The retaining screens were small enough to prevent escape of larval fish, yet large enough to allow passage of zooplankton. The development of mobile on-site production facilities could eliminate the need to ship fish great distances, would allow fish to imprint on water into which they will be released, and should improve the efficiency of restoration programs. The intake of airlift pumps could be placed at selected depths to provide a flow of buffered saline water in estuarine environments and should protect sensitive larval fish from the low pH conditions commonly found in surface waters such as tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. Such facilities could also be used to maintain broodstock and stimulate the commercial production of striped bass and hybrids. Transport of Early Life Stages of Fish.
Juvenile fish require special techniques for transport.
Procedures must protect against physical damage due to movement, as well as physiological alterations associated with stress. Channel catfish fingerlings were maintained in plastic bags with an air or oxygen atmosphere, with or without quinaldine. Changes in water conditions were then monitored in opened bags for 30 min. Generally, fingerling catfish held in bags with air had poor survival and dissolved oxygen was reduced within 30 min. Water acidity was most pronounced in bags with oxygen and Quinaldine reflecting carbon dioxide production associated with high metabolic activity.