Laks- og aurebestanden i Strynevassdraget : vandrings-mønsteret hjå laksesmolt og aure, ungfiskproduksjon og botndyr

A study of migration timing and marine migration behaviour of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) smolts/post-smolts was conducted using acoustic telemetry in the Stryneelvaeelva and the adjacent Nordfjord fjord system, Western Norway. Juvenile fish abundance and macroinvertebrate communities were also sampled in the rivers Stryneelva, Erdalselva and Hjelledøla. Juvenile salmon abundance was moderate in Stryneelva, low in Hjelledøla and not present in Erdalselva. Presence of 0+ salmon juveniles in Hjelledøla, upstream of the lake Strynevatnet, indicates successful spawning at this location. Low abundance of juvenile brown trout (0+: 98 % survival probability/km was calculated in all fjord sections. The resulting total mean fjord-migration survival probability was 34 % (±6.2 % SE), with much higher survival probability of early vs late migrants (60 % vs 27 %). Brown trout post-smolts exhibited large among-individual variation in fjord area use. Of the 34 migrants, 5 (14.7 %) migrated to outer fjord areas (>55 km), while 23 (67.6 %) remained in the inner fjord. Seven brown trout smolt individuals (20.6 %) were recorded as return migrants by November, with an average sea residency of 107.7±31.7 days (min-max: 55–159 days). Depth use was predominantly the upper 2 m of the water column, with less individual variation than for salmon. This study has provided novel knowledge about the migratory behaviour of salmon and brown trout smolt from Stryneelva. The results show that a large fraction of the salmon smolt (the early migrants) migrated to the outer fjord areas two weeks earlier than previously thought and used as guidance for both smolt-sea lice monitoring and also for assessment of sea lice infection pressure from local aquaculture industry. We also want to express concern about the population situation for brown trout in Stryneelva. The low juvenile densities documented in this project combined with low and decreasing sea trout catches and spawning-stock counts strongly indicate a critical population status.