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Understanding the resilience of aquatic ectothermic animals to climate warming has been hindered by the absence of experimental systems experiencing warming across relevant timescales (for example, decades). Here, we examine European perch (Perca fluviatilis, L.) from the Biotest enclosure, a unique coastal ecosystem that maintains natural thermal fluctuations but has been warmed by 5-10 degrees C by a nuclear power plant for over three decades. We show that Biotest perch grow faster and display thermally compensated resting cardiorespiratory functions compared with reference perch living at natural temperatures in adjacent waters. However, maximum cardiorespiratory capacities and heat tolerance limits exhibit limited or no thermal compensation when compared with acutely heated reference perch. We propose that while basal energy requirements and resting cardiorespiratory functions (floors) are thermally plastic, maximum capacities and upper critical heat limits (ceilings) are much less flexible and thus will limit the adaptive capacity of fishes in a warming climate.

Environmental warming and acute stress increase cardiorespiratory activity in ectothermic animals like fish. While thermal acclimation can buffer the direct thermal effects on basal cardiorespiratory function during chronic warming, little is known about how acclimation affects stress-induced cardiorespiratory responses. We compared cardiovascular and haematological responses to chasing stress in cannulated wild European perch (Perca fluviatilis) from a reference area at natural temperature (16 A degrees C) with perch from the 'Biotest enclosure'; an experimental system chronically warmed (22 A degrees C) by effluents from a nuclear power plant. Routine blood pressure was similar, but Biotest perch had slightly higher resting heart rate (59.9 +/- 2.8 vs 51.3 +/- 2.9 beats min(-1)), although the Q (10) for heart rate was 1.3, indicating pronounced thermal compensation. Chasing stress caused hypertension and a delayed tachycardia in both groups, but the maximum heart rate increase was 2.5-fold greater in Biotest fish (43.3 +/- 4.3 vs 16.9 +/- 2.7 beats min(-1)). Moreover, the pulse pressure response after stress was greater in reference fish, possibly due to the less pronounced tachycardia or a greater ventricular pressure generating capacity and thermally mediated differences in aortic compliance. Baseline haematological status was also similar, but after chasing stress, the haematocrit was higher in Biotest fish due to exacerbated red blood cell swelling. This study highlights that while eurythermal fishes can greatly compensate routine cardiorespiratory functions through acclimation processes, stress-induced responses may still differ markedly. This knowledge is essential when utilising cardiorespiratory variables to quantify and compare stress responses across environmental temperatures, and to forecast energetic costs and physiological constraints in ectothermic animals under global warming.

Genes that play key roles in host immunity such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in vertebrates are expected to be major targets of selection. It is well known that environmental conditions can have an effect on host-parasite interactions and may thus influence the selection on MHC. We analyzed MHC class II ss variability over 35years in a population of perch (Perca fluviatilis) from the Baltic Sea that was split into two populations separated from each other. One population was subjected to heating from cooling water of a nuclear power plant and was isolated from the surrounding environment in an artificial lake, while the other population was not subjected to any change in water temperature (control). The isolated population experienced a change of the allelic composition and a decrease in allelic richness of MHC genes compared to the control population. The two most common MHC alleles showed cyclic patterns indicating ongoing parasite-host coevolution in both populations, but the alleles that showed a cyclic behavior differed between the two populations. No such patterns were observed at alleles from nine microsatellite loci, and no genetic differentiation was found between populations. We found no indications for a genetic bottleneck in the isolated population during the 35years. Additionally, differences in parasitism of the current perch populations suggest that a change of the parasite communities has occurred over the isolation period, although the evidence in form of in-depth knowledge of the change of the parasite community over time is lacking. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis of a selective sweep imposed by a change in the parasite community.

The mean annual growth rate of grey seal stock in the Baltic has been on average 7.5% annually during the last decade. In 2010, a total of approximately 23 100 grey seals were counted. The increase in stock size was highest in the northern areas and the predation pressure of grey seals on clupeoids has increased accordingly. The diet of grey seal in the Baltic consists of ca. 20 fish species. The most abundant prey items in the Baltic proper are Baltic herring, sprat, and cod, and in the Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay Baltic herring, Coregonus sp., Baltic salmon, and sea trout. An adult seal consumes on average round 4.5 kg fish per day, of which 55% are clupeoids in the Baltic Main basin and 70% in the Bothnian Sea and Bothnian Bay. According to acoustic estimates, predator– prey distribution patterns, migration patterns, and multispecies analysis (SMS), the predation effect of grey seals on Baltic herring and sprat stocks is still at a very low level. Hence, with present grey seal stock sizes, the impact of seal predation can be ignored in whole Baltic‐scale herring and sprat stock management considerations. Locally, however, grey seal–fishery interactions play an important role and should be taken into account in future spatial planning and ecosystem management

