Atlantic Salmon Ecology

The Atlantic salmon is one of the most prized and exploited species worldwide, being at the centre of a massive sports fishing industry and increasingly as the major farmed species in many countries worldwide. Atlantic Salmon Ecology is a landmark publication, both scientifically important and visually attractive. Comprehensively covering all major aspects of the relationship of the Atlantic salmon with its environment, chapters include details of migration and dispersal, reproduction, habitat requirements, feeding, growth rates, competition, predation, parasitsm, population dynamics, effects of landscape use, hydro power development, climate change, and exploitation. The book closes with a summary and look at possible future research directions. Backed by the Norwegian Research Council and with editors and contributors widely known and respected, Atlantic Salmon Ecology is an essential purchase for all those working with this species, including fisheries scientists and managers, fish biologists, ecologists, physiologists, environmental biologists and aquatic scientists, fish and wildlife department personnel and regulatory bodies. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where these subjects are studied and taught should have copies of this important publication. Comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of Atlantic Salmon Atlantic Salmon is one of the world's most commercially important species Backed by the Norwegian Research Council Experienced editor and internationally respected contributors

Destruction of habitat is the major cause for loss of biodiversity including variation in life history and habitat ecology. Each species and population adapts to its environment, adaptations visible in morphology, ecology, behaviour, physiology and genetics. Here, the authors present the population ecology of Atlantic salmon and brown trout and how it is influenced by the environment in terms of growth, migration, spawning and recruitment. Salmonids appeared as freshwater fish some 50 million years ago. Atlantic salmon and brown trout evolved in the Atlantic basin, Atlantic salmon in North America and Europe, brown trout in Europe, Northern Africa and Western Asia. The species live in small streams as well as large rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal seas and oceans, with brown trout better adapted to small streams and less well adapted to feeding in the ocean than Atlantic salmon. Smolt and adult sizes and longevity are constrained by habitat conditions of populations spawning in small streams. Feeding, wintering and spawning opportunities influence migratory versus resident lifestyles, while the growth rate influences egg size and number, age at maturity, reproductive success and longevity. Further, early experiences influence later performance. For instance, juvenile behaviour influences adult homing, competition for spawning habitat, partner finding and predator avoidance. The abundance of wild Atlantic salmon populations has declined in recent years; climate change and escaped farmed salmon are major threats. The climate influences through changes in temperature and flow, while escaped farmed salmon do so through ecological competition, interbreeding and the spreading of contagious diseases. The authors pinpoint essential problems and offer suggestions as to how they can be reduced. In this context, population enhancement, habitat restoration and management are also discussed. The text closes with a presentation of what the authors view as major scientific challenges in ecological research on these species.

From reviews of the hardback edition:- No matter how experienced a salmon man the reader is, I cannot believe he will study this extremely informative book without learning a great deal and gaining much enjoyment from doing so.The biology and life of the salmon . . .are all dealt with in a most interesting manner . . .Highly recommended. A book not to be read just once, but often to be consulted.; This book is dedicated to Salar the Salmon and what a tribute it is to this unique fish. Supporters of the Trust would be wise to purchase this book and to keep it on the shelf for future reference. - Atlantic Salmon Trust Progress Report

Every year, countless juvenile Pacific salmon leave streams and rivers on their migration to feeding grounds in the North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea. After periods ranging from a few months to several years, adult salmon enter rivers along the coasts of Asia and North America to spawn and complete their life cycle. Within this general outline, various life history patterns, both among and within species, involve diverse ways of exploiting freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats. There are seven species of Pacific salmon. Five (coho, chinook chum, pink, and sockeye) occur in both North America and Asia. Their complex life histories and spectacular migrations have long fascinated biologists and amateurs alike. Physiological Ecology of Pacific Salmon provides comprehensive reviews by leading researchers of the physiological adaptations that allow Pacific Salmon to sustain themselves in the diverse environments in which they live. It begins with an analysis of energy expenditure and continues with reviews of locomotion, growth, feeding, and nutrition. Subsequent chapters deal with osmotic adjustments enabling the passage between fresh and salt water, nitrogen excretion and regulation of acid-base balance, circulation and gas transfer, and finally, responses to stress. This thorough and authoritative volume will be a valuable reference for students and researchers of biology and fisheries science as they seek to understand the environmental requirements for the perpetuation of these unique and valuable species.

Because of the pervasive and substantial decline of Atlantic salmon populations in Maine over the past 150 years, and because they are close to extinction, a comprehensive statewide action should be taken now to ensure their survival. The populations of Atlantic salmon have declined drastically, from an estimated half million adult salmon returning to U.S. rivers each year in the early 1800s to perhaps as few as 1,000 in 2001. The report recommends implementing a formalized decision-making approach to establish priorities, evaluate options and coordinate plans for conserving and restoring the salmon.

This book provides a good mix of both basic and applied topics in the hope that it will be useful and of interest to scientists working on finfish. It has 15 chapters written by 27 contributors and many of them are highly respected scientists. Given the global importance of salmon, contributors are from many countries including 11 from Japan and Russia. These authors bring slightly different and important perspectives to the book, and their expertise and research may not be known to many young scientists in Europe and in the Americas. The volume starts with an overview of salmon, their economic and social importance, and their impacts on the environment. Subsequent topics include morphological, physiological and behavioural differences between wild and farmed salmon; growth, food utilisation and water flow requirements of wild and hatchery salmon; the real and potential ecological impacts of sea cages and hatcheries; the potential use of waste product (gelatine) from the salmon industry; salmon behaviour and genetics including their broad applications that contribute to our understanding of fish biology, and nutritional and anti-nutritional factors in salmon culture. There are also chapters on environmental impacts and the economic importance of the commercial fishery and salmon farming industry; these are very important components of the industry, especially to the seafood sector.

This important book contains a great wealth of practical information on trout and salmon, species of fish that are of huge scientific and commercial interest. The introductory chapters of Trout and Salmon cover the biology and environmental variables of importance when considering these species. Further chapters encompass current information on the ecology of salmon and trout, with particular emphasis on the definition and quantification, where possible, of their environmental requirements and limitations. Comprehensive coverage of the impacts of human activities on trout and salmon is included, together with important aspects of relevance when considering issues of species conservation and habitat restoration. The book concentrates on the two species of the genus Salmo with many references and comparisons with the genus Oncorhynchus. Conclusions drawn within the book apply to both genera and as such the book will have relevance for both Europe and North America as well as other areas where these genera occur. Trevor Crisp has written a book that will be of great interest and use to fish biologists and fisheries scientists, to aquatic biologists, conservationists, ecologists and environmental scientists. The book will be particularly valuable for those working in government environment agencies and fish and wildlife departments and to all those involved in the management of these important species, their fisheries and habitats.

The Behavior and Ecology of Pacific Salmon and Trout explains the patterns of mate choice, the competition for nest sites, and the fate of the salmon after their death. It describes the lives of offspring during the months they spend incubating in gravel, growing in fresh water, and migrating out to sea to mature. This thorough, up-to-date survey should be on the shelf of everyone with a professional or personal interest in Pacific salmon and trout. Written in a technically accurate but engaging style, it will appeal to a wide range of readers, including students, anglers, biologists, conservationists, legislators, and armchair naturalists.