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Spatial and Temporal Movements of a Riverine Brook Trout Population
Author(s) -
Curry R. Allen,
Sparks David,
Sande Jacob
Publication year - 2002
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(2002)131<0551:satmoa>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - trout , salvelinus , fontinalis , fishery , estuary , habitat , population , brackish water , fish migration , salinity , environmental science , ecology , geography , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , demography , sociology
The year‐round movements of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis were monitored in a large river (125 km) and brackish‐water estuary by using radio and acoustic tags and a fish counting fence over a 3‐year period. Trout moved upstream 65‐100 km during the spring after ice loss over a protracted 4‐month period (April‐July). Summer movements were minimal, and habitats were deep pools and runs with cover in the same reaches each year. Trout moved short distances (<10 km) to spawning areas in the fall (September). Downstream movements were observed for both postspawned and immature trout. By the time of the river freeze‐up (January), major movements had ceased and trout wintered in the lower to middle reaches of the main river, with only one trout leaving the river. That fish remained in habitats with salinity less than 5‰ during winter and returned to the river by May. By improving the scale of observation, we identified an apparent mix of tactics related to the use of marine and freshwater environments within this population. Such behavior may have important implications for the ecological and evolutionary significance of mobility and anadromy within the species and the Salmoninae.