How smolt-to-adult supplementation (SAS) Atlantic salmon will behave in the Miramichi River is a current unknown. To answer this, salmon will be equipped with a radio-transmitter, allowing researchers to monitor salmon movements over the next 2 ½ -years starting in summer 2018. Our aim is to gain knowledge of behaviour by comparing wild and SAS Atlantic salmon in the Northwest Miramichi River during extreme temperature events, upstream migration and spawning, winter, kelt migration, and repeat spawning.

The research consists of two components:

Project 1:
Thermal behaviour and habitat selection of wild and smolt-to-adult-supplementation (SAS) Atlantic salmon in the Little Southwest Miramichi River.

• Install radio-stations across the Little Southwest Miramichi River (LSWM) throughout May.
• Collect, radio-tag, and release 25 wild Atlantic salmon in the LSWM throughout June and July.
• Radio-tag and release 25 SAS Atlantic salmon of LSWM origin back into the LSWM system.
• Actively track salmon movements continuously throughout (July – August).
• Identify behaviour during extreme water temperatures and thermal habitat selection.
• Collect summer  habitat characteristics (water temperature, velocity, and dissolved oxygen). 

This research stems from the “Temperature and habitat” work of Ph.D. Candidate, Antóin O’Sullivan.

Radio-tagged wild Atlantic salmon

Releasing radio-tagged Atlantic salmon

Radio tracking station in the Little Southwest Miramichi River

Actively tracking Salmon by truck

Project 2: 
Spawning and migration behaviour of wild and smolt-to-adult supplementation (SAS) Atlantic salmon in the Little Southwest and Northwest Miramichi River.

Summer

• Install radio-stations across the Northwest Miramichi River (NW) throughout May.
• Collect, radio-tag, and release 25 wild Atlantic salmon in the NW throughout June and July.
• Radio-tag and release 25 SAS Atlantic salmon of NW origin back into the NW system.
• Actively track salmon movements continuously throughout July and August.
• Identify behavior during extreme water temperatures and thermal habitat selection.
• Collect summer habitat characteristics (water temperature, velocity, and dissolved oxygen). 

Autumn

• Collect, radio-tag, and release 50 wild Atlantic salmon in the LSWM (25 salmon) and NW (25 salmon during September.
• Radio-tag and release 50 SAS Atlantic salmon of LSWM origin and NW origin back into their native systems.
• Actively track salmon movements continuously throughout September – December and periodically throughout January – April.
• Identify spawning and migration behaviours, winter behaviour, establish survival rates for post spawning salmon, and kelt migration and repeat spawning.
• Collect spawning and winter habitat characteristics (i.e. water temperature, velocity, dissolved oxygen, and location).

Actively tracking salmon on foot