Physiological stress associated with physical trauma during transportation of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus

Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, United Kingdom
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences - Kristineberg, University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg 566, SE-451 78 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden
Centre for Environmental and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Scarborough, United Kingdom
DOI
10.7287/peerj.preprints.1747v1
Subject Areas
Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish Science, Marine Biology, Coupled Natural and Human Systems
Keywords
decapod
Copyright
© 2016 Powell et al.
Licence
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ PrePrints) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited.
Cite this article
Powell A, Cowing DM, Eriksson SP, Johnson ML. 2016. Physiological stress associated with physical trauma during transportation of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. PeerJ PrePrints 4:e1747v1

Abstract

The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus is a valuable European decapod, particularly when sold live, although along the supply chain lobsters experience a range of extreme stressors during and immediately after capture, and onward transportation. To improve quality and quantity of live product, laboratory experiments and transport simulations have investigated the effect of stress, particularly emersion and temperature, on physiology and the immune system, typically via blood (haemolymph) assays. This study investigated a relatively neglected stressor, physical trauma during transport (i.e. prolonged vibrations) via a simulated transport experiment, following anecdotal evidence that additional cushioning reduced post-transport mortality of N. norvegicus by up to ca. 20%. Baseline (BS) lobsters were sampled shortly after creel capture, and subsamples emersed for 1h, with additional experimental shaking (ES) or as immobile controls (EM). Both emersed treatments showed increased THC and serum glucose, lactate and ammonium, although serum protein and refractive index did not change significantly. Compared to the EM treatment, ES lobsters had significant increases in serum ammonium and glucose. In addition to emersion stress, physical trauma during transport is confirmed as an additional stressor that needs to be considered in transport simulations, whilst straightforward and cheap mitigation of physical trauma (e.g. road vibrations) could improve welfare, survival and recovery.

Author Comment

This is a submission to PeerJ for review.

Supplemental Information

Mortality of Nephrops after transportation

Post-transport mortality of adult females, 14 days after arrival in RAS following four discrete transportation events (9h immersed in a commercial vivier truck, followed by 2h cool, dark and humid emersed transport). Unbroken and broken lines denote transportation with (n=47-56) and without (n=138-144) additional cushioning respectively.

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.1747v1/supp-1

Haemolymph changes in Nephrops before and after simulated transport

Figure 2. Nephrops norvegicus. Haemolymph changes in adults shortly after removal from creels (BS; open bar), after 1h emersed (EM; gray bar) and 1h emersed with shaking (ES; dark bar). A. Serum glucose. B. Serum ammonium. C. Serum lactate. D. Total Haemocyte Count. E. Serum protein. F. Refractive Index. Different letters, or letters uncommon between bars denote significant difference between treatments at P ≤0.05% confidence limit or greater. Absence of letters, or letters common to bars denote no significant difference. Data shown + 1 SEM, n=14-24.

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.1747v1/supp-2

Haemolymph changes in Nephrops before and after simulated transport

Figure 2. Nephrops norvegicus. Haemolymph changes in adults shortly after removal from creels (BS; open bar), after 1h emersed (EM; gray bar) and 1h emersed with shaking (ES; dark bar). A. Serum glucose. B. Serum ammonium. C. Serum lactate. D. Total Haemocyte Count. E. Serum protein. F. Refractive Index. Different letters, or letters uncommon between bars denote significant difference between treatments at P ≤0.05% confidence limit or greater. Absence of letters, or letters common to bars denote no significant difference. Data shown + 1 SEM, n=14-24.

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.1747v1/supp-3

Haemolymph changes in Nephrops before and after simulated transport

Figure 2. Nephrops norvegicus. Haemolymph changes in adults shortly after removal from creels (BS; open bar), after 1h emersed (EM; gray bar) and 1h emersed with shaking (ES; dark bar). A. Serum glucose. B. Serum ammonium. C. Serum lactate. D. Total Haemocyte Count. E. Serum protein. F. Refractive Index. Different letters, or letters uncommon between bars denote significant difference between treatments at P ≤0.05% confidence limit or greater. Absence of letters, or letters common to bars denote no significant difference. Data shown + 1 SEM, n=14-24.

DOI: 10.7287/peerj.preprints.1747v1/supp-4