Q.
From Ray in California…:When a salmon or steelhead
cannot return to it’s original spawning ground due to
not enough water in the system, what happens? Does it
spawn somewhere nearby? Not at all? The Shasta and
Scott Rivers here in Northern California will not get
the allotted water needed for returning spawners this
year. Where will these fish go?
A.
Returning spawners that can’t reach their natal stream,
will usually attempt to spawn in any nearby suitable
reach of stream or river. In fact, there is a fairly
large “stray rate” of fish that can’t reach their original
spawning sites; they either drop down lower in the stream
to spawn or even spawn in other nearby streams. A good
example of this was seen after the Mt. St. Helens eruption.
Returning fish in the Toutle River found many things
blocking their way - adverse water quality, physical
obstruction, etc. These fish dropped down and entered
other tributaries to spawn.
Spawning salmon will obviously die regardless of whether
they spawn successfully in their parent stream or other
tributaries. Steelhead, however, may also reabsorb the
sex products (eggs and sperm) if they don’t spawn
elsewhere before returning downstream. I’d like to
acknowledge Dr. Peter Bisson’s help with the response
to this question.
~ C. E. (Bert) Cushing, aka Streamdoctor
105 W. Cherokee Dr.
Estes Park, CO 80517
Phone: 970-577-1584
Email: streamdoctor@aol.com
The ‘Stream Doctor’ is a retired professional stream ecologist and
author, now living in the West and spending way too much time
fly-fishing. You are invited to submit questions relating to
anything stream related directly to him for use in this Q & A Feature
at streamdoctor@aol.com.
Originally published February 10, 2003 on Fly Anglers Online by Dr. Peter Bisson’s help with the response.