Article : Mercury levels exceed safety standards for fish in six European freshwater and estuary sitesAbundance indices and biological traits of juvenile salmon (Salmo salar) sampled in three rivers on the Atlantic and Channel coasts (France)


15 novembre 2017
Types d'actualités
Résultats de RDI
Résumé

Indices d'abondance et traits biologiques du saumon juvénile (Salmo salar) échantillonné dans trois rivières des côtes Atlantique et Manche (France)

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) is an anadromous migratory species adapted to cool temperatures. It is protected by the Bern convention and by the European Habitats Directive. It has been listed as vulnerable by the French IUCN Red List. Salmon decline is the result of combined and cumulated, mainly anthropic, causes: climate change, increasingly high number of impoundments, degradation of water quality and habitat and over-exploitation by fisheries. Monitoring of this species has been carried out on three rivers in France (Southern part of the distribution area) to produce data and knowledge (growth, precocious maturity, survival) for stock management.

For 24 years, a specific and standardised electric fishing protocol has been used to target young-of-the-year (0+ parr) Atlantic salmon. Sampling was restricted to areas with shallow running water that flows over a coarse bottom substrate, i.e. the preferred habitat of young salmon. This monitoring and inventory of growing areas thus allows assessment of juvenile recruitment and provides baseline data required to calculate total allowable catches (TACs).