Document of bibliographic reference 283476

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Atlantic Cod show a highly variable sensitivity to electric-induced spinal injuries

Abstract

Pulse trawling is the most promising alternative to conventional beam trawls targeting Sole Solea solea (also known as Solea vulgaris), but due to the electric fields created by electrotrawls spinal injuries are reported in gadoid round fishes such as Atlantic Cod Gadus morhua. This study aimed to investigate the variability in the occurrence of electric-induced spinal injuries in cod. Four groups of cod, each originating from a different wild or farmed stock, were exposed to the pulses used by electrotrawls targeting Sole. Effects were analyzed based on behavior, mortality, and lesions up to 14 d after exposure, and morphological characteristics such as size, somatic weight, muscularity, the number of vertebral bodies, and the vertebral mineral contents of animals were compared among different cohorts. Second, the influence of factors such as water temperature, electrode diameter, and pulse type and amplitude were tested. Electrode diameter and pulse amplitude showed a positive correlation with the intensity of the fish’s reaction. However, the present experiments confirmed that cod also show variable vulnerability, with injury rates ranging from 0% to 70% after (almost) identical exposures near the electrode. This indicates that these injuries are not only determined by the pulse parameter settings but also by subtle, fish-specific factors. Although the absence of a sensitive group of cod did not enable the elucidation of the conclusive factor, the effect of physiological and morphological factors such as intervertebral ligaments and rearing conditions during early life merit further attention in future research.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000390133700001

Bibliographic citation

Soetaert, M.; de Haan, D.; Verschueren, B.; Decostere, A.; Puvanendran, V.; Saunders , J.H.; Polet, H.; Chiers, K. (2016). Atlantic Cod show a highly variable sensitivity to electric-induced spinal injuries. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 8(1): 412-424. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19425120.2016.1180332

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true