Juvenile Salmon Residency in a Marsh Area of the Fraser River Estuary

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Levy, D. A., Northcote, T. G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1982
• Subjects: Pink salmon
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f82-038; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f82-038

Large numbers of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), chum salmon (O. keta), and pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) were present within tidal channels of a marsh area in the Fraser Estuary between March and June 1978. The tidal channels investigated dewatered at low tide, necessitating daily emigrations by juvenile salmon out of the channels. While pink fry emigrated from tidal channels at the early and middle stages of ebbing tides, most chum and chinook fry emigrated near the later stages of ebbing tides. Mark–recapture studies demonstrated that chinook and chum fry resided temporarily in the marsh prior to migrating into the Pacific Ocean and returned to the same channel on several tidal cycles. Pink fry were abundant in the channels, but appeared to be transient. Chinook and chum showed an increase in average length which was attributable to estuarine growth.Key words: chinook salmon, chum salmon, pink salmon, juvenile residency, marsh tidal channel, Fraser Estuary, estuary growth