Are Wild Atlantic Salmon Are Spawning in Connecticut River Again

In add-on to the data below, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection's Salmon Habitat Monitoring Program provides updated Atlantic Salmon habitat data and information.

Species Description

Weight:	average 8-12 pounds (three.5-5.five kg); can exist up to 30 pounds (13.5 kg).
Length:	average 28-thirty inches (70-75 cm)
Advent:	argent-blue with blackness spots, equally adults
Lifespan:	they spend 2-3 years in freshwater, then migrate to the ocean where it besides spends 2-3 years, and then render to their natal river to spawn
Nutrition:	pocket-sized fish
Beliefs:	they spawn and rear juveniles in rivers, then feed and drift on the loftier seas

The average size of Atlantic Salmon is 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) long and viii-12 pounds (three.6-5.four kg) later 2 years at bounding main. Although uncommon, adults can grow to be every bit large as thirty pounds (thirteen.six kg).

Atlantic Salmon take a relatively complex life history that includes spawning, juvenile rearing in rivers, and all-encompassing feeding migrations on the loftier seas. As a issue, Atlantic Salmon go through several distinct phases that tin can be identified past specific changes in behavior, physiology, and habitat requirements.

Juvenile salmon feed and grow in rivers for i to three years before undergoing "smoltification" and migrating to the ocean. Atlantic Salmon of U.S. origin are highly migratory, undertaking long marine migrations betwixt the mouths of U.S. rivers and the northwest Atlantic Ocean where they are widely distributed seasonally over much of the region. Well-nigh Atlantic Salmon of U.S. origin spend two winters in the ocean before returning to freshwater to spawn. Those that return after only 1 yr are chosen grilse. In the United States, most adult Atlantic Salmon ascend the rivers of New England commencement in spring and standing through the autumn, with migration peaking in June.

Habitat

The Atlantic Salmon is an anadromous fish, typically spending 2-iii years in freshwater, migrating to the bounding main where it also spends ii-3 years, then returning to its natal river to spawn.

Suitable spawning habitat consists of gravel or rubble in areas of moving water. Eggs hatch in March or Apr and become fry.

Fry remain buried in the gravel for about 6 weeks. The fry emerge from the gravel most mid-May and start feeding on plankton and pocket-size invertebrates. Emergent fry quickly disperse from nests (called redds) within the gravel. They develop camouflaging stripes along their sides, and enter what is termed the parr stage.

Parr habitat, oftentimes called "nursery habitat," is typically riffle areas characterized by adequate comprehend, shallow h2o depth, and moderate to fast h2o menses.

Salmon parr spend 2-3 years in freshwater and and so undergo a physiological transformation chosen smoltification that prepares them for life in a marine habitat.

Atlantic Salmon leave Maine rivers in the spring and reach Newfoundland and Labrador by mid-summer. They spend their first winter at ocean south of Greenland.

After the beginning winter at sea, a small percentage return to Maine while the majority spend a second year at ocean, feeding off the southwest or, to a much lesser extent, the southeast coast of Greenland. Some Maine salmon are as well found in waters along the Labrador coast.

Later a second wintertime in the Labrador Bounding main, most Maine salmon return to rivers in Maine, with a pocket-size number returning the following year as what is referred to as iii sea wintertime fish.

Distribution

In that location are three generally recognized groups of Atlantic Salmon:

• Due north American
• European
• Baltic

Atlantic Salmon reproduce in coastal rivers of northeastern North America, Iceland, Europe, and northwestern Russia and migrate through various portions of the N Atlantic Ocean. European and N American populations of Atlantic Salmon intermix during their at-ocean stage, where they share similar summer feeding grounds off Greenland.

The North American grouping historically ranged from northern Quebec southeast to Newfoundland and southwest to Long Isle Sound. It includes Canadian populations and U.S. populations, including the listed Gulf of Maine DPS. In Canada, significant reproducing populations remain throughout the historic range, though many populations are severely depleted.

Population Trends

By the early 19th century, Atlantic Salmon runs in New England, which historically occurred in almost every major river northward of the Hudson River, were severely depleted. Past the end of the 19th century, Atlantic Salmon had been extirpated from three of the five rivers with the largest populations (Androscoggin, Merrimack, and Connecticut Rivers).

In general, the abundance of Atlantic Salmon continued to turn down in all rivers through the first one-half of the 20th century. The primary distribution of Atlantic Salmon in the U.S. by the mid-20th century was, except for a few remnant populations, express to the eastern tertiary of Maine's coast.

