Behavioral patterns of Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) during spawning migration across the coastal water-river continuum in Northeastern Korea

Abstract

Korea’s northeastern coastal waters (NECWs) represent the southwestern range of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), spanning temperate and boreal zones. However, understanding their migration to the NECWs in association with environmental changes remains challenging. Using tagging and tracking techniques, we studied salmon migration behavior and timing during spawning in ascending rivers. When sea levels rose, resulting in a decrease in sea surface temperature, salmon exhibited active vertical movement through the water column and migrated to the surface layer. The number of salmon ascending rivers between early October and early December increased when the sea surface temperature decreased below 18°C, peaking when the water column was mixed during spring tides, and decreased when sea surface temperature dropped below 14°C. In rivers, salmon favored gravelly riverbeds over sand/silt substrates, stayed in deep and shaded areas during the day, and advanced upstream at night. Our findings emphasize that water temperature and tidal elevation are key factors affecting salmon distribution in coastal waters and the timing of river entry. Riverbed composition, water depth, and photoperiod also influenced migration speed and timing in rivers. This research enhances our understanding of salmon behavior during spawning in the NECWs and adjacent rivers at their southern limits.