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We conducted laboratory tests on the effects of externally applied acoustic tags on the swimming activity of lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis. Using an acoustic beam actograph, we evaluated the swimming activity patterns of 15 fish... more
We conducted laboratory tests on the effects of externally applied acoustic tags on the swimming activity of lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis. Using an acoustic beam actograph, we evaluated the swimming activity patterns of 15 fish over a 40-d period and tagged 12 of the fish at mid-experiment, after 20 d. Fish activity was continuously recorded by counting the number of
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Sole (Solea solea), telemetered in an enclosure using an acoustic positioning system, changed their swimming trajectories and orientation behaviour as a function of wind strength and direction. Monitoring of the spatial variation in both... more
Sole (Solea solea), telemetered in an enclosure using an acoustic positioning system, changed their swimming trajectories and orientation behaviour as a function of wind strength and direction. Monitoring of the spatial variation in both wind-generated currents and noise spectra in the enclosure indicates that these behavioural changes correspond to patterns in the spatial distribution of noise and to sound intensity. Thus, our observations indicate that sole perceives and reacts to horizontal variability in ambient noise levels. Such behaviour may be important in determining movements of fish populations at sea during poor weather conditions.
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... PM Cooley ... Lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill) is important, both ecologically and economically, in northern North America (McPhail and Lindsey 1970; Bodaly 1986). Even so, little is known about its spawning behavior... more
... PM Cooley ... Lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis (Mitchill) is important, both ecologically and economically, in northern North America (McPhail and Lindsey 1970; Bodaly 1986). Even so, little is known about its spawning behavior or its physical requirements for spawning. ...
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Parmi les polluants organiques persistants, les PCB (polychlorobiphényles) bien qu’interdits depuisplusieurs décennies, et les PBDE (polybromodiphényléthers) dʹusage plus récent et considérés commedes polluants émergents, sont présents de... more
Parmi les polluants organiques persistants, les PCB (polychlorobiphényles) bien qu’interdits depuisplusieurs décennies, et les PBDE (polybromodiphényléthers) dʹusage plus récent et considérés commedes polluants émergents, sont présents de façon ubiquiste dans lʹenvironnement sous forme demélanges de différents congénères dont les proportions relatives dépendent de leurs sources et de leurdevenir, incluant leur dégradation. FishʹnʹPOPs avait deux objectifs : 1) Mesurer les effets à long termechez les poissons dʹune exposition par voie alimentaire à ces polluants en mélanges (PCB et/ou PBDE)pertinents sur le plan environnemental en étudiant i) les fonctions impactant le recrutement(reproduction et survie de la descendance) ; ii) le devenir de ces polluants, leurs interactions avec leslipides et les mécanismes gouvernant la distribution des polluants dans lʹorganisme; iii) le transfertvers les oeufs et les effets sur plusieurs générations en utilisant la modélisation énergétique, dedynamique des populations et de l’évolution des traits biologiques. 2) Comprendre les mécanismesd’action moléculaires sous‐jacents et développer de nouveaux biomarqueurs d’effets
Research Interests: Reproduction, Development, Survival, FISH, Développement, and 3 morePollutant, Animal Development, and Poisson
Research Interests: Environmental Science, Oceanography, Biology, Ecology, Fishery, and 4 moreSea, Flatfish, Estuary, and Bay
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Bolder individuals have greater access to food sources and reproductive partners but are also at increased risk of predation. Boldness is believed to be consistent across time and contexts, but few studies have investigated the stability... more
Bolder individuals have greater access to food sources and reproductive partners but are also at increased risk of predation. Boldness is believed to be consistent across time and contexts, but few studies have investigated the stability of this trait across variable environments, such as varying stress loads or long periods of time. Moreover, the underlying molecular components of boldness are poorly studied. Here, we report that boldness of 1154 European sea bass, evaluated using group risk-taking tests, is consistent over seven months and for individuals subjected to multiple environments, including a chronically stressful environment. Differences in risk-taking behaviour were further supported by differences observed in the responses to a novel environment test: shy individuals displayed more group dispersion, more thigmotaxic behaviour and lower activity levels. Transcriptomic analyses performed on extreme phenotypes revealed that bold individuals display greater expression for genes involved in social and exploration behaviours, and memory in the pituitary, and genes involved in immunity and responses to stimuli in the head kidney. This study demonstrates that personality traits come with an underpinning molecular signature, especially in organs involved in the endocrine and immune systems. As such, our results help to depict state–behaviour feedback mechanisms, previously proposed as key in shaping animal personality.
