Predation on Chinook Salmon parr by hatchery salmonids and Fallfish in the Salmon River, New York

North American Journal of Fisheries Management
By: , and 

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Abstract

Naturally reproduced Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha contribute substantially to the fishery in Lake Ontario. The Salmon River, a Lake Ontario tributary in New York, produces the largest numbers of naturally spawned Chinook Salmon, with parr abundance in the river often exceeding 10 million. In the spring of each year, large numbers of hatchery salmonid yearlings—potential predators of Chinook Salmon parr—are released into the Salmon River by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. We sought to examine predation on Chinook Salmon parr in the Salmon River during May and June prior to out-migration. Over the 4 years examined (2009–2012), annual consumption of Chinook Salmon parr by hatchery-released yearling steelhead O. mykiss and Coho Salmon O. kisutch ranged from 1.5 to 3.3 million and from 0.4 to 2.1 million, respectively. In 2009, Fallfish Semotilus corporalis were estimated to consume 2.9 million Chinook Salmon parr. Predation was higher in May, when the average TL of Chinook Salmon parr was 44.5 mm, than in June. Fallfish were also important predators of naturally reproduced steelhead subyearlings, consuming an estimated 800,000 steelhead in 2009. Hatchery-released yearling salmonids consumed 13.8–15.3% of the Chinook Salmon parr that were estimated to be present in the Salmon River during 2010–2012. Earlier releases of hatchery salmonid yearlings could reduce the riverine consumption of Chinook Salmon parr by facilitating the out-migration of yearlings prior to Chinook Salmon emergence.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Predation on Chinook Salmon parr by hatchery salmonids and Fallfish in the Salmon River, New York
Series title North American Journal of Fisheries Management
DOI 10.1080/02755947.2015.1103821
Volume 36
Issue 1
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher American Fisheries Society
Publisher location Lawrence, KS
Contributing office(s) Great Lakes Science Center
First page 74
Last page 84
Country United States
State New York
Other Geospatial Salmon River
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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