CFP Aquaculture & Hatchery Operations Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of a fish hatchery in support of US fisheries management?

Answer: To supplement or restore natural fish populations for conservation and recreational fisheries

Hatcheries primarily serve to bolster wild populations through supplementation stocking or to restore species that have declined below self-sustaining levels.

Which water quality parameter is most critical to monitor continuously in a flow-through hatchery raceway?

Answer: Dissolved oxygen (DO)

Dissolved oxygen must be maintained above minimum thresholds at all times in raceways because fish mortality can occur rapidly when DO drops.

What is 'imprinting' in the context of salmonid hatchery programs?

Answer: The process by which juvenile salmon memorize the chemical signature of their natal stream for homing

Salmonid imprinting is the memorization of natal stream odors during a critical developmental window, which guides adults back to the correct stream to spawn.

In aquaculture, what does the feed conversion ratio (FCR) measure?

Answer: The kilograms of feed required to produce one kilogram of fish weight gain

FCR expresses production efficiency as the mass of feed needed per unit of fish biomass gained; lower FCR values indicate more efficient feed use.

Which pathogen is responsible for bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in salmonids and is a major concern in US hatcheries?

Answer: Renibacterium salmoninarum

Renibacterium salmoninarum is the causative agent of BKD, a chronic systemic disease that is difficult to eradicate in hatchery populations.

What is the purpose of 'volitional spawning channels' in Pacific salmon hatchery programs?

Answer: To allow fish to spawn naturally in semi-controlled conditions that mimic stream environments

Volitional spawning channels let adult salmon choose mates and spawn naturally, reducing domestication selection and improving genetic fitness of offspring.