Feeding hatchery-reared dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus juveniles on live prey: implications for restocking

Among the behavioural factors affecting survival of hatchery-reared fish when released into the wild, inefficient foraging is considered to be a major behavioural deficit. The present study investigates the ability of hatchery-produced, pellet-reared dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus juveniles to recognize and catch live prey (sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax fingerlings 30–80 mm TL) and analyses the effects of a training period on their foraging performance. Juvenile E. marginatus (3+ years, 270–330 mm TL) showed an innate ability to recognize and capture live D. labrax fingerlings as latency time to first attack was very short (