This thesis is an investigation of surgical techniques used on fish. Surgeries on fish have been reported since the 1950s. They have been performed most frequently to implant transmitters into the peritoneal cavity of fish for the purpose of tracking movement and behaviour. Most of the surgical techniques currently in use are the same or similar to those first documented in the mid-1970's. Most of these techniques have not been tested empirically to determine if they improve the healing of the full thickness incisions used in transmitter implantation. The purpose of this thesis is to determine several of the most common surgical techniques in current use and test how they affect healing. It contains a review of different surgical techniques that have been used and examinations of the effects of topical antiseptics, suture materials, suture patterns, and incision locations on wound healing and behaviour in rainbow trout ('Oncorhynchus mykiss ').