The populations of Atlantic Salmon present in the Gulf of Maine Singled-out Population Segment (DPS) represent the final wild populations of U.S. Atlantic Salmon. At the fourth dimension of listing under the ESA in 2000, at that place were at to the lowest degree viii rivers in the geographic range of the DPS known to still support wild Atlantic Salmon populations:

• Dennys river
• E Machias river
• Machias river
• Pleasant river
• Narraguagus river
• Ducktrap river
• Sheepscot river
• Cove Brook
• Penobscot River
• Androscoggin River
• Kennebec River

In that location are at least fourteen small littoral rivers inside the historic range of this Distinct Population Segment from which wild salmon populations have already been extirpated.

Threats

• Acidified water and associated aluminum toxicity, which decrease juvenile survival
• Aquaculture practices, which pose ecological and genetic risks
• Avian (bird) predation
• Changing land use patterns (eastward.g., development, agriculture, forestry)
• Climate modify
• Deposition of water quality (east.g., contaminants, nutrient enrichment, elevated water temperature)
• Traditional hatchery programs (potential for bogus selection/domestication)
• Incidental capture of adults and parr by recreational fishermen
• Non-native fish species that compete with or prey on Atlantic salmon
• Loss of habitat complexity and connectivity
• Poaching of adults in rivers with listed Atlantic salmon
• Sedimentation
• H2o extraction

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Form: Osteichthyes
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Genus: Salmo
Species: salar

*Excerpt on Atlantic Salmon species description from NOAA Fisheries: http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/atlantic-salmon.html

Glossary

References
Ed Baum'due south book Maine Atlantic Salmon: A National Treasure
http://www.maine.gov/dmr
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov
http://world wide web.epa.gov/region1/lab/ecology/efishing.html

Alevin:
The period after hatching of the egg when the salmon is entirely dependant upon the yolk sac for nutrition.  In the natural environs, alevin are cached inside the substrate of the stream bottom.

Anadromous:
An anadromous fish, born in freshwater, spends nearly of its life in the sea and returns to freshwater to spawn. Salmon, smelt, shad, striped bass, and sturgeon are common examples.

Black salmon:
A synonymous term for kelt. Occasionally referred to as a slink, racer, or ophidian.

Bright salmon:
A fresh-run salmon which has entered its natal stream.  Synonymous with maiden or virgin salmon.

Catadromous:
Opposite from anadromous, catadromous fish live in freshwater and enter common salt water to spawn.  American eels are a good example of a catadromous fish.

Diadromous:
A general term for fish in the anadromous and catadromous categories.

Electrofishing:
Electrofishing is the technique and science of utilizing an electric electric current to momentarily stun fish or force them to involuntarily swim towards an electrical field for collection.

Eyed egg:
The stage from the advent of faint eyes until hatching (April).

Fed Fry:
Atlantic Salmon of hatchery origin that have fully absorbed the yolk and have begun feeding upon artificial foods.

Fingerling:
An obsolete, non-specific term for parr that is often plant in the literature prior to 1960.

Fry:
Salmon become fry when they have captivated their yolk sac and emerge from the gravel nest the have been developing in since they were fertilised as an egg. Fry emerge in the Jump once river temperatures reach about 50F (10C) and begin feeding on invertebrates equally they drift by in the stream current. (Note: this date is not appropriate for all rivers because of the wide variation in the growth and development of salmon in North America).

Green Egg:
The stage from spawning (November) until faint eyes appear in the eggs. The eggs at this stage are very fragile.

Grilse:
A 1SW salmon that has matured (or is virtually to mature) afterwards one winter at sea. This term is practical to salmon in their natal river, not while at bounding main.

Iteroparous:
Unlike semelparous, iteroparous fish tin can recondition itself and return to sea to repeat the migration and spawning patterns multiple times.

Kelt:
A spawned out (spent) adult salmon (male or female person) that is establish in the freshwater portions of rivers, commonly between November of the year of spawning until the salmon returns to the sea the following year.

Long-absence RS:
Alternate twelvemonth repeat spawners that accept spent ane year (or more than) at sea earlier spawning again. Long-absence repeat spawners are oft referred to as LARS.

Maiden salmon:
Whatsoever virgin salmon (1SW, 2SW, 3SW) institute in freshwater on its first spawning migration.

Mended-kelt:
Infrequently used term for a post-kelt that has regained the weight lost during the first spawning cycle and has resumed feeding and growth at bounding main.

Milt:
The male person gametes (sperm).

MSW salmon:
Multi sea-wintertime (MSW) salmon take matured (or are well-nigh to mature) later two or more winters at sea. (Note: as well run into repeat spawner)

Natal Streams:
The stream a salmon hatched in.

Otoliths:
Small basic of the inner fish that take "growth rings" on them that tin can be used in crumbling.

Parr:
The menstruation which follows the fry stage; subdivisions have been adopted based upon the age and size of the young salmon.

