Within-River Spawning Migration of Atlantic Salmon ( Salmo salar )

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Heggberget, Tor G., Hansen, Lars P., Næsje, Tor F.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1988
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f88-200; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f88-200

The migration pattern of adult spawners of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in two Norwegian streams was analysed by ultrasonic and mechanical tagging to investigate within-river migration. Salmon were tagged in the estuary as they approached the river before spawning. They displayed a systematic and directional upstream pattern of movement in the river. Seventy-one percent of the fish transplanted 6 km downstream from the capture site about 2 mo before spawning returned to the donor area. Fish transported 7 km upstream from the capture site exhibited a low degree of backtracking to the donor site (one of seven fish). Mechanical tagging of salmon on spawning grounds showed that both male and female spawners released 150 and 600 m upstream from the spawning area were able to return to the original site of spawning with a mean precision of 87%. In both streams, the migration pattern and the return to original site of capture support the hypothesis of local homing of Atlantic salmon, although some fish stray to other areas of the stream.