REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF CULTURED FEMALE COHO SALMON IN CHILE

Abstract

Abstract Data on reproductive traits from 1,229 mature 2-year-old female coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch were collected during 2 years at four salmon farms in southern Chile. Spawning periods were similar in 1993 and 1994 (39 and 41 d, respectively). The spawning period of May–June, corresponded to the full reproductive period in the northern hemisphere. The mean weight of mature females (about 4 kg) was almost double the weight reported in the northern hemisphere for 2-year-old maturing females. The pigmented eyed stage was reached approximately 270 accumulated temperature units (ATU days × °C above 0°C after fertilization. Averages for total fecundity (3,802 ± 956 eggs/female, mean ± SD; N = 1, 188), relative fecundity (986 ± 274 eggs/ kg; N = 1,170), and egg diameter (7.11 ± 0.51 mm; N = 1,185) were higher than corresponding values reported for coho salmon hatchery stocks in the northern hemisphere. Survival to the eyedegg stage averaged 74.3 ± 24.2% (N = 1,147). Correlations of female body weight wit...