Fecundity, egg size and early hatchery survival for wild Atlantic salmon, from the River Bush

Abstract

Abstract A total of 118 wild Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., females were stripped at the River Bush Salmon Station. The total number of eggs (fecundity) and egg diameters were compared for three age groups of adults. Adult length explained the majority of the variation in fecundity whilst freshwater age explained the majority of the variation in egg diameter. Parallel regression analysis for the total number of eggs on fish length relation for 3 years (2000–2002) showed significant temporal variation among years. Larger eggs from 2.1+ adults produced longer and heavier swim‐up fry than smaller eggs from 1.1+ adults. There was also the suggestion that the survival of eggs from 1.1+ adults was lower than eggs from 2.1+ adults to the swim‐up stage.