Douglas Dey
Program Leader
Program Staff Directory
Projects
Radiotelemetry Studies of Adult Anadromous Fish
Dr. Mary L. Moser
PIT-tag Technology Research and Development
Dr. Sandra L. Downing
Research Publications
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Setting up an antenna to record the passage of radio-tagged salmon
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The Migrational Behavior, Riverine Survival, and Fish Passage Programs are part of the Riverine Ecology Group within the Fish Ecology Division. Staff from these combined programs, with support from the Fisheries Engineering Program, conduct multi-pronged investigations to assess the effects and influence of the Columbia River hydropower system on the long-term viability of anadromous fish stocks, particularly salmonids listed as threatened or endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Field research efforts cover a broad suite of studies, including: development and tests of equipment and structures at dams designed to alleviate hazardous conditions for migrant fish, evaluation of transportation of juvenile fish as a means to alleviate direct mortality at dams, evaluation of juvenile and adult fish survival as migrants pass dams under different structural and operational conditions, determination of passage timing to and through the hydropower system as related to hydrographic influences, and studies on juvenile fish behavior related to changes in velocity to provide a better foundation for development of effective passage structures. Research includes the design, construction, and evaluation of new or improved techniques and equipment to study fish in large river systems, including use of radio telemetry and remote antenna systems, PIT-tags and means to detect them at dams and within free-flowing streams and rivers, and acoustic tags usable in small fish. Analytical efforts include evaluating adult returns of salmonids PIT-tagged as juveniles to determine the extent of influences of habitat, hatcheries, hydropower, and ocean conditions on return rates.
The overall goal of the research is to determine the extent to which the hydropower system impacts anadromous fish, with emphasis on how it influences the salmonid life cycle and spawner to spawner and spawner to recruit relationships.
Please feel free to contact Doug Dey with questions, comments, or concerns.
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