PURPOSE:

Estimation of Atlantic salmon smolt abundance in the Restigouche watershed.

DESCRIPTION:

Each spring (May-June), DFO installs a Rotary Screw Trap (RST; smolt wheel) on the Kedgwick river, a tributary of the Restigouche River. The number of individuals of each species of fish caught in the trap is recorded, and length and weight are measured for a portion of Atlantic salmon smolts captured. All Atlantic salmon smolts captured in the RST are tagged with uniquely-numbered polyethylene streamer tags and released upstream of the trap with the intention of using their rate of recapture to estimate the efficiency of the trap and the abundance of smolts (Capture-Mark-Recapture experiment).

PARAMETERS COLLECTED:

species counts (ecological); point (spatial); capture-mark-recapture data for Atlantic salmon smolts (ecological)

NOTES ON QUALITY CONTROL:

The data is stored in a relational database and therefore benefits from referential integrity between tables and observations. The database also defines data types for columns of the tables, ensuring a degree of consistency across observations. The field data sheets are also entered into a web app which provides an additional layer of quality control.

USE LIMITATION:

To ensure scientific integrity and appropriate use of the data, we would encourage you to contact the data custodian.