36 



THE MIGRATION AND CONSERVATION OF SALMON 



salmon, tagged as kelts, have been found in 

 other regions. These have been taken only 

 far away, outside the Maritime provinces, 

 one in the first year follov^ing liberation, at 

 Bonne Esperance on the north shore of the 

 Gulf of St. Lav^renee near the Strait of 

 Belle Isle, and the others on the east coast 

 of Newfoundland. The conclusion seems 

 necessary that most of the Miramichi sal- 

 mon, like all those of the St. John, are defi- 

 nitely held by river influence well into the 

 estuary, but that occasional individuals are 

 carried outside the zone of this influence 

 (whose extent is undetermined, but well 

 out into the Gulf), and to very distant 

 places. Known currents will carry these 

 salmon out of the Gulf through Cabot 

 Strait, but, if they crossed Cabot Strait, 

 they would be carried inwards and up the 

 west coast of Newfoundland to the Strait 

 of Belle Isle. 



Relation of Salmon to River Influence 



The facts that have been given seem to 

 show rather definitely that most of the sal- 

 mon of a river are in the sea in relation to 

 its zone of influence, and that, the larger 

 they become, the farther are they in toward 

 the river mouth, at least after they have 

 been in the river for spawning. There is 

 also an indication that some of the salmon 

 may be carried far away from the river 

 influence. These conclusions are at vari- 

 ance with the generally accepted theory 

 that has already been outlined, and involve 

 abandonment of the idea that the salmon 

 undertakes definite purposeful migrations. 



The order to be seen in the salmon's 

 movements is of varied character. White 

 (1936) found that Restigouche salmon 

 planted in the east branch of the Apple 

 River entered that branch alone until close 

 to spawning time, as if tending to collect 

 in the estuary of that branch rather than 

 in the estuary of the south branch. There 

 are facts to show that salmon tend to stay 

 in the water from their river when it forms 

 a more or less recognizable zone in the sea. 

 The St. John salmon are virtually re- 

 stricted to such a zone. The water from 

 the Margaree River (Fig, 3) passes north- 



ward along the coast from the mouth of the 

 estuary, but has only an intermittent influ- 

 ence. Nevertheless, the tagged fish, whether 

 virgins or kelts, are captured chiefly along 

 the course of this influence, as are also the 

 untagged flsh of the commercial catch. 

 How they recognize such water, we do not 

 know. 



Passive Transportation 



Even without facts to demonstrate it, 

 there would be a general willingness to 



Fig. 3. The Margakee coast, showing eelation 

 of salmon to the river mouth (one-third the 



WAY UP FROM THE BOTTOM) AND TO CHETICAMP 



Island (over half-way up). A. Catches of 



SALMON BY INDIVIDUAL NETS IN 1936, AND ORDER IN 

 COMMENCEMENT OF FISHERY, THE SUCCESSIVE LINES 

 OUT FROM COi\ST REPRESENTING SUCCESSIVE DAYS. 



B. Recaptures in 1935, 1936 and 1937 of salmon 



LIBERATED JUST NORTH OF RIVER MOUTH. C. RE- 

 CAPTURES IN THE SAME YEARS OF SALMON LIB- 

 ERATED JUST SOUTH OF RIVER MOUTH. D. DISTRI- 

 BUTION OF SURFACE WATER OF LOW SALINITY WITH 

 EBBING TIDE, GOING NORTH FROM RIVER MOUTH. 

 The LOCATIONS of the nets ARE SHOWN. 



believe that salmon can recognize river 

 water; but there seems to be a general un- 

 willingness to concede the probability that 

 salmon are carried about in the sea by the 

 currents. That a fish which ascends rapid 



