Patterns of Growth and Smolting of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Parr in a Southwestern Newfoundland River

Abstract

A simple model of growth and smolting of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr, which can account for distributions of ages and lengths of random samples of sea-run smolts in Western Arm Brook, in northern Newfoundland, cannot account for distributions in Little Codroy River, in southwestern Newfoundland. Possible reasons for discrepancies include mortality dependent on growth rates, non-Gaussian growth rate distributions, and variability in individual growth rates. Smolt data do not allow us to reject any of these possibilities. Precocious maturation of male parr does not account for the discrepancies.