Migratory and reproductive behaviour of female adult Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in a spawning stream

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Baglinière, J. L., Maisse, G., Nihouarn, A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1990
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb03553.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.1990.tb03553.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1095-8649.1990.tb03553.x

Migration and spawning behaviour of eight Atlantic salmon adult females were analysed by radio‐tracking in relation to the degree of sexual maturity in a spawning tributary of the R. Sélune. Six of them were grilse and four of them were ripe. All the fish migrated upstream until reaching their spawning site at a distance of 4–12 km from the trap. The daily migration rate up to this site was inversely correlated with the length of the female. Spawning occurred in all fish at the same time when the water temperature increased dramatically. Spawning lasted 1–10 days according to the fish. After spawning, females quickly moved downstream only small distances and then stayed in approximately the same location until death. This study concluded that ripeness did not influence behaviour on the spawning migration and describes certain characteristics of the reproductive phase in a spawning tributary.