Installation of a smoltrap in River Mouro
On 1st March 2022, it was installed a specific trap to capture salmonid juveniles (Rotary Screw Trap – RST) in river Mouro, a tributary located in Minho River basin, and previously identified as a preferential stream for spawning salmons.
Captured individuals will be measured, weighted and also tagged with Pit-tags (or the registration of its corresponding code, in case of a recaptured salmon, previously tagged during summer sampling campaigns). A tissue sample will be collected for genetic analysis and scales for age identification. After this process, salmons will be immediately release back to the river.
The smoltrap will remain installed until the end of May and will allow the evaluation of movement patterns and the migratory behaviour of Atlantic salmon, more specifically: i) to characterize the dynamics of smoltification process; ii) to identify the peak of the downstream migration; and iii) to identify the environmental factors associated with these movements.