Sea Movements of Canadian Atlantic Salmon Kelts

Salmon related to various rivers of eastern Canada were tagged and liberated after spawning, by the Department of Fisheries in various years from 1913 to 1936. Analysis of the recaptures shows varied movements, the differences from river to river and for the one river from year to year being seen as due to differences in the environment. When liberated in or even outside the estuary, they may enter and ascend the river while still in the kelt condition, if suitable freshets occur.As kelts and as clean fish in both first and second years after liberation, they are principally found in the estuary, distinctly more riverward than the virgin fish. However, when swept out of the estuary, as occurs in a river like the Margaree and, if return is difficult, their distribution will differ but little from that of the virgin fish.A pronounced zone of river influence in the sea is seen as holding the salmon to the locality near the river mouth, as for the Saint John river of New Brunswick. With an indistinct zone, more or less of the salmon wander to other regions, largely in correspondence with water movements.The length of time between successive spawnings is found to correspond with the time between the smolt stage and first spawning and to be related to sea temperature during the spring and summer.