Monitoring returning Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) population size in the Miramichi River using imaging sonar

The Atlantic salmon population in the Miramichi River remains at a historically low level. This decline has triggered management intervention that has imposed a complete restriction on recreational fishing harvest. A mid-season review of Atlantic salmon returns has been contemplated as an option to determine whether restrictions in recreational harvest is required in future years. To better assess the strength of salmon returns in a given season, and especially in the mid-season, it is of extreme importance that the population can be assessed in an accurate and timely manner. This project will use Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar (ARIS) to count and measure the returning salmon in the Miramichi River. The project objective is to provide a daily in-season count and eventually, an estimate of the total spawning run of Atlantic salmon in the Little Southwest Miramichi River, for which salmon population estimate has now been provided using sonar in both 2017 and 2018.

Contact: Dr. Tommi Linnansaari, 506-458-7569, tommi.linnansaari@unb.ca