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Emigration, Upstream Movement, and Habitat Use by Sterile and Fertile Sea Lampreys in Three Lake Superior Tributaries
Author(s) -
Kelso J. R. M.,
Gardner W. M.
Publication year - 2000
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(2000)020<0144:eumahu>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - petromyzon , streams , tributary , lamprey , habitat , fishery , environmental science , ecology , cobble , biology , geography , computer network , cartography , computer science
To investigate upstream spawning migration behavior of fertile and sterilized sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus, we attached radio transmitters to 149 sea lampreys, released them in three tributaries of Lake Superior between 1993 and 1996, and followed their movements for up to 60 d. Emigration from spawning streams was variable between years and streams (10–50% of releases within a stream), appeared to be affected by the length of unimpeded stream, and was not affected by the sterilization procedure. Most sea lampreys that stayed in the streams moved upstream (64%), the majority moving between 2200 and 0300 hours. Total distance traveled, daily movement rates, and habitat selected by sea lampreys did not differ between fertile males and sterile males. In all streams, sea lampreys selected habitat with significantly reduced light levels and made use of habitat providing refugia—brush piles, overhanging banks, and boulders. Differences in emigration rates among streams implies that stocking rates of sterile male sea lampreys may have to be adjusted by stream to achieve expected suppression of larval sea lamprey production.