The effect of sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) on juvenile pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) swimming endurance

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Mages, Paul A., Dill, Lawrence M.
• Other Authors: Grant, James
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2010
• Subjects: Oncorhynchus gorbuscha; Pink salmon
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f10-121; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/F10-121; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/F10-121

The swimming endurance of naturally and experimentally infected juvenile pink salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ) was measured to determine the effects of sea lice ( Lepeophtheirus salmonis ). Salmon naturally infected with adult male and preadult stage lice did not appear to have a reduced swim performance, but when experimentally infected with adult female lice, juvenile salmon showed a reduced ability to swim compared with uninfected control fish, and this effect increased with lice load. A reduced swimming endurance is not only likely to influence predation risk for salmon, but may have other ecological implications, such as slower seaward migration.