Juvenile salmon in estuaries: comparisons between North American Atlantic and Pacific salmon populations

Weitkamp, Laurie A.; Goulette, Graham S.; Hawkes, James P.; O’Malley, M.; Lipsky, Christine

doi:10.1007/s11160-014-9345-y

Cited by 31 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 132 publications

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“…The migration timing patterns we observed in shoreline and channel habitats are generally similar to those reported for other large estuaries within the region (Quinn 2005;Weitkamp et al 2014). This similarity suggests that habitat-specific differences observed in the Columbia River likely apply to other large estuaries, but directed research exploring this assumption is clearly warranted.…”

Section: Salmon Migration Timingsupporting

confidence: 84%

Comparative Use of Shallow and Deepwater Habitats by Juvenile Pacific Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary Prior to Ocean Entry

2016

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The degree to which fine‐scale habitat use by salmonid species and stocks varies within habitat types such as estuaries is not fully resolved. We sampled shallow shoreline and deeper main‐stem channel habitats in the Columbia River estuary over 3 years to compare salmon species composition, migration timing, density, size, and production type (hatchery or natural). Results indicated a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in habitat occupancy by the five salmonid species that are native to the basin. Salmonid communities at two channel habitat sites were much more similar to each other than to the community at a shoreline site. Salmonids sampled at the shoreline site were primarily subyearling Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and Chum Salmon O. keta and yearling Coho Salmon O. kisutch, with few other salmonids present. In contrast, channel habitat contained a higher diversity of salmon species, with samples representing all species of anadromous salmonids, including Sockeye Salmon O. nerka and steelhead O. mykiss. Salmonids in deeper channel habitat were generally larger than salmonids found along the shore, and the proportion of hatchery‐origin salmon was also higher in deep channel habitats. On a per‐area basis, we also found much higher densities of salmon along the shoreline than in channel habitats. For Chinook Salmon, habitat use also differed by genetic stock of origin: upper‐river stocks primarily used deeper channels, while lower‐river populations used both channel and shoreline areas. We concluded that sampling at both habitat types is required to fully encompass the migration patterns of all salmon evolutionarily significant units in the Columbia River basin. These spatial and temporal variations in salmon timing and density have ramifications for feeding, growth, and competitive interactions. This study provides information that is relevant for conservation efforts targeting specific fish populations and efforts to evaluate the potential impacts of in‐water activities in the Columbia River estuary. Received May 12, 2016; accepted August 19, 2016

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Section: Salmon Migration Timingsupporting

confidence: 84%

Comparative Use of Shallow and Deepwater Habitats by Juvenile Pacific Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary Prior to Ocean Entry

2016

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“…A better understanding of factors that influence estuary mortality could help to enhance the management of Atlantic Salmon stocks in the face of changing ocean climates (Mills et al 2013). Despite the importance of estuarine habitats during migration, little is known about Atlantic Salmon smolt behavior and survival in North American estuaries compared with in freshwater and nearshore marine environments (Weitkamp et al 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

Linking Behavior, Physiology, and Survival of Atlantic Salmon Smolts During Estuary Migration

et al. 2015

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Decreased marine survival is identified as a component driver of continued declines of Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar. However, estimates of marine mortality often incorporate loss incurred during estuary migration that may be mechanistically distinct from factors affecting marine mortality. We examined movements and survival of 941 smolts (141 wild and 800 hatchery‐reared fish) released in freshwater during passage through the Penobscot River estuary, Maine, from 2005 to 2013. We related trends in estuary arrival date, movement rate, and survival to fish characteristics, migratory history, and environmental conditions in the estuary. Fish that experienced the warmest thermal history arrived in the estuary 8 d earlier than those experiencing the coolest thermal history during development. Estuary arrival date was 10 d later for fish experiencing high flow than for fish experiencing low flow. Fish released furthest upstream arrived in the estuary 3 d later than those stocked further downstream but moved 0.5 km/h faster through the estuary. Temporally, movement rate and survival in the estuary both peaked in mid‐May. Spatially, movement rate and survival both decreased from freshwater to the ocean. Wild smolts arrived in the estuary later than hatchery fish, but we observed no change in movement rate or survival attributable to rearing history. Fish with the highest gill Na+, K+‐ATPase activity incurred 25% lower mortality through the estuary than fish with the lowest gill Na+, K+‐ATPase activity. Smolt survival decreased (by up to 40%) with the increasing number of dams passed (ranging from two to nine) during freshwater migration. These results underscore the importance of physiological preparedness on performance and the delayed, indirect effects of dams on survival of Atlantic Salmon smolts during estuary migration, ultimately affecting marine survival estimates. Received October 25, 2014; accepted January 8, 2015

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“…Penny and Moffitt (2014) provide new insights into the importance of steelhead iteroparity for conservation and its implications for salmonid conservation. Moving seaward, Weitkamp et al (2013) compare estuary use by both the suite of anadromous Pacific salmon species and Atlantic salmon and their more species rich diadromous community. Their analysis underscores emerging research that suggests that estuaries are key habitat areas that have potential to enhance salmon recovery on both coasts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaboration between Atlantic and Pacific salmon biologists to enhance recovery of endangered salmon in North America

Ardren

Busack

Kocik

2014

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

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Juvenile salmon in estuaries: comparisons between North American Atlantic and Pacific salmon populations

Cited by 31 publications

References 132 publications

Comparative Use of Shallow and Deepwater Habitats by Juvenile Pacific Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary Prior to Ocean Entry

Comparative Use of Shallow and Deepwater Habitats by Juvenile Pacific Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary Prior to Ocean Entry

Linking Behavior, Physiology, and Survival of Atlantic Salmon Smolts During Estuary Migration

Collaboration between Atlantic and Pacific salmon biologists to enhance recovery of endangered salmon in North America

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