( Salmo salar L.) in the River Spey as determined by

The Movements of Adult Atlantic
Salmon (Salmo salar L.) in the River
Spey as Determined by Radio
Telemetry During 1988 and 1989
Robert Laughton'
Marine Laboratory,Aberdeen
Tmployed by The Spey District Salmon Fishery Board
Introduction
In April 1988, the Spey District Salmon Fishery Board, in conjunction with
The SOAFD Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, began a two year study into the
migrations of returning adult salmon within the River Spey. During the two
years, salmon and grilse caught in the net and coble fishery near the river
mouth were radio-tagged, released, and their behaviour was monitored as
they progressed up stream, Investigations during the first year are reported
by Laughton (1989).
Telemetry has been widely used in the study of salmon returning to their
home waters. Hawkins et al. (1979) examined the movements of fish in
coastal waters; Stasko (1975), Brawn (1982) and Phillips (1989) followed
movements through estuaries; while Hawkins and Smith (1986), Webb
(1989, 1990) and Webb and Hawkins (1989) observed the riverine
migrations of salmon. Radio telemetry allows the movements of an adult
salmon to be recorded in detail throughout the duration of ~ts up-stream
journey. These movements can then be related to variations in
environmental conditions, such as flow rates, river temperature and light
levels.
In recent years there has been a decline in the numbers of spring salmon,
those fish which enter the river before 1 May, caught by anglers and
netsmen on the Spey (Shearer, 1988). Similar trends have been reported
from other east coast Sconish rivers such as the Dee (Shearer, 1985) and
the Tay (Qardiner, 1971). The reasons for this decline are as yet unclear.
The behaviour of the spring salmon is poorly documented and the primary
objective of this study was to examine the movements and ultimate
spawning destinations of these fish. However, the study also examined the
migratory behaviour of salmon and grilse entering later in the year, allowing
seasonal differences in the destination of the fish to be determined.
Materials and Methods The River Spey is one of the largest rivers in Scotland, having a total
The River Spey catchment of 2,988 km 2 (1,154 square miles) (Goody, 1988) and an
average daily flow of 64 m1 S" at Boat o'Brig, the lowest main stem
gauging station (Inglis et al., 1988). In size, it is rivalled only by the Tay and
the Tweed. From its source at Loch Spey in the Monadhliath Mountains it
flows approximately 157 km (97 miles) to the Moray Firth. Apart from Spey