The amount of genetic differentiation at DNA microsatellite loci in European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) was assessed among ecotypes, populations and run-timing types. The magnitude of genetic changes potentially caused by hatchery broodstock rearing were also compared with those observed in corresponding natural populations. A total of 35 populations were studied, including 33 Coregonus lavaretus populations and two samples of Coregonus peled. Five of the six whitefish ecotypes in Finland were represented within C. lavaretus populations. Genetic diversity among C. lavaretus populations proved to be high compared to two C. peled populations. The genetic D-A distance between these two species was as high as 0.86. The genetic differentiation among ecotypes was generally low and thus gives support for the hypothesis of one native European whitefish species in Scandinavia. Among the ecotypes the northern, large sparsely-rakered, bottom-dwelling whitefish was most unique. Thus, observed genetic differences in quantitative traits have either developed independently of phylogenetic lineages, or have mixed and later changed according to environments and selection pressures. Overall genetic distances between the anadromous whitefish populations along the Finnish coast, especially in the Bothnian Bay area, were small. Populations of this area have been heavily influenced by human activities, and they also have the highest probability of mixing by natural means. In two cases, the Rivers Iijoki and Tornionjoki, statistically significant genetic differences could be observed between summer- and autumn-run spawning-time types. Wild populations had slightly higher allelic diversity than hatchery-reared populations of corresponding rivers. Although some reduction in genetic diversity during hatchery rearing is possible, it is an important aid in maintaining endangered populations.

To investigate the relative importance of homogenizing factors, such as gene flow, and diversifying factors, such as drift, genetic variation in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) in two Fennoscandian regions (North and South) was analysed with microsatellites. Allelic richness and the degree of differentiation were significantly higher in the North (FST = 0·20) than in the South (FST = 0·064). In northern areas, assignments of genotypes were almost exclusively to the population of origin, but in southern areas, the proportion of correct assignments was significantly lower. Most samples exhibited significant heterozygote deficits, and the level of relatedness was higher than expected from randomness. These combined results suggest that there has been more gene flow between populations in southern areas than in northern areas, where the importance of genetic drift has been greater. Effective population sizes were small (c. 100) and did not differ between areas. The effect of a common history appears minor, and thus processes such as genetic drift and gene flow have been more influential in shaping the patterns of genetic diversity in this species.

This document was produced during a workshop held at the Institute of Coastal Research, Swedish Board of Fisheries, with the aim to summarize the current genetic research on commercially exploited Nordic fish and to highlight how modern genetic techniques can be used to facilitate management of aquatic resources. The document reviews the current knowledge on genetics in Nordic fish species and identifies the existing gaps in the knowledge. We also provide a brief overview of where the existing competence in population genetic methods in the Nordic countries is located, and identify established cooperation and networks between affiliations and countries. We conclude that in spite of the recent advances there are several considerations that need to be taken into account for sustainable management of targeted stocks of fish and shellfish in the Nordic countries to be effective. For example, information on genetic stock structures should be taken into account in the ICES working groups, common management strategies of aquatic resources in the Nordic countries should be established, stocking and aquaculture programmes should be evaluated from a conservation genetic perspective, and additional research is needed on basic knowledge on the genetic population structure in several exploited fish species.

Many populations of brown trout are managed by hatchery breeding and supportive release. Using a limited number of individuals as founders creates a bottleneck, which can lead to loss of genetic diversity in a population. In this study 17 populations of hatchery-reared brown trout were examined genetically using microsatellite markers. Genetic variation measured as gene diversity and allelic richness were analysed and the effects of effective population size of founders and time since founding on these parameters were explored. Allelic richness and gene diversity decreased with increasing time since founding of the stock, and there was a negative relationship between current effective population size and time since founding. Allelic richness was positively correlated with effective population size at founding. The results indicate that considerations concerning effective population size in hatcheries must be taken seriously to promote high levels of genetic variation among individuals and minimise loss of genetic diversity.