| Summary: | Fish tracking is a valuable technique for the provision of detailed information on thebehaviour patterns of individual fish especially during estuarine and riverine migration.2. Tracking studies help in the provision of a comprehensive description of the variety offishbehaviour patterns in response to factors such as water flow, obstructions and waterquality.3. There are advantages to be gained by complementing fish tracking studies with datacollected from fish counters and vice versa.4. An overall evaluation of NRA fish tracking projects is presented in the wider context ofNRA strategic research objectives.5. The requirement for future development of tracking equipment, improved data analysistechniques, better communication and more immediate report preparation is identified.6. Individual project evaluation is given for NRA (or the appropriate Water Authoritypredecessor) tracking studies conducted on the Ribble estuary, the River Tamar, RiverTorridge, Rivers Test and Itchen, River Lodden, the Welsh River Dee, River Glaslyn,River Taff, River Tawe, River Tywi, River Usk, Rivers Avon and Stour and the RiverFrome.7. An outline for future strategic research is provided which identifies particular areas forstudy:-i) Identification of environmental factors which control the entry of fish into rivers.ii) Improvement of the understanding of the relationship between water flow andupstream movement of salmonids.iii) Examination of the detailed movements and behaviour of fish in relation toobstructions.iv) Closer definition of water quality requirements for salmonid fish.v) Definition of habitat preferences of salmonids in rivers.vi) Subsidiary topics such as the movements of non-salmonid fish and the downstreammigration of kelts and juvenile salmonids. Environment Agency Archives North West
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