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Fish Migration

This document discusses fish migration. It defines migration as the regular, seasonal, long-distance movement of fish between breeding and non-breeding areas. It provides examples of migratory fish species and describes the different types of migration including for feeding, spawning, and in response to environmental factors. The document also outlines the methods, patterns, influencing factors, navigation techniques, hormones involved, and advantages and disadvantages of migration for fish.

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Rosalynda Talosig Mabbun
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63 views

Fish Migration

This document discusses fish migration. It defines migration as the regular, seasonal, long-distance movement of fish between breeding and non-breeding areas. It provides examples of migratory fish species and describes the different types of migration including for feeding, spawning, and in response to environmental factors. The document also outlines the methods, patterns, influencing factors, navigation techniques, hormones involved, and advantages and disadvantages of migration for fish.

Uploaded by

Rosalynda Talosig Mabbun
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Migration in Fish

CONTENTS
 MIGRATION
 SOME EXAMPLES OF MIGRATORY FISH SPECIES
 WHY MIGRATION…
 TYPES OF MIGRATION
 METHODS OF MIGRATION
 PERIODICITY OF MIGRATION
 PATTERNS OF MIGRATION
 FACTORS INFLUENCING MIGRATION
 HOW DO THEY FIND ‘THE’ DIRECTION
 HORMONES INVOLVED
 CAUSES OF MIGRATION
 METHODS FOR STUDYING MIGRATION
 ADVANTAGE and DISADVANTAGE
Migration:

MIGRATION- “A regular, seasonal, large scale, long


distance, movements of a population twice a year
between a fixed breeding and non breeding area”.
(LACK)

“Specialized behavior especially evolved for the


displacement of the individual in space”. (DINGLE
1980)
Some examples of Migratory fish
species

 The cod (Gadus morhua)


 Herrings (Clupea harengus)
 Salmon (Salmo sp.)
 Eel (Anguilla anguilla)
 Hilsa (Hilsa ilisha)
 Three-spined stickle back (Gasterosteus)
 Lampreys (Petromyzon marinus)
Migration for...

• Feeding or Alimental Migration


• Spawning Migration
• Juvenile Migration
• Recruitment Migration
• Seasonal Migration
Feeding or Alimental Migration
Spawning Migration
Juvenile Migration
Recruitment Migration
Seasonal Migration
Types of migration

 Alimental migration: this is in search of food


and water.
 Gametic migration: for reproduction.
 Climatic migration: to secure more suitable
climatic conditions.
 Osmoregulatory migration: maintains
Osmoregulation.
Methods of migration

 By drifting: fishes are carried passively by water


currents. This is called drift, may result in directional
movements.
 Random locomotory movements: random in direction,
lead to a uniform distribution or to an aggregation.
 Oriented swimming movements: in a particular
direction:
(a) Towards or away from the source of stimulation.
(b) At some angle to an imaginary line running between
them and the source of stimulation.
Migration based on duration

Daily: Mainly for food gathering

Annual: Mainly for reproduction

Generational: Parent migrate to release


eggs and die, their young ones migrate
back to their homes
Patterns of migration

 POTAMODROMOUS MIGRATION
 OCEANODROMOUS MIGRATION
 DIADROMOUS MIGRATION
(a) Anadromous migration
(b) Catadromous migration
(c) Amphidromous migration
POTAMODROMOUS MIGRATION

 Fishes living in the fresh water generally


show upstream migration of adults for
spawning and the spent fish return
downstream to feeding area.
e.g. Cat fishes, Trout, Clupeids etc
OCEANODROMOUS MIGRATION

 Many marine fish species travel long


distances in the sea and visit specific areas,
such as spawning area, nursery area,
feeding area, winter area, etc.
e.g. Herrings, Cod, Pleuronectes, Tunnas
etc.
Pattern of movements in
oceanodromous fish migration
DIADROMOUS MIGRATION

 These are truly migratory fishes that migrate


between the sea and fresh water, and are of three
types:
(a) Anadromous migration: When fresh water fish
exhibit migration from spawning areas (fresh water)
to feeding areas (ocean).
e.g. Brown trout, Petromyzon, Gasterosteus etc.
DIADROMOUS MIGRATION

