INJURIES AND SERUM ENZYME-ACTIVITIES OF FINGERLING CHANNEL CATFISH (ICTALURUS-PUNCTATUS) HARVESTED WITH A TURBINE-PUMP

External injuries and the serum activities of two enzymes were determi ned for fingerling channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) moved from po nds to hauling trucks by either a turbine pump or a conventional lift net attached to a boom. Fish harvested with the turbine pump had signi ficantly more reddened cutaneous abrasions and reddened fins than did fish harvested with the lift net. Activities of serum aspartate aminot ransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased in some gro ups of harvested fish, but there were no consistent differences betwee n fish harvested with the pump or lift net. External lesions caused by loading equipment are of concern because of the potential for infecti ons.