-
30d)
Eyed egg(30-60d)
Hatch(53-63d)
Alevin(60-90d)
Emergence(88-93d)
Fry(94-125d)
Fry(126-155d)
Fry(156-185d)
Fry(186-227d)
Smolt(481-541d)
Perc
enta
ge o
f mat
ure
fish
at
trac
ted
to Im
prin
ting
odor
Developmental Stage of Odor Exposure (Time period in days post fertilization)
PEA
Morpholine
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Fry(400 d)
Smolt(541 d)
Plas
ma
T4 (
ng/m
l)
0
5
10
15
20
25
Fertilizedegg (0-
30d)
Eyed egg(30-60d)
Hatch(53-63d)
Alevin(60-90d)
Emergence(88-93d)
Fry(94-125d)
Fry(126-155d)
Tota
l T4
(ng/
g bo
dy w
eigh
t)
Tilson et al. 1994
An Alternative (Complementary) Approach: Larval Imprinting to “natal” sites
M. Gorman
1. The concept 2. Background 3. Set-up 4. Experiments -Larval learning -Water handling -Real world testing
Lake Sammamish Kokanee
Re-circulating Incubation System Concept and Design by S. Schroder, E. Sanborn & E. Jouper. WDFW
Recirculating incubation system for natal imprinting
S. Schroder, E. Sanborn & E. Jouper. WDFW
An Alternative (Complementary) Approach: Larval Imprinting to “natal” sites
M. Gorman
1. The concept 2. Background 3. Set-up 4. Experiments -Larval learning -Water handling -Real world testing
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
HW/LW HW/50% LW HW/10% LW
Perc
ent A
ttra
cted
to H
atch
ery
Wat
er
Water Choices
Incubated in lake water
Incubated in hatchery water
Salmon learn natal waters during embryonic exposure
Dittman, Havey,and Quinn
Fall Creek Well water Carnes Creek
Y-maze testing of emergent fry
Clackamas Spring Chinook
Can larval Chinook and steelhead learn tributary waters?
Spring Chinook embryonic learning?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Perc
ent a
ttra
cted
to In
cuba
tion
Wat
er
Incubated in Fall Creek (FC vs. WW)
Incubated in Carnes Creek (CC vs. WW)
Dittman, Couture, O’Neil, and Noakes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Perc
ent a
ttra
cted
to In
cuba
tion
Wat
er
Incubated in Fall Creek (FC vs. WW)
Incubated in Carnes Creek (CC vs. WW)
Incubated in Well Water (WW vs. FC)
Spring Chinook embryonic learning?
Dittman, Couture, O’Neil, and Noakes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Perc
ent a
ttra
cted
to In
cuba
tion
Wat
er
Incubated in Fall Creek (FC vs. WW)Incubated in Carnes Creek (CC vs. WW)Incubated in Well Water (WW vs. FC)Incubated in Fall Creek (FC vs. CC)Incubated in Carnes Creek (CC vs. FC)
Spring Chinook embryonic learning?
Dittman, Couture, O’Neil, and Noakes
An Alternative (Complementary) Approach: Larval Imprinting to “natal” sites
M. Gorman
1. The concept 2. Background 3. Set-up 4. Experiments -Larval learning -Water handling -Real world testing
Wenatchee River outlet (release) Lake Wenatchee
net pens (acclimation)
Bridge Site White River rm 2
Chiwawa
Tall Timber Ranch White River rm 11.5
White River Spring Chinook acclimation/release sites
White River Experiments
Assess different strategies for collecting and storing imprinting waters to retain chemical properties that are critical for olfactory discrimination.
Electro-olfactogram analysis (EOG) -Assess olfactory sensitivity to spawning target site waters -Using cross-adaptation studies, identify differences between olfactory signature of different spawning target site water. -Using cross-adaptation studies, assess different strategies for collecting and storing imprinting waters. -Control water (Bridge site (BS), collected and tested same day) -BS water held 12-72 hr at 4° C (~40°F) and 50° F (ambient hatchery) -BS water frozen at -20° C -BS water UV-treated -BS water lyophilized
EOG apparatus for measuring olfactory sensitivity to imprinted odors
Typical EOG responses of coho salmon to increasing concentration of amino acids
5.0
1.0
3.0
30 60 40 20 10 50
10-6 M
10-4 M
10-7 M
10-5 M
Time (s)
EOG response to White River water (Bridge site)
Dittman, May, and Pearsons
Dittman, May, and Pearsons
Representative EOG traces in salmon pre-adapted to treated water A) Frozen water, B) UV-treated water, and then pulsed with BS water.
EOG Cross Adaptation Studies
Dittman, May, and Pearsons
Dittman, May, and Pearsons
Conclusions
• Water at proposed acclimation sites are chemically distinct
• Freezing or holding BS water at 40° and 50° for up to one week did not compromise the olfactory integrity of the water
• UV treatment and lyophilization did alter the olfactory properties of BS water
Future Directions -Importance of incubation in well vs. surface water. -Chemical analysis of tributary olfactory signatures. -Assess physiological correlates of early imprinting. -Explore the use of “artificial” imprinting odors. - Program level field test of early imprinting strategies