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Research Interests: Zoology, Geography, Portuguese, Biology, Ecology, and 6 moreFish Biology, Fisheries Sciences, Fishery, Continental shelf, Estuary, and Bay
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Research on recruitment variability has gained momentum in the last years, undoubtedly due to the many unknowns related to climate change impacts. Knowledge about recruitment—the process of small, young fish transitioning to an older,... more
Research on recruitment variability has gained momentum in the last years, undoubtedly due to the many unknowns related to climate change impacts. Knowledge about recruitment—the process of small, young fish transitioning to an older, larger life stage—timing and success is especially important for commercial fish species, as it allows predicting the availability of fish and adapting fishing practices for its sustainable exploitation. Predicting tools for determining the combined effect of temperature rise and food quality and quantity reduction (two expected outcomes of climate change) on early-life history traits of fish larvae are valuable for anticipating and adjusting fishing pressure and policy. Here we use a previously published and validated dynamic energy budget (DEB) model for the common sole (Solea solea) and adapt and use the same DEB model for the Senegalese sole (S. senegalensis) to predict the effects of temperature and food availability on Solea spp. early life-histo...
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International audiencePolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) emission in the environment is constantly increasing with human activity. The goal of this study was to assess long term consequences of fish early exposure to PAH on behaviour.... more
International audiencePolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) emission in the environment is constantly increasing with human activity. The goal of this study was to assess long term consequences of fish early exposure to PAH on behaviour. Eggs were collected from AB zebrafish strain and were placed at 4 hours post fertilization (hpf) until 96 hpf in a 3 cm diameter Petri dish containing 3 g reference sediment either plain (control) or spiked with a mixture of Benzo[a]pyrene, Pyrene and Phenanthrene at environmental concentrations based on values measured in the Seine Estuary (France), a highly polluted site. Thereafter, larvae were transferred in clean water and raised until adulthood. Behavioural tests such as locomotion during 24-hrs, sudden dark change challenge and T-maze exploration were performed at adults’ stage (F0) and sudden dark change on larvae produced by F0 adults. In adults, during night or dark period, contaminated fish were significantly less active than control fish. A similar observation was made for contaminated F0 in T-maze safe area. Contaminated F1 larvae were more active when light was on than control and less active when the light was off. This study indicates that contamination of zebrafish using environmentally relevant concentration during the very first stage of development with a PAH mixture of 3 molecules induced late behavioural effects measured at the adult stage. Further, effect was transmitted to the next generation and behavioural responses of F1 larvae were different to that of F1 control larvae. Consequences on fish abilities (e.g. predator escape, food search, courtship) will be discussed
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National audienc
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Research Interests: Zoology, Biology, Aquaculture, Growth, Fisheries Sciences, and 3 moreFishery, Flatfish, and Pit Tags
We review knowledge on applications of sustained aerobic swimming as a tool to promote productivity and welfare of farmed fish species. There has been extensive interest in whether providing active species with a current to swim against... more
We review knowledge on applications of sustained aerobic swimming as a tool to promote productivity and welfare of farmed fish species. There has been extensive interest in whether providing active species with a current to swim against can promote growth. The results are not conclusive but the studies have varied in species, life stage, swimming speed applied, feeding regime, stocking density and other factors. Therefore, much remains to be understood about mechanisms underlying findings of ‘swimming‐enhanced growth’, in particular to demonstrate that swimming can improve feed conversion ratio and dietary protein retention under true aquaculture conditions. There has also been research into whether swimming can alleviate chronic stress, once again on a range of species and life stages. The evidence is mixed but swimming does improve recovery from acute stresses such as handling or confinement. Research into issues such as whether swimming can improve immune function and promote cog...
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Research Interests: Biology, Medicine, Species, AOP, Behaviour, and 6 moreEDA, Neurotoxicity, Ecological, In Vitro Toxicology, REACH, and Computational Toxicity
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... 2000, 2001; Bridger & Booth 2003; Sulikowski et al. 2005, Brown et al. 2011). ... 1994). Additionally, differences in overall body shape (morphometrics) may allow fish from different populations to be distinguished (Bergek &... more
... 2000, 2001; Bridger & Booth 2003; Sulikowski et al. 2005, Brown et al. 2011). ... 1994). Additionally, differences in overall body shape (morphometrics) may allow fish from different populations to be distinguished (Bergek & Björklund 2009). ...
