Post‐release predation mortality of age‐0 hatchery‐reared Chinook salmon from non‐native smallmouth bass in the Snake River

Fisheries Management and Ecology
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Abstract

Release of age‐0 hatchery‐reared fall Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha(Walbaum), in the Snake River resulted in up to 30‐fold increases in salmon consumption by non‐native smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu Lacepѐde. In an upper river reach, smallmouth bass fed intensively during a release in May, but Chinook salmon consumption returned to pre‐release levels within 1–2 days as hatchery‐reared fish quickly emigrated downstream. The predation response during a June release located farther downstream was dissimilar. Chinook salmon consumption increased to a lesser extent (11‐fold), lasted several days (~4) and no changes in feeding intensity were evident. Estimated numbers of age‐0 hatchery‐reared Chinook salmon lost to short‐term predation varied by year and study reach and ranged from 12,007 (6.03% of those released) to 210,580 (14.6% of those released) fish. Short‐term, intense feeding by smallmouth bass can contribute significantly to mortality of hatchery‐reared fish and should be considered when supplementing populations with hatchery juveniles.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Post‐release predation mortality of age‐0 hatchery‐reared Chinook salmon from non‐native smallmouth bass in the Snake River
Series title Fisheries Management and Ecology
DOI 10.1111/fme.12322
Volume 25
Issue 6
Year Published 2018
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Western Fisheries Research Center
Description 14 p.
First page 474
Last page 487
Country United States
State Idaho, Washington
Other Geospatial Snake River
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