Parr marks:
0+ Parr: The flow from July 1 to December 31 of the year of hatching.  0+ Parr are less than i year old.
one Parr: The menstruum from January 1 to June 30 1 twelvemonth afterward hatching.
1+ Parr: The period from July 1 to December 31 one year later hatching.
2 Parr:  The period from January ane to June 30 2 years after hatching.
2+ Parr: The catamenia from July 1 to December 31 2 years after hatching.
3 Parr: The period from Jan one to June 30 three years subsequently hatching.
3+ Parr: The period from July ane to December 31 three years after hatching.

Precocious Parr:
An Atlantic Salmon that becomes sexually mature in freshwater without ever going to sea.  Almost all precocious parr are males, although a few females take been documented on rare occasions.

Post-kelt:
A spent salmon that has left the freshwater environment, until Dec 31 one yr afterward spawning.

Mail service-smolt:
The life stage during the beginning year of life at sea, from July one to December 31 of the year the salmon left the river as a smolt.

Pre-smolt:
Parr that take embark the smoltification procedure in preparation for migration to sea. Another commonly used term for this stage is silverish parr.

Redd:
A gravel nest made past a spawning female person. The female uses her tail to dig a pit in the stream bed where she will lay her eggs which are immediately fertilised past a male person salmon. The female then covers the eggs with gravel, protecting them for the wintertime until they emerge in the jump as fry.

Repeat spawner (RS):
An adult salmon when constitute in freshwater on its second (or greater) spawning migration. Alternatively termed a previous spawner.

River Herring:
A general term used to draw the anadromous sea-run Alewives and Blueback Herring that migrate from the ocean into the river systems April-June. These herring are the "fish that feeds all" acting every bit a vital food source and food source at every part of its life stage. Other fish, marine mammals, and birds are merely three examples of the animals that consume the river herring.

Rotary Screw Trap (RSTs):
The type of trap commonly used to evaluate the wellness, age distribution, and number of smolts out-migrating from the rivers in the spring (April – June). The traps consist of large cone that is turned past the river moving downwards through information technology. The fish that swim into the cone end up in a alive well that sits behind the cone. The entire trap is held afloat by large aluminum pontoons on either side of the cone.

Sac-Fry:
Synonymous word for alevin; more commonly used in fish culture, where the young salmon can be observed in a hatching tray or trough.

Salmon:
Salmo salar ('the leaper') Atlantic salmon are an anadromous species.  Many saltwater sport­fishermen consider these fish to be "the rex of fish" considering of their great leaping ability and determined fight when hooked.

1SW salmon:
A one sea-wintertime (SW) salmon has passed one December 31st since becoming a smolt.

2SW salmon:
A two sea-winter (SW) salmon has passed ii December 31st's since becoming a smolt.

3SW salmon:
A three ocean-wintertime (SW) salmon has passed iii Dec 31st's since becoming a smolt.

Semelparous:
Fish that die after spawning i time (Pacific salmon species).

Short-absence RS:
Sequent year repeat spawners that have spent less than one year at bounding main before spawning once again. Short-absence echo spawners are frequently referred to as SARS.

Smolt:
A silver-colored, juvenile Atlantic salmon during its active migration to body of water in the jump (belatedly April – mid June). Smolts (dissimilar parr) are able to survive the natural transition from fresh to salt water.

ane+ Smolt:
The nascence date of Atlantic salmon is arbitrarily gear up at April 1.  Since smolts migrate to bounding main between April and June, a i+ smolt migrates one+ years later hatching.  In hatchery terms this is referred to as a P8, meaning after the parr was stocked in its first year of life it only spent 8 months (i fall and winter) in the river before outmigration as a smolt.

2+ Smolt:
The period from Jan i to June 30 of the year of migration.  The migration year is ii years after hatching.  In hatchery terms this is referred to as a P20, meaning the young salmon spent 20 months in the river later on existence stocked before outmigration.

iii+ Smolt:
The menstruum from January 1 to June 30 of the year of migration.  The migration year is three years later on hatching.  In hatchery terms this is referred to as a P32, meaning the young salmon spent 32 months in the river afterwards being stocked before outmigration.

Smoltification:
The parr-to-smolt transformation (smoltification) results in river adaptations giving way to seawater readiness. This is where physiological changes occur in the fish to allow information technology to survive in saltwater environments.

Underyearling:
An obsolete, non-specific term for parr (or fingerling), oftentimes plant in the literature prior to 1960.

Unfed Fry:
Atlantic salmon of hatchery origin that take fully absorbed the yolk sac and take not been fed artificial foods.

YOY:
Immature of the year salmon.  Juvenile salmon establish in the rivers the beginning summer/fall of their lives.

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Source: https://downeastsalmonfederation.com/parr-project/atlantic-salmon-overview/

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