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Dispersal and Abundance of Hatchery‐Reared and Naturally Spawned Juvenile Chinook Salmon in an Idaho Stream
Author(s) -
Richards Carl,
Cernera Phillip J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8675(1989)009<0345:daaohr>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - chinook wind , oncorhynchus , hatchery , fishery , stocking , juvenile , abundance (ecology) , fish hatchery , fish measurement , biological dispersal , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , fish farming , aquaculture , population , demography , sociology
The abundance and movement of naturally spawned fingerling chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha produced by transplanted adults and of hatchery‐reared fingerling chinook salmon was assessed in the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho, during the summer‐fall rearing period. Adults and hatchery fingerlings were stocked in fall 1986 and spring 1987, respectively, in the headwaters of the river. The highest densities of hatchery fingerlings were located within 2.0 km downstream of release sites in all sampling periods. Little upstream movement occurred. The highest densities of naturally spawned fingerlings were observed near high concentrations of redds. Though the distribution patterns of both groups of fish remained constant throughout the summer, total abundance dropped dramatically. Total abundance in October was only 17% of early summer abundance. Hatchery fingerlings decreased in abundance in midsummer, 2‐3 months after stocking, possibly due to premature out‐migration. Timing of movement from the stream (normally in fall) may be related to fish size, so stocked fish should be similar in size to naturally spawned fry. These results also indicate that fingerlings should be stocked at lower densities at more sites so that available habitat can be used more effectively.