Marine Growth and Morphometrics for Three Populations of Atlantic Salmon from Eastern Maine, USA

• Published in: Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
• Main Authors: Sheehan, Timothy F., Kocik, John F., Cadrin, Steven X., Legault, Christopher M., Atkinson, Ernest, Bengtson, David A.
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@URI 2005
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/favs_facpubs/6; https://doi.org/10.1577/T04-067.1; https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/context/favs_facpubs/article/1006/viewcontent/Bengtson_2005_Marine.pdf

Significant differences in growth and prespawning body morphology were detected among three stocks of Atlantic salmon reared in a common marine environment. Smolts originating from river-specific broodstock of the Machias, East Machias, and Dennys populations were reared at two marine net-pen facilities for 25 months. Significant differences in stock-specific growth were observed among two stocks at both sites, suggesting a genetic basis for the observed phenotypic variation. There was a significant stock effect to the total measured phenotypic variation based on collected truss network analyses. Linear discriminant function analysis of a truss network of morphometric distances allowed for 73% accuracy of stock classification. A thin-plate spline procedure characterized the Machias body form as having a shortened narrow caudal peduncle region, a compressed body with an elongated trunk, and a deeper head region relative to the other two stocks. Phenotypic variation may be associated with hydrological characteristics of the Machias watershed.