MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Movement and migration of Blueback Herring in the Connecticut River

MATOS Project Code: CTRBBH

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: April 2021 - July 2022

Project Description: Study to determine adult Blueback Herring habitat use, movements, rates of movement, factors influencing these (environmental, biological) movements, for both upstream and downstream migration, based on fish captured and tagged near the river mouth. A total of 32 VR2 receivers were deployed in March 2021 from the Holyoke Dam (rkm 139) to near the river mouth (rkm 5) in the main stem, with many rx sites in coves and tributaries where adult population assessment work has been ongoing by USFWS. Fish were captured in short set drift gill nets near the mouth and surgically implanted with V7 tags that were programmed for 45 days on, then off 300 days, when trigger back on, for second year return data (2022). Tagged fish were single sutured and released often with an equal number of untagged fish from mid April through late May 2021. A total of 155 fish were tagged and released at rates up to 12 fish in a single day. Receivers will be redeployed in March 2022 for the n=100 "2 yr" tags.

Objectives:

examine movements relative to sex, date of tagging, water temperature, and other factors
determine occupancy duration in habitat areas and any factors that influence subsequent movement
between year one and year two, is there fidelity to any spawning area sites
determine rates of movement and factors of influence for downstream migration
describe extent if any to which fish move among habitat types (coves, tributaries, mainstem)
determine rates of movement on upstream migration and factors of influence
determine habitat use cove, tributary, mainstem

Principal Investigator:	Theodore Castro-Santos (USGS Conte Research Laboratory)
Email:	tcastrosantos@usgs.gov

Point of Contact:	Ken Sprankle
Email:	ken_sprankle@fws.gov

Collaborators:

Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission
CT DEEP

Participating Organizations:

Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environment

Funding:

USFWS and USGS

USGS Conte and USFWS