 Catadromous migration: Fish which spend


most of their life in fresh water, but return to
the ocean for spawning are called
catadromous. e.g. Anguilla
 Amphidromous migration: diadromous
fishes migrate from fresh water to the sea or
vice versa, their purpose is not for breeding.
e.g. Gobies
Factors influencing migration

 Physical factor: Bottom materials, depth of water, temperature,


turbidity, photoperiodism etc.
 Chemical factor: pH, smell, taste of water, quality and quantity of
pollutants, dissolved gases etc.
 Biological factor: Sexual maturity, blood pressure, food, memory
and endocrine glands etc.
 Availability of food.
 Temperature: High temperature of sea water in summer provides
stimulus to salmon for migration. Temperature of fresh water
rises move upstream for spawning.
 Salinity of water: Stenohaline fishes do not possess large scale
migration. Euryhaline fishes possess large scale migration, they
migrate from fresh water to sea from ocean to fresh water for
spawning. e.g. Salmon, Anguilla, Hilsa, Gastrosteus
Factors influencing fish migration

 Intensity and duration of light: Some fishes are


attracted towards light and can be trapped by placing
light at suitable points. Petromyzon and Acipenser
migrate during night.
 Water current: Influences the direction of movement of
fishes. Eggs and Fry are passively transported along
with the current with feeding grounds. After spawning
spent Salmon are carried by the river currents towards
the sea.
 The stage of maturity of the Gonads and Endocrine
Glands are also important factors governing migration.
How do they find ‘THE’ direction?

 Orientation means arranging of an animal in a given


direction. The mechanism of ‘orientation’ during fish
migration reviewed by Hasler (1971) and Able (1980).
 Fish may recognize its home site by sensory stimulus- vision
or olfaction. This is called ‘Homing’ or ‘Piloting’.
 Many environmental factors help the fish in orientation.
(a) Changing angle of the Sun
(b) Position of moon
(c) Magnetic and Electrical fields.
(d) Water currents
(e) Olfactory sense
Hormones involved

 Pituitary gland (Prolactin, corticotropin,


growth hormone etc)
 Urophysis and Corpuscles of Stannius
 Pineal gland
 Thyroid gland (calcitonin)
Causes of migration

According to Northcote (1978)


 To optimize feeding
 To avoid unfavourable conditions
 To enhance reproductive success
 To promote colonization
 To exploit rich food source, enhance food
intake which is necessary for increase in
growth rate, fecundity and survival.
Methods for studying fish migration
(marking and tagging technique)

 Tagging technique: mainly two types of tags are


used.
(a) External tag
(b) Internal tag
 Markers technique:
(a) Fluorescent dye: Embedded in scales and exposed
by UV radiations.
(b) Tetracycline: Deposited in vertebrae and bone as
permanent marker.
(c) Radio isotopes: Water soluble and detected by
radiation detector.
External Tag

 Mutilation: missing adipose fin (clipping or punching)


 Peterson Discs: most successful of all tags named after
Danish biologist who invented it in 1894.
This tag consists of two Celluloid or plastic discs, about
one-half inch in diameter, attached with a pin or wire to
some part of the fish.
 Carlin Darter Tag: plastic disc with steel wire.
 Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE) Tag: injected as liquid
and becomes solidified and transparent.
 Floy Tag: adult migratory fishes with T-bar hook which
interlocks with skeleton (by gun).
Peterson disc Carlin darter Tag

V I E Tag Floy Tag


Internal Tag

 Radio Tag: in shallow and low conductivity water;


sends radio signals.
 Sonar Tag: hydrostatic tag, detailed instructions
kept inside capsule.
 Coded Wire Tag: placed near snout, neck and
detected by metal detector. Mainly used to identify
group of fishes.
Radio Tag Sonar Tag

Coded Wired tag


Advantage of fish migration
 In view of NIKOLSKY, migration is an adaptation
towards abundance.
 The nursery or spawning ground may not have
enough food to maintain both the mature and
immature members of large population.
 Separate spawning, nursery and feeding grounds.
 Focuses the proper environmental conditions for
spawning.
 Enhanced reproductive success.
Disadvantage of fish migration

 In pursuing long journey, many migrating fish


get lost. Most of them are eaten by predators.

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