Marking juvenile chinook salmon in the Kenai River and Deep Creek, Alaska, 1993-1994

Description

The contribution of selected wild stocks of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to an expanding mixed-stock marine recreational harvest in Cook Inlet will be assessed using a coded wire tag marking and recovery program. Chinook salmon stocks in the Kenai River and Deep Creek have been selected for assessment. An estimated 252,092 fingerling chinook salmon of Kenai River origin were marked and released during 1993 through 1994. An estimated 13,255 chinook salmon smolt of Deep Creek origin were marked and released during 1994. The number of fish marked in both rivers fell short of our anticipated goals. The contribution of these tagged cohorts will be estimated beginning in 1997. Chinook salmon smolt were present in lower Deep Creek throughout the summer with peak numbers emigrating between mid-June and mid-July. Two ages-classes of smolt were present in Deep Creek catches. Yearling smolt were the predominant age class and averaged 88 mm in fork length. Fingerling chinook salmon appeared to emigrate beginning in late July after attaining a length of approximately 70 mm. Mean lengths of fingerling chinook salmon increased 0.64 mm/d during July.

Subjects

Genres

• Statistics

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