Estimating in-river survival of migrating salmonid smolts using radiotelemetry

Skalski, John R.; Lady, James; Townsend, R. H. D.; Giorgi, Albert E.; Stevenson, John R.; Peven, Charles M.; McDonald, Robert D.

doi:10.1139/cjfas-58-10-1987

Cited by 26 publications

(35 citation statements)

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“…Parameter subscripting and coding of detection histories followed this hierarchical structure (see the section on model development below). With this configuration of telemetry stations, survival in the final reach is confounded with detection probability at the last telemetry station (Skalski et al 2001). Therefore, to estimate survival to the terminus of the delta and detection probability at the last station in the delta (A 8 ), we formed one additional telemetry station by pooling detections from numerous tag detecting monitors downstream of A 8 in San Francisco Bay.…”

Section: Telemetry Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating Survival and Migration Route Probabilities of Juvenile Chinook Salmon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

Perry

Skalski

Brandes

et al. 2010

N American J Fish Manag

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147

139

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Juvenile Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha emigrating from natal tributaries of the Sacramento River must negotiate the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, a complex network of natural and man-made channels linking the Sacramento River with San Francisco Bay. Natural processes and water management actions affect the fractions of the population using the different migration routes through the delta and survival within those routes. However, estimating these demographic parameters is difficult using traditional mark-recapture techniques, which depend on the physical recapture of fish (e.g., coded wire tags). Thus, our goals were to (1) develop a mark-recapture model to explicitly estimate the survival and migration route probabilities for each of four migration routes through the delta, (2) link these route-specific probabilities to population-level survival, and (3) apply this model to the first available acoustic telemetry data of smolt migration through the delta. The point estimate of survival through the delta for 64 tagged fish released in December 2006 (Ŝ delta ¼ 0.351; SE ¼ 0.101) was lower than that for 80 tagged fish released in January 2007 (Ŝ delta ¼ 0.543; SE ¼ 0.070). We attributed the observed difference in survival between releases to differences in survival for given migration routes and changes in the proportions of fish using the different routes. Our study shows how movements among, and survival within, migration routes interact to influence population-level survival through the delta. Thus, concurrent estimation of both route-specific migration and survival probabilities is critical to understanding the factors affecting population-level survival in a spatially complex environment such as the delta.

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Section: Telemetry Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating Survival and Migration Route Probabilities of Juvenile Chinook Salmon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

Perry

Skalski

Brandes

et al. 2010

N American J Fish Manag

Self Cite

147

139

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…112-116) when only one release in a paired release is used. Skalski et al (2001) used the model to estimate salmonid smolt survival using PIT tags in the Columbia River. The summary data are the number of fry in each of the 2 k possible capture histories in a k-reach investigation.…”

Section: Marking and Release-recapture Designsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, vast amounts of information now exist on the survival of anadromous Pacific salmonids between smolt outmigration and adult upriver returns arising from Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags (e.g., Prentice et al, 1990;Skalski et al, 1998;Smith et al, 2002;Buchanan and Skalski, 2007), radio tags (Skalski et al, 2001), and acoustic tags (Ploskey et al, 2007). However, these tag technologies are typically not applicable for small juvenile salmonids between emergence from the gravel and seaward migration, a life stage referred to as fry by some salmon biologists.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Marking Methods and Release-Recapture Designs for Estimating the Survival of Very Small Fish: Examples from the Assessment of Salmonid Fry Survival

Skalski

Buchanan

Griswold

2009

Reviews in Fisheries Science

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“…Skalski et al (2001) estimated total project (that is, reach plus dam) survival of steelhead smolts for both Rocky Reach and Rock Island projects, using radio tags to monitor movement and loss rates of fish. Skalski et al (2001) estimated total project (that is, reach plus dam) survival of steelhead smolts for both Rocky Reach and Rock Island projects, using radio tags to monitor movement and loss rates of fish.…”

Section: Ecology Vs Policymentioning

confidence: 77%

Ecosystem-Based Management of Predator–prey Relationships: Piscivorous Birds and Salmonids

Wiese

Parrish

Thompson

et al. 2008

Ecological Applications

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Predator-prey relationships are often altered as a result of human activities. Where prey are legally protected, conservation action may include lethal predator control. In the Columbia River basin (Pacific Northwest, USA and Canada), piscivorous predators have been implicated in contributing to a lack of recovery of several endangered anadromous salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.), and lethal and nonlethal control programs have been instituted against both piscine and avian species. To determine the consequences of avian predation, we used a bioenergetics approach to estimate the consumption of salmonid smolts by waterbirds (Common Merganser, California and Ring-billed Gull, Caspian Tern, Double-crested Cormorant) found in the mid-Columbia River from April through August, 2002-2004. We used our model to explore several predator-prey scenarios, including the impact of historical bird abundance, and the effect of preserving vs. removing birds, on smolt abundance. Each year, <1% of the estimated available salmonid smolts (interannual range: 44,830-109,209; 95% CI = 38,000-137,000) were consumed, 85-98% away from dams. Current diet data combined with historical gull abundance at dams suggests that past smolt consumption may have been 1.5-3 times current numbers, depending on the assumed distribution of gulls along the reaches. After the majority (80%) of salmonid smolts have left the study area, birds switch their diet to predominantly juvenile northern pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis), which as adults are significant native salmonid predators in the Columbia River. Our models suggest that one consequence of removing birds from the system may be increased pikeminnow abundance, which--even assuming 80% compensatory mortality in juvenile pikeminnow survival--would theoretically result in an annual average savings of just over 180,000 smolts, calculated over a decade. Practically, this suggests that smolt survival could be maximized by deterring birds from the river when smolts are present, allowing bird presence after the diet switch to act as a tool for salmonid-predator control, and conducting adult-pikeminnow control throughout. Our analysis demonstrates that identifying the strength of ecosystem interactions represents a top priority when attempting to manage the abundance of a particular ecosystem constituent, and that the consequences of a single-species view may be counterintuitive, and potentially counterproductive.

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Estimating in-river survival of migrating salmonid smolts using radiotelemetry

Cited by 26 publications

References 0 publications

Estimating Survival and Migration Route Probabilities of Juvenile Chinook Salmon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

Estimating Survival and Migration Route Probabilities of Juvenile Chinook Salmon in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta

Review of Marking Methods and Release-Recapture Designs for Estimating the Survival of Very Small Fish: Examples from the Assessment of Salmonid Fry Survival

Ecosystem-Based Management of Predator–prey Relationships: Piscivorous Birds and Salmonids

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