Premium
Variations in migration behaviour and mortality of Atlantic salmon smolts in four different hydroelectric facilities
Author(s) -
Karppinen Petri,
Hynninen Mikko,
Vehanen Teppo,
Vähä JuhaPekka
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
fisheries management and ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1365-2400
pISSN - 0969-997X
DOI - 10.1111/fme.12486
Subject(s) - hydroelectricity , salmo , fishery , environmental science , fish migration , upstream (networking) , fish <actinopterygii> , hydrology (agriculture) , geography , ecology , biology , engineering , telecommunications , geotechnical engineering
Migration behaviour, route selection and mortality of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., smolts were studied at four different hydroelectric facilities in the River Mustionjoki, Finland, in May 2017. Radio‐tagged smolts were released upstream of the power stations and tracked by stationary antenna‐receiver systems and hand‐held receivers. Tracking revealed a general tendency of smolts to move downstream with the main flow, but also variable behaviour and mortality related to diverse conditions characteristic of each power station. Average migration delay at the power stations ranged between 13.8 and 101.1 h (median: 1.7–61.5 h). Estimated mortality ranges were 0%–50% in the forebays, 4%–64% in the power stations and 2–30%/km during river migration after passage of the dam. This study provided essential information on behaviour and mortality in relation to local conditions at each power station required for successful application of fish bypass systems in a salmon restoration project.