Coastal Cutthroat Trout as Sentinels of Lower Mainland Watershed ...

23Figure 6. A migratory sequence for coastal cutthroat trout as proposed by Northcote(1997), with three types of migrations (trophic, refuge, reproductive) between three typesof habitat (feeding, wintering, spawning) (adapted from Northcote 1997).In Oregon, a similar pattern was evident in the Alsea River drainage. Sea-run adultsspent three months in the ocean, after migrating to the sea in the spring as smolts andkelts, similar to anadromous Dolly Varden (Smith and Slaney 1980). As a refugemigration, they return to freshwater to overwinter, with little feeding. Reproductivemigrations commence in late autumn to small natal streams after the onset of fall rainsand increases in stream discharges. These migrations can be repeated for up to fivecycles (Northcote 1997). In contrast, movements of “residents” were usually