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Research Interests: Ecotoxicology, Biology, Diet, Genomic Imprinting, Environmental Chemistry, and 15 moreMedicine, Danio rerio, Anxiety, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Endocrine disruptors, Animals, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Larva, Locomotor Activity, ANXIETY, Endocrine Disruptors, Heavy Oil, Motor activity, and aromatase
Restructuring coastal fish nursery habitats by extensive shellfish farming in the French part of the Bay of Biscay could influence fish physiology and behaviour and affect the ecological performance of the species. The influence of... more
Restructuring coastal fish nursery habitats by extensive shellfish farming in the French part of the Bay of Biscay could influence fish physiology and behaviour and affect the ecological performance of the species. The influence of oyster-trestle cultivation installations on sole (Solea solea) swimming behaviour was investigated using an experimental pond mesocosm. A pen was constructed with three interconnected zones (two with bags of live oysters or oyster shells on trestles, and one free zone). Water renewal depended on the tide. Environmental variables were recorded continuously (temperature, oxygen, pH, meteorological data), every 3–5 days (salinity, samples taken for water analysis and estimation of sedimentation rate) or intermittently (illumination). Sediment cores were taken in each zone before and after the experiment, for sediment redox and water content, plus an evaluation of potential prey. Fish movements (nine sole collected in the wild and tagged with electronic trans...
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Research Interests: Zoology, Animal Science, Biology, Aquaculture, Fisheries Sciences, and 13 moreFishery, Coefficient of Variation, Water Temperature, Dicentrarchus Labrax, Sea bass, Body Weight, Long Term Monitoring, Long Term, Agonistic Behavior, Feeding System, Bass Fish, Specific Growth Rate, and Agonistic Behaviour
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The objective was to take a first step in the development of a process-oriented quality assurance (QA) system for monitoring and safeguarding of fish welfare at a company level. A process-oriented approach is focused on preventing hazards... more
The objective was to take a first step in the development of a process-oriented quality assurance (QA) system for monitoring and safeguarding of fish welfare at a company level. A process-oriented approach is focused on preventing hazards and involves establishment of critical steps in a process that requires careful control. The seven principles of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) concept were used as a framework to establish the QA system. HACCP is an internationally agreed approach for management of food safety, which was adapted for the purpose of safeguarding and monitoring the welfare of farmed fish. As the main focus of this QA system is farmed fish welfare assurance at a company level, it was named Fish Welfare Assurance System (FWAS). In this paper we present the initial steps of setting up FWAS for on growing of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Four major hazards were selected, which were fish species dependent. Critical Control Points (CCPs) that need to be controlled to minimize or avoid the four hazards are presented. For FWAS, monitoring of CCPs at a farm level is essential. For monitoring purposes, Operational Welfare Indicators (OWIs) are needed to establish whether critical biotic, abiotic, managerial and environmental factors are controlled. For the OWIs we present critical limits/target values. A critical limit is the maximum or minimum value to which a factor must be controlled at a critical control point to prevent, eliminate or reduce a hazard to an acceptable level. For managerial factors target levels are more appropriate than critical limits. Regarding the international trade of farmed fish products, we propose that FWAS needs to be standardized in aquaculture chains. For this standardization a consensus on the concept of fish welfare, methods to assess welfare objectively and knowledge on the needs of farmed fish are required.
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... high wind speed influence the movements of sea bass, sea bream and turbot (Scopththalmus maximus ... Compared to a land-based system, cage-rearing may provide a cost-effective water ... to reduce environmental vari-ation have been... more
... high wind speed influence the movements of sea bass, sea bream and turbot (Scopththalmus maximus ... Compared to a land-based system, cage-rearing may provide a cost-effective water ... to reduce environmental vari-ation have been made via the development of submersible ...
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Following the development of demand-feeding systems, many experiments have been conducted to explore feeding motivation and feed intake in farmed fish. This work aims to review a selection of studies in the field, focusing on three key... more
Following the development of demand-feeding systems, many experiments have been conducted to explore feeding motivation and feed intake in farmed fish. This work aims to review a selection of studies in the field, focusing on three key factors, related to demand feeding and fish welfare. Firstly, we outline how demand feeders should be considered when developing feed management strategies for improving welfare in production conditions. Secondly, via laboratory demand-feeding experiments, we show self-feeding activities depend not only on feeding motivation and social organisation, but also on individual learning capacity and risk-taking behaviour. Thirdly, we report encouraging results demonstrating that when presented with two or more self-feeders containing complementary foods, fish select a diet according to their specific nutritional requirements, suggesting that demand feeders could be used to improve welfare by allowing fish to meet their nutritional needs.
