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The Seaward Migration and Return of Hatchery‐Reared Steelhead Trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, in the Alsea River, Oregon
Author(s) -
Wagner Harry H.,
Wallace Richard L.,
Campbell Homer J.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1963)92[202:tsmaro]2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - hatchery , salmo , juvenile , fishery , rainbow trout , trout , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , fish hatchery , zoology , ecology , aquaculture , fish farming
A program was initiated in 1956 to evaluate current hatchery practices and to determine ways of improving the rearing and liberation of juvenile steelhead trout. The physiological changes which result in the seaward migration of wild juvenile steelhead appear to occur most frequently when the fish are in the 14‐ to 18‐centimeter length range. These fish may be 1 to 3 years of age, but the majority are 2 years old. Hatchery‐reared steelhead exhibited the highest survival as returning adults when liberated at a length of 16 centimeters or longer. Results indicate that the optimum release date for hatchery‐reared steelhead coincides with the peak movement downstream of wild Steelhead smolts.