Ages at Migration of Atlantic Salmon ( Salmo salar ) in Miramichi River

• Published in: Journal of the Biological Board of Canada
• Main Author: Blair, A. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1935
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; General Environmental Science; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f35-002; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f35-002

In 1,557 fish examined, the groups, based upon years in the sea and spawning marks, were:—grilse or 1+, 2 and 2+, 3 and 3+, and 1 S.M. and 2 S.M. groups. The 2 and 2+ form 85.1 per cent of the total (grilse excluded), and S.M. 12.8 per cent, and the 3 and 3+, 2.1 per cent. Of fish with one spawning mark, 68.3 per cent first spawned as grilse, 29.9 per cent after two sea winters, and 1.8 per cent after three sea winters. The S.M. group had 11 per cent return to river in less than a year after first spawning, the remainder in little better than a year. Most of the fish with two spawning marks had the same length of absence on both occasions. Only four smolt ages were found:—3 (78.1 per cent), 2 (15.1 per cent), 4 (6.6 per cent) and 5 (0.2 per cent).