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Carlin tag recoveries as an indicator of predation on salmon smolts by goosanders and red‐breasted mergansers
Author(s) -
Feltham M. J.,
MacLean J. C.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1996.tb01118.x
Subject(s) - biology , predation , fishery , salmo , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , ecology
Between 1984 and 1990 a total 221 Carlin tags used to mark salmon Salmo salar smolts in the River North Esk, NE Scotland, were recovered from the stomachs of goosanders Mergus merganser and red‐breasted mergansers M. serrator . Both Carlin‐tagging and adipose‐clipping affected the predation of salmon smolts by sawbill ducks. The mean (± S.D.) sizes of tagged smolts taken by both species were similar (117 ± 3 mm) and significantly smaller than the mean sizes of smolts in the river, possibly due to a reduction in the swimming performance of small smolts bearing tags. Large adipose‐clipped smolts (±mean smolt size) were predated significantly more than unclipped smolts, but no such difference was observed for small smolts (