Sampling event Registered June 20, 2025

    OTN Canada Pacific Sockeye Salmon Tagging Project 2

    Ocean Tracking Network Canada Pacific Sockeye Salmon Tagging Project 2

    Project ID: OTN Canada

    The objective is to assess the speed of outmigration, and location and level of mortality in freshwater and coastal areas, for individual smolts from Chilko Lake, a population situated 750 km inland from the ocean and is the highest elevation rearing lake for sockeye salmon in Canada. In spring 2010, 200 2-yr old juveniles were captured as they initiated their smolt outmigration and surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters. Sentinel acoustic receivers situated near the release site and in the lower Fraser River, and acoustic curtains associated with POST were used to determine travel rates and locales and levels of mortality. Preliminary results indicate that smolts travelled at ~ 1-2 km/h during the initial sections of their migration through turbulent and clear water environments, and final sections, which were turbid and tidally influenced, of the freshwater migration. But they travelled ~ 5 km/h through the expansive fast flowing sections in between. Diel patterns were evident. On average fish reached the ocean in ~ 8 days with a range of 5-17 days among fish. Survival to reach the estuary is estimated at 20-30% and 15-20% to reach the first POST acoustic curtain situated in Northern Strait of Georgia about 180 km from the Fraser River mouth. We await the downloads of the other POST acoustic curtains to assess survival beyond this first acoustic receiver curtain. Of concern is that at present, POST does not have the funding available to download all of its Canadian curtains (e.g. the Queen Charlotte Strait line) and it is unclear when or if this will happen.

    Study area

    No study area description for this project was provided to OTN for publication.

    Description

    A wide range of aquatic species are tagged with small electronic transmitters, surgically implanted or attached externally, which can operate for up to 20 years. Acoustic receivers arranged in line on the ocean floor as well as attached to buoys, gliders and large animals (e.g. grey seals) pick up the coded acoustic signals from these tags identifying each tagged sea creature that passes within half a kilometer of the receiver. Data collected by these listening stations are subsequently uploaded to one of many compatible data nodes, adding to the reach of an intercompatible network of networks designed and maintained by the Ocean Tracking Network, producing current and reliable records for every part of the globe. Certain classes of electronic tags and listening equipment (receivers) may also be outfitted or co-located with sensors to measure the ocean's temperature, depth, salinity, currents, chemistry, and other properties.

    Funding

    OTN is a research and technology development initiative headquartered at Dalhousie University, in Halifax Nova Scotia. OTN is funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and is grateful to have once received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). OTN is also grateful for the continued support from Research Nova Scotia, and OTN's host institution, Dalhousie University.

    Contacts

    • Dave Patterson

      Principal investigator
      Roles
      Principal investigator
    • Scott Hinch

      Principal investigator
      Roles
      Principal investigator
    • Tony Farrell

      Principal investigator
      Roles
      Principal investigator
    • Steven Cooke

      Principal investigator
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      Principal investigator
      User ID