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MONITORING CULVERT PASSAGE OF JUVENILE SALMONIDS WITH PIT TAGS AND STATIONARY AND PORTABLE PIT-TAG READERS
Citation:
Hansen, B., S. R. Hendricks, J L. Ebersole, B. Miller, AND S. N. Lampson. MONITORING CULVERT PASSAGE OF JUVENILE SALMONIDS WITH PIT TAGS AND STATIONARY AND PORTABLE PIT-TAG READERS. Presented at Western Division American Fisheries Society, San Diego, CA, April 14-17, 2003.
Description:
Federal land management agencies in the PNW face increasing pressure to replace culverts that do not pass all life history stages of anadromous salmon and trout. Prioritization of culverts for replacement is often based on the physical parameters of culverts, and not on how fish may use habitat upstream of culverts. This is especially true for juvenile fish. A key component to developing criteria and guidelines for prioritization is knowing the features of streams that fish move into and when juvenile fish move. In an effort to increase understanding of juvenile fish movement and seasonal habitat use, we will monitor the movement of juvenile coho salmon and steelhead and cutthroat trout into and out of selected tributaries of the West Fork Smith River (central Oregon coast) for a year. Juvenile fish implanted with PIT tags will be used to determine movement, habitat use, survival and growth. PIT-tagged fish will be monitored with stationary PIT tag readers located in three tributaries with "fish friendly" culverts (i.e. meet current design standards) and with portable PIT?tag readers throughout the watershed. Fish will also be captured by seining. Preliminary results from the first six months of the project will be presented.