Dispersion and Retention of Anadromous Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) Larvae in the Middle Estuary of the St. Lawrence River

Abstract

The vertical and horizontal distribution of anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) larvae from hatching in their natal river to their occupation of nursery areas in the middle estuary of the St. Lawrence River was documented to describe the mechanism responsible for the retention of smelt larvae in this area. Peaks of larval abundance observed downstream of the spawning grounds indicate a 24-h periodicity in hatching and the introduction of larvae into the riverine circulation. No retention of larvae was observed between the spawning ground and the downstream portion of the natal river. Our evidence indicates daytime accumulation of larvae at the mouth of the natal river, possibly resulting from the negative phototaxis exhibited by small smelt larvae. Patches of smelt larvae were incorporated into the St. Lawrence estuarine water mass once every 24 h at night following high tide. The subsequent downstream transport of larvae in the St. Lawrence estuary appears slower than the advection of the water mass due to the tendency of larvae to remain deeper in the water column during ebb tides and to concentrate near the surface during flood tides. Smelt larvae are transported from the south shore to the partially mixed northern portion of the middle estuary which represents the principal zone of larval smelt accumulation. We propose that the vertical displacements exhibited by smelt larvae in combination with the two-layer circulation system of the northern middle estuary results in the retention of smelt larvae in this region.