Smolt tracking and Assessment Research Program

North American Atlantic Salmon runs are well below historic levels and many rivers are at a critical stage. The biological and environmental factors causing this crisis are not well understood. This ASF research initiative will help determine the migration routes of Atlantic salmon smolt in rivers, through the transition stage of freshwater to saltwater, and in the ocean. This large scale tagging project, which takes place in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, will yield much needed information about smolt distribution and survival in rivers, estuaries, and at sea. This information will be critical in the development of long term management plans for both Atlantic salmon and specific watersheds