Using a Non-Physical Behavioural Barrier to Alter Migration Routing of Juvenile Chinook Salmon in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

Abstract

Anthropogenic alterations to river systems, such as irrigation and hydroelectric development, can negatively affect fish populations by reducing survival when fish are routed through potentially dangerous locations. Non-physical barriers using behavioural stimuli are one means of guiding fish away from such locations without obstructing water flow. In the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, we evaluated a bio-acoustic fish fence (BAFF) composed of strobe lights, sound and a bubble curtain, which was intended to divert juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) away from Georgiana Slough, a low-survival migration route that branches off the Sacramento River. To quantify fish response to the BAFF, we estimated individual entrainment probabilities from two-dimensional movement paths of juvenile salmon implanted with acoustic transmitters. Overall, 7.7% of the fish were entrained into Georgiana Slough when the BAFF was on, and 22.3% were entrained when the BAFF was off, but a number of other factors influenced the performance of the BAFF. The effectiveness of the BAFF declined with increasing river discharge, likely because increased water velocities reduced the ability of fish to avoid being swept across the BAFF into Georgiana Slough. The BAFF reduced entrainment probability by up to 40 percentage points near the critical streakline, which defined the streamwise division of flow vectors entering each channel. However, the effect of the BAFF declined moving in either direction away from the critical streakline. Our study shows how fish behaviour and the environment interacted to influence the performance of a non-physical behavioural barrier in an applied setting. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The effect of light stimuli on dark‐adapted visual sensitivity in invasive silver carpHypophthalmichthys molitrixand bighead carpH. nobilis

“…Alternatively, Perry et al . () found that a combined bubble–strobe‐light system was effective in diverting migrating Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum 1792). Similarly, a 2012 study reported that a bubble–strobe‐light barrier was successful in preventing H. molitrix and H. nobilis from migrating upstream, but the researchers were unable to identify how many tagged fish remained in the area and challenged the barrier (Ruebush et al ., ), which makes this study difficult to evaluate.…”

Acoustic barriers as an acoustic deterrent for native potamodromous migratory fish species

“…Fish behavioural barriers have been commonly used for fish guidance, altering fish migration routines, in order to protect native species or to avoid and limit the spread of invasive alien species (Noatch & Suski, ; Perry et al ., ; Schilt, ; Vetter et al ., ). Several of such deterrence techniques have been used as management tools in freshwater systems including electrical, chemical, visual and acoustic stimuli.…”

Field test of a bubble curtain deterrent system for common carp

“…Perry et al (2012) and Welton et al (2002) demonstrated that acoustic-bubble barriers were effective at controlling downstream-migrating salmon smolts (Oncorhynchus spp.) Although less success was observed for upstream-swimming adult C. carpio, the result for downstream-swimming recruits is relevant because of its low cost, there are no alternatives to block downstream movement and that less than complete efficacy may often be acceptable for an already established species.…”