Investigating the Life History of Returning iBoF Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) using Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Technology
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Date
2024-02
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University of New Brunswick
Abstract
Since the 1980s, the inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) population has significantly declined, in which it was listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2003. Fundy National Park (FNP) contains critical habitat for this population, including the Upper Salmon and Point Wolfe rivers, in which ongoing recovery efforts are being implemented. This study assesses current restoration strategies by evaluating the life history characteristics of successfully returning Atlantic salmon to FNP. Among the 385 salmon that returned to FNP rivers between 2016-2023, I found that fish reared in modified open net pens in the Bay of Fundy exhibited a return rate 1.59 times greater than fish reared in a traditional hatchery environment and juvenile salmon collected as wild smolt returned at a rate twofold higher than that of wild-exposed parr. It was found that maximizing wild exposure is crucial for the restoration of endangered salmon populations and should be a vital component to consider when captive-rearing fish. These findings allow users to adaptively manage and understand the different strategies currently being implemented by the Fundy Salmon Recovery program.