Flow requirements of spawning Atlantic salmon in an upland stream: implications for water resource management

The spawning sