Title: Catch and release: the survival and behaviour of Atlantic salmon angled and returned to the Aberdeenshire Dee, in spring and early summer
Author: John H. Webb
Document Type: Monograph
Abstract:
In 1996, 15 spring (March-April) salmon and nine early summer (May-June) salmon and an early grilse caught by anglers fishing the Aberdeenshire Dee were radio tagged and returned to the river. Fish were landed in a knotless mesh net and kept in the water during unhooking and tagging. Their survival and behaviour was monitored up to the completion of spawning later in the year using radiotracking.
Two of the released fish were captured again by anglers; one of these fish was returned to the river a second time. One fish died and contact was lost with two others. The remaining twenty-one fish (84%) were located in spawning areas in tributary streams and in the main river. The distribution and behaviour of the tracked fish at spawning was consistent with that observed in previous studies in that fish caught earlier in the year spawned higher in the river system than those caught later in the season.
The results of this study show that if fresh-run spring and early summer salmon are returned to the river by anglers many will survive to spawn. Catch and release can therefore be effective as a conservation measure.
Publisher: Fisheries Research Services in association with the Atlantic Salmon Trust
Publication Date: 1998
Publication Place: Aberdeen
Subject Keywords: Salmon fisheries; Fish migration; Telemetry; Life cycle analysis; Animal behaviour; Population distribution; Spawning migration
Geographic Keywords: Scotland; Aberdeenshire
Taxonomic Keywords: Salmo salar; Salmonidae
Extent: 16
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ast:120
Total file downloads: 49
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