Differences in body proportions between hatchery-reared- and wild Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii (Actinopterygii: Clupeiformes: Clupeidae)

Abstract

The body proportions of 0-group Pacific herring, Clupea pallasii, were compared between hatchery-reared- and wild fish and significant differences were observed. There were fewer vertebrae (Mean ± SD) in hatchery-reared- (52.5 ± 2.15) than in wild fish (53.7 ± 0.92).  For both the hatchery-reared- and the wild individuals, the correlations between number of vertebrae and vertebral column length (VCL) per standard length (SL) were positive. Head length (HL) was approximated as SL minus VCL. Therefore, the proportion of HL in relation to SL became lower with the higher number of vertebrae. Their vertebral number may relate to the difference of body proportions between hatchery-reared- and wild fish.

Keywords

• body proportions
• hatchery-reared
• Pacific herring