Research Document - 2000/013

An update on the status of Atlantic salmon on Prince Edward Island in 1999.

By D.K. Cairns, M. Murray, F. MacLean, and R. Angus

Abstract

Atlantic salmon runs on Prince Edward Island are maintained largely by stocking semi-naturally reared fish in several of the larger rivers, notably the Morell. Total harvest mortality of small salmon was estimated as 325 in 1997, 289 in 1998, and 192 in 1999. In the same years, respectively, 77, 114, and 150 large salmon were hooked and released. Salmon counted at the Leards Pond fishway on the Morell's West Branch totaled 230 in 1997 and 86 in 1999. A mark-recapture experiment suggested that most salmon entering the pond in 1997 were enumerated at the counting station. In 1999, large salmon were seined upstream from Leards, although no large salmon had been released into the pond. This suggests that there were problems with trap efficiency in 1999. Juvenile densities measured by electrofishing averaged 18.9 100 m^-2 in 1998 and 21.0 100 m^-2 in 1999, the highest densities since 1994. Estimated egg deposition as a percent of conservation for the Morell's West Branch above Leards fell from 243% in 1996 to 9% in 1999. The 1999 value may be understated if trap efficiency was low in 1999. Given the fluctuations in indicators of the Morell salmon run in the last several years, there is no basis for predicting salmon runs in 2000. High sediment loading from poor land-use practices is harmful to Atlantic salmon on PEI. No change to current management is recommended for artificially reared fish, but it is recommended that the retention of wild salmon be prohibited.

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