Field assessment of precocious maturation in salmon parr using ultrasound imaging

Abstract

Salmonids are characterized by a large diversity of life histories, but their study is often limited by the imperfect observation of the true state of an individual in the wild. Challenged by the need to reduce uncertainty of empirical data, recent development in medical imaging techniques offered new opportunities to assess precocious maturation in Atlantic salmon parr. Traditional phenotypic (external) examination and ultrasound (internal) examination were compared and recommendations on fish handling and ultrasound image interpretation are provided. By allowing to see the unseen, portable ultrasound imaging offers great opportunities for ecological studies in the wild, such as the assessment of individual sexual maturation.