Respiratory metabolism and growth of atlantic salmon in relation to various levels of routine activity

Abstract

Studies on the respiratory metabolism and growth of young Atlantic salmon (132 - 475 g) in seawater at 8. SOC have been conducted. The experiments were performed in the laboratory using five "growth metabolism" tanks. The average metabolic rate at swimming speeds from 5-25 cm/ sec. wer e determined and compared with similar data for sockeye salmon. Both fed and starved salmons were examined and a daily average metabolic rate of 81 ml. O2/kg/hr for starved fish (173 g) and 102ml. O2/kg/hr for fed fish were found. Both groups displayed a higher oxygen consumption during the night than at daytime due to increased activity. Growth and gross growth efficiency varied according to activity and a velocity of 15 cm/sec. (0.6 L/sec) gave the best results. Preliminary bioenergetic calculations indicated that the measured metabolic rate were in agreement with the calculated value from food-growth experiments.