Impact of Temperature and Catch and Release Angling Stress on the Physiology and Behaviour of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis)

Catch and release (C&R) angling is a stressor for fish that can cause sublethal and lethal consequences. The severity of these consequences is dictated by water temperature due to its ubiquitous impact on fish physiology and stress recovery. In this thesis, I examined how temperature and C&R stress impact physiological and behavioural recovery in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). In chapter two, I used a respirometry and feeding experiment to quantify the energetic costs of C&R at two temperatures (15 vs 10 °C). I found that overall energetic impacts were low. In chapter three, I conducted a field experiment to assess mortality and thermal experience of brook trout following short-term cold-water holding (15, 18, 21°C). Post-release I observed low mortality and high occupancy of 15°C temperatures. My two chapters help to elucidate mechanisms of recovery, determine energetic consequences of C&R and identify best C&R practices for brook trout across water temperatures.