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Research Interests: Chemistry, Animal Behavior, Ecotoxicology, Reproduction, Petroleum, and 15 moreEnvironmental Monitoring, Environmental Chemistry, Medicine, Danio rerio, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Animal Feed, Female, Animals, Male, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Maze, Heavy Oil, and novel tank
Abstract:[en] Swimming activity rhythms and levels as well as space occupation by sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, in a sea cage (6.5 x 6.5 x 8 m, ca. 25000 fish of 400 g stocked at 30 kg m-3) were recorded using acoustic telemetry (9... more
Abstract:[en] Swimming activity rhythms and levels as well as space occupation by sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, in a sea cage (6.5 x 6.5 x 8 m, ca. 25000 fish of 400 g stocked at 30 kg m-3) were recorded using acoustic telemetry (9 fish, IBDT Sonotronics) and archival tags ( ...
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ABSTRACT In an attempt to characterize behavioural responses susceptible to indicate health and welfare status of fish under rearing conditions, we investigated swimming activity levels and rhythms as well as space occupation by sea bass,... more
ABSTRACT In an attempt to characterize behavioural responses susceptible to indicate health and welfare status of fish under rearing conditions, we investigated swimming activity levels and rhythms as well as space occupation by sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, in relation to stocking density in flow through tanks using acoustic telemetry. Five individual sea bass were tagged per tank at low (10 kg m-3), medium (40 kg m-3) and high density (100 kg m-3) and tracked for 48 hrs each (720 hrs in total), one fix every 2 s. Data obtained in this study showed that swimming levels significantly decreased with increasing density. At low density, a tendency to hyperactivity was also observed during the period preceding feeding and could be linked to a feeding anticipatory behaviour. In parallel, an inversion of their day/night rhythm was observed: when density increased, sea bass became predominantly diurnal whereas they were nocturnal at low and medium densities. Finally, stocking density also tended to modify sea bass preferential space use: fish more frequently occupied the tank centre with increasing density. This first study provides relevant information about significant fish swimming activity shifts in relation to stocking density and its use as operational welfare indicator is under development.
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Additional file 1: Table S1. Individual Running number by behavioural and QPCR analyses
International audienc
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European sea bass has a polygenic sex determinism with temperature influences, which remains hard to predict and manipulate. To investigate the interactions between early growth and sex determination, we studied West Mediterranean... more
European sea bass has a polygenic sex determinism with temperature influences, which remains hard to predict and manipulate. To investigate the interactions between early growth and sex determination, we studied West Mediterranean domesticated sea bass from a 50♂x10♀ full factorial cross, reared as a single batch at 15°C to promote female sex determination. Temperature was increased to 25°C from 70 to 119 days post-hatching (dph) to increase growth. Fish were individually tagged at 95 dph (575 mg) with microtags and were individually weighed at 95, 115, 136, 157, 200, 256 and 325 dph, and then sexed. Parentage was recovered with 12 microsatellites; 1134 fish had appropriate pedigree, sex and growth data. Multivariate sire models were run to investigate the links between growth and sex (considered a threshold trait with an underlying sex tendency). Heritability of sex tendency was 0.39±0.12 on the underlying scale. The sex dimorphism of body weight in favour of females rose from +27%...
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Using acoustic telemetry techniques, the movements and habitat utilization of anadromous Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) were determined when they entered the Freshwater Creek Estuary (Cambridge Bay, Northwest Territories, Canada) in... more
Using acoustic telemetry techniques, the movements and habitat utilization of anadromous Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) were determined when they entered the Freshwater Creek Estuary (Cambridge Bay, Northwest Territories, Canada) in the spring. The study was carried out during the transition from full ice cover to open water.Between 23 June and 1 July 1996, nine adult Arctic charr were tagged with external acoustic transmitters. These fish were tracked until 6 July using two radio-linked acoustic array systems and a portable manual receiver with a directional hydrophone. Two transmitters measured temperature and location, one measured depth and location and the remaining six, location only.All of the tagged charr remained in Cambridge Bay Estuary until the sea-ice had melted and the mouth of the bay was ice-free. Primarily, they remained in the warmer brackish surface layer which was ∼2 m thick and rarely moved into the colder underlying marine waters. As well, the tagged charr remained either near the shore or over offshore shoals, following the ice-edge as it melted down the estuary. Residence time in the estuary was greater than ten days for some fish. Therefore, in spite of evidence from controlled laboratory studies that have shown that Arctic charr are preadapted to the marine environment and are capable of migrating directly into seawater, this study shows that, in the wild, they prefer to remain in warmer brackish water until the sea-ice has melted and that the transition stage is longer than previously suggested.