Fish were anaesthetized with a buffered ethyl 3-aminobenzoate methanesulfonate (MS-222; Sigma-Aldrich) solution with supplemental aeration. Once anesthetized, mass and fork length were measured, and blood extracted from the caudal artery. Whole blood (WB) lactate and glucose were measured using a Lactate Pro™ Portable Blood Lactate Analyzer and a OneTouch® Ultra 2 Meter (Gallant et al., 2017). Environmental stressors are known to alter the blood chemistry of fish. Blood glucose levels rise to supply ATP and fuel activity if the situation becomes critical. Similarly, blood lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, and an increase in this metabolite indicates a switch to anaerobic ATP production suggesting aerobic energy stores are diminished. Parr were terminated by a swift blow to the head followed by severance of the spinal cord. Liver was dissected, immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80°C until processing. Blood samples were centrifuged at 5000 rpm for 3 min and 13°C to separate blood constituents. White blood cells and plasma were discarded while red blood cells (RBC) were flash frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80°C.