Using a multi-criteria approach to assess post-release recovery periods in behavioural studies: study of a fish telemetry project in the Seine Estuary

Biotelemetry has many advantages for monitoring fish behaviour. However, the accuracy of results can be impacted by changes in fish behaviour following tagging and other forms of human intervention. Different fish take different amounts of time to return to normal behaviour patterns. This recovery p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animal Biotelemetry
Main Authors: Le Pichon, C., Coustillas, J., Rochard, E.
Other Authors: IRSTEA ANTONY UR HBAN FRA, IRSTEA BORDEAUX UR EABX FRA
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:https://irsteadoc.irstea.fr/cemoa/PUB00045003
Description
Summary:Biotelemetry has many advantages for monitoring fish behaviour. However, the accuracy of results can be impacted by changes in fish behaviour following tagging and other forms of human intervention. Different fish take different amounts of time to return to normal behaviour patterns. This recovery period is often difficult to assess. In many studies, it is simply ignored, while in others an assumed duration is used. This assumption is rarely based on objective criteria. To address this challenging aspect of fish telemetry, a multi-criteria stepwise approach was developed based on complementary criteria obtainable through prior knowledge of the normal behaviour of studied species (home range, diel rhythm, homing, shoaling, migration.). It was applied to the case study of an acoustic telemetry project in the Seine Estuary (France) for three estuarine species exhibiting contrasted ecological traits: European eel Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus 1758), thin lipped grey mullet Liza ramada (Risso 1827) and bream Abramis brama (Linnaeus 1758).