The development of a novel pheromone based strategy to control an invasive fish

圆虾虎鱼（虾虎鱼科：Neogobius melanostomus）是一种入侵鱼类，存在于五大湖。圆虾虎鱼正在影响五大湖的生态系统，包括以本地鱼类（湖鳟鱼、湖鲟鱼和小嘴鲈鱼）的胚胎和鱼苗为食。我们与安大略省自然资源部以及地方、省和国家组织合作，正在开发一种信息素陷阱，以便在本地鱼类的产卵地和其他重要栖息地捕捉繁殖的圆虾虎鱼。利用信息素来吸引或排斥鱼类，以及更好地了解信息素交流的机制，在渔业管理中具有令人兴奋的应用潜力，以促进可持续性，同时保护生物多样性。我们已经在实验室中证明，怀孕的雌性会被雄性圆虾虎鱼释放的气味所吸引，并预测我们的现场应用将会取得成功。我们还发现了在生殖雄性圆虾虎鱼睾丸中合成的候选信息素（11-氧-etiocholanolone-sulfate及其代谢物）。我们将测定雄性圆虾虎鱼释放信息素的速率和浓度。信息素羽流的流体动力学模型将在实验室开发并应用于现场情况。我们设计了一个现场组件来测试信息素陷阱捕获怀孕的雌性圆虾虎鱼的功效。虽然这项研究的重点是圆虾虎鱼，但其原理和研究可以适用于其他入侵生物（即对海七鳃鳗的现有研究）和经济上重要的鱼类。鉴于加拿大休闲钓鱼的高参与率和巨大的经济价值，这项研究的结果将有助于确保世世代代的渔业资源的可持续性。

The round goby (Gobiidae: Neogobius melanostomus) is an invasive fish species present in all five of the Great Lakes.  The round goby is impacting the Great Lakes ecosystem, including feeding on embryos and fry of native fishes (lake trout, lake sturgeon, and smallmouth bass). In partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and local, provincial and national organizations, we are developing a pheromone trap to capture reproductive round gobies on spawning grounds of native fishes and in other critical habitats. The use of pheromones to attract or repel fish, and a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie pheromone communication, have exciting potential for application in fisheries management to promote sustainability while conserving biodiversity. We have already shown that gravid females are attracted to odours released by male round gobies in the lab and predict that our field applications will be a success. We also have identified candidate pheromones (11-oxo-etiocholanolone-sulfate and its metabolites) that are synthesized in the testis of reproductive male round gobies.  We will determine the rate and concentration of pheromones released by male round gobies. Fluid dynamic models of pheromone plumes will be developed in the laboratory and applied to field situations.  We have designed a field component to test the efficacy of pheromone traps to capture gravid female round gobies. While this research is focused on round gobies, the principles and research can be adapted to other invasive organisms (i.e., existing research on sea lamprey) and economically important fishes. Given the high levels of participation and tremendous economic value of recreational fishing in Canada, the results of this research will help to ensure the sustainability of fisheries resources for generations.