Effects of commercial fishing on adult Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in a Quebec river

• Main Authors: Whoriskey, Frederick G., Naiman, Robert J.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 1982
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Fish populations; Fisheries; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/1912/8955

Despite an absence of freshwater exploitation, the adult salmon run in the Matamek River, Quebec, declined during 1975-1980 to <23% of the level thought to occur there prior to 1967. Returns in 1979 and 1980 of adults tagged as smolts were 1.0% and 0.9%, respectively. Numbers of emigrating smolts and their corresponding adult returns are not significantly correlated, although we observed a trend towards more salmon (2 sea year fish) returning with larger numbers of migrating smolts. Since 1967 there is noted a decrease in the age at which returning adults smolted and females appear to now constitute a larger percentage of returning grilse and salmon. These, and other changes in life history characteristics, appear to be caused solely by commercial exploitation. Prepared by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Department of Recreation, Fish and Game of the Province of Quebec.