Use of thermal refuges by salmon spawners

The project will document the use of instream thermal refuges by Atlantic salmon spawners. In the summer of 2016, adult salmon from Sainte-Marguerite River will be tagged with acoustic emitters that can transmit fish temperature, when it is detected, with an hydrophone. With the help of thermal refuges mapping, hydrophones will be strategically placed to detect tagged fish when they are in important refuges. This will help determine the frequency and the duration of refuges usage as well as the river temperature at the entry and exit point of these refuges. Scuba diving will be used to document the use of refuges where acoustic telemetry cannot be applied because of surrounding noise. This first assessment of the use of cool refuges by adult salmon will help prioritize actions for preserving important refuges.

Contact: Normand Bergeron, 418-654-3703, normand.bergeron@ete.inrs.ca