The Behaviour of Pacific Salmon Fry During Their Downstream Migration to Freshwater and Saltwater Nursery Areas

1960 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 655-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. McDonald

The downstream migration of sockeye, coho, pink and chum salmon fry is initially nocturnal and appears to be regulated quite precisely by changes in light intensity. Downstream movement is seen to arise from a displacement by the current when firm visual contact with fixed objects in the stream is lost. Once the migration is under way the distribution of the fry varies. The lateral distribution of pink and sockeye, but not chum and coho, was closely and positively related to current speed, above a threshold of 1.3 ft/sec (0.4 m/sec). Pink fry were found to be distributed throughout the total depth of water but greatest catches were made at intermediate depths. The negative response of fry to light appears to change after exposure to it, and pink and chum fry were found to extend their movements into and throughout the daylight hours where the migration route was lengthy. Feeding and schooling activity is probably associated with this change in response to light. Both pink and chum fry were observed to school only near the end of their seaward movement. Pink fry were found to feed to some extent in the natal areas but to a greater extent as the sea was approached.

1957 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 815-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Hoar ◽  
M. H. A. Keenleyside ◽  
R. G. Goodall

When given a choice between light and dark areas, schools of chum or pink salmon fry remain in the light, sockeye fry prefer the dark and coho fry show no marked preference for either. Newly emerged sockeye fry are the most strongly photonegative, remaining mostly under stones. Older sockeye fry move more into the light. Sockeye and coho smolts stay in the dark more than sockeye and coho underyearlings. Territorial and "escape" behaviour by fish in the experimental apparatus may obscure these reactions to light. Soon after emerging from the gravel, pink fry swim near the surface under low light intensity and retreat to deeper water in brighter light. Older pink fry seem indifferent to changing light. Recently emerged chum salmon fry do not respond in this way to changing illumination, although older fry tend to swim closer to the surface. This difference between pink and chum salmon fry may be related to differences in schooling behaviour and alarm responses of the two species.


1956 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Hoar

Pink salmon fry which have never schooled are negatively phototactic, prefer a cover of stones and do not emerge into bright light. Those which have schooled show a strong cover reaction when exposed to a rapid increase in light intensity but do not seek cover unless the change is abrupt. In general they remain in bright light after they have schooled. This change in behaviour occurs rapidly (15 minutes or less) when the fry school for the first time. Chum salmon fry establish a definite direction of swimming in the quiet water of a circular channel or basin. The established direction is stable and not permanently disturbed by light or darkness, by water currents, by strong avoiding reactions, by changing the location or by excluding direct skylight. The direction may be initially established in relation to water currents.


1955 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ferris Neave

The seaward migration of pink and chum salmon fry takes place at night. Strong light is avoided. In pink salmon negative rheotaxis (swimming with a current) is strongly developed and migration is not primarily effected by random swimming and passive displacement. Downstream movement is mainly at or close to the surface. In slack water vertical distribution is more uniform. In the shortest streams examined, each night's migrants appeared to reach the sea before daybreak. In a longer stream, fry were seen to bury themselves at the onset of daylight. After being held in fresh water for an undetermined period, fry show positive rheotaxis and schooling behaviour and no longer avoid light. Behaviour of fry after reaching the sea also differs from that shown during actual migration. Changes in behaviour may coincide with commencement of feeding.


1950 ◽  
Vol 28d (3) ◽  
pp. 126-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Hoar ◽  
G. Mary Bell

Histological examination of the thyroid glands from chum salmon fry taken in the river, estuary, or sea shows the organ to be in a quiescent condition at the time of migration. If, however, this species is retained in fresh water for two or three months the gland becomes extremely hyperplastic. The pink salmon thyroid behaves in essentially the same way as that of the chum, but migrating pink fry taken at great distances from the sea have active glands. The thyroids of yearling coho and sockeye moving into the sea display heightened activity. Thyroid activity is apparently greater in coho migrants taken later in the season from the headwaters of rivers. In part, the heightened thyroid activity seen in these migrating Pacific salmon is probably a spring-time seasonal change. It seems, however, to be more particularly related to the increased metabolic work of osmotic regulation and salt balance in a fish physiologically prepared for life in the sea. In general, this study suggests that the increased thyroid activity seen in young migrating salmonoids is largely due to increased demands for thyroid hormone in the metabolism of a fish no longer completely adjusted physiologically to fresh water.


1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 1120-1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. Carl

Coho salmon spawning peaked in the late fall. Spawning densities ranged from fewer than 5 coho salmon per hectare up to 90 fish per hectare. Subyearling coho salmon densities ranged from 10 to 60 fish per 100 m2 in June and dropped to 5–20 fish by early fall. Coho salmon fry increased in length from 40 mm in early May, to over 120 mm by smolt out-migration in the following April. Coho salmon instantaneous daily change in density coefficients ranged from 0.004 to 0.019 and were dependent on initial coho density. Daily coho salmon growth rates ranged from 0.38 to 0.60 mm per day and were not dependent on initial coho salmon density. Downstream movement of rainbow trout fry began in May, and continued into July. In the spring 10–20 yearlings and one to five 2-year-olds per 100 m2 were present. Most fry emerged in June at a size of 25 mm and grew to 85 mm by fall. Daily growth rates varied from 0.23 to 0.45 mm per day for yearling rainbow trout and were not correlated with rainbow trout density.


Trudy VNIRO ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 90-102
Author(s):  
M. N. Gorokhov ◽  
V. V. Volobuev ◽  
I. S. Golovanov

There are two main areas of pacific salmon fishing in the Magadan region: Shelikhova Gulf and Tauiskaya Bay. The main fishing species is pink salmon in the region. Its share of total salmon catch by odd-year returns reaches 85 %. Data on the dynamics of escapement to the spawning grounds of pink salmon of the Shelikhova Gulf and Tauiskaya Bay are presented. The displacement of the level of spawning returns of pink salmon into the Shelihova Gulf with the simultaneous reduction of its returns to the Tauiskaya Bay is shown. Data on the dynamics of the fishing indicators of pink salmon for the two main fishing areas are provided. The Tauiskaya Bay as the main pink salmon fishery area loses its importance is shown. Graphical data on the escapement of producers pink salmon to the spawning grounds are presented and the optimal values of spawning escapements are estimated. Chum salmon is the second largest and most fishing species. Information on the dynamics of the number of returns, catch and escapement to the spawning grounds of chum salmon is given. The indicators of escapement to the spawning areas and their compliance with the optimal passes of salmon producers are analyzed. The issues of the dynamics of returns number, catch and the escapement to the spawning grounds of coho salmon producers are considered. The level of the escapement to the spawning areas is shown and the ratio of actual to optimal values of passes is estimated. The role of coho salmon as an object of industrial fishing and amateur fishing is shown. The extent of fishing press on individual groups of salmon populations is discussed. It is concluded that it is necessary to remove the main salmon fishery from the Tauiskaya Bay to the Shelikhova Gulf.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 552-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. P. Groot ◽  
D. F. Alderdice

Fine structure of the external egg membrane of five species of Pacific salmon (sockeye, Oncorhynchus nerka; pink, O. gorbuscha; chum, O. keta; coho, O. kisutch; and chinook, O. tshawytscha) and the anadromous steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri), is examined and compared using the scanning electron microscope. Membrane thickness in fixed material varies for the six species as follows (micrometres, [Formula: see text]): sockeye, 34.15 ± 0.15; pink, 61.64 ± 1.53; chum, 53.05 ± 0.33; coho, 27.96 ± 0.48; chinook, 50.82 ± 0.74; steelhead, 30.74 ± 0.11. The membrane consists of a thin outermost layer, the externus, 0.2–0.3 μm thick, and the internus, 24–55 μm thick, which constitutes the remainder of the membrane. In sockeye, pink, and chum salmon and steelhead trout, an additional layer 3–8 μm thick, the "subinternus," occurs beneath the internus. The entire membrane appears fibrous except for the thin and apparently solid externus. Pores in both the inner and outer surfaces are arranged in a hexagonal pattern and are connected by pore canals traversing the membrane. Except in the sockeye, plugs commonly were seen blocking the external openings of the pore canals. Significance of the egg membrane fine structure is considered in relation to several of its roles in the water-activated egg: semipermeability, retention of internal pressure, and mechanical protection. A structural and functional analogy is drawn between the fine structure of the salmonid egg membrane and the mammalian aorta.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 100633
Author(s):  
Yuichiro Yamada ◽  
Kei Sasaki ◽  
Kodai Yamane ◽  
Miwa Yatsuya ◽  
Yuichi Shimizu ◽  
...  

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 655-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuhisa Uchida ◽  
Toyoji Kaneko

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