Effects of anesthesia and surgery on Ucrit performance and MO₂ in chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta

Telemetry is a useful technique for elucidating salmon behavior, but the recovery periods before fish can be safely released after the attachment of telemetry devices have not yet been established. Reported recovery times vary widely, from 2 h to 13 days. We examined how anesthesia and surgery to attach external electromyogram (EMG) transmitters affected chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) recovery based on three physiological parameters. Fish subjected to anesthesia plus EMG transmitter attachment (EMG group), anesthesia only (AO group), and no handling (control) were placed in a swim tunnel. Critical swimming speed (Ucrit), oxygen consumption (MO₂), and muscle activity (EMG values) were assessed 0, 1, 6, 12, 24, and 30 h after treatment. The MO₂ in the EMG and AO groups was higher than in the control group 1 h after treatment, but did not differ significantly from the control in all subsequent trials (from 6 to 30 h after treatment). Values for Ucrit and EMG were not significantly different from the control group in any of the trials conducted 1-30 h after treatment. We concluded that chum salmon had regained their normal swimming ability by 6 h after treatment and could be safely released into the natural environment.