Importance of Estuarine Residence for Adaptation of Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) Fry to Seawater

Abstract

Within 24 h after release from the Otsuchi Salmon Hatchery in Japan, most chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) fry migrated the 1.7 km and were found in the surface layer (10–15‰ salinity) of the estuary. No fish were seen in the underlying seawater. Many fry remained in the brackish water for 2 d before migrating seaward. Plasma Na concentrations increased gradually from 134 to 156 mmol/L during seaward migration from the river to Otsuchi Bay. When fry were acclimated to one-third seawater for 3 and 6 h and then transferred to seawater, the Na concentration of the fry increased maximally to 161–172 mmol/L within 12 h. When they were acclimated to one-third seawater for 12 h, the Na concentrations reached the seawater-acclimated level without showing any peak; subsequent exposure to seawater did not cause any further change in plasma Na. Acclimation to isotonic estuary water for 12 h is thus sufficient for efficient adaptation of chum salmon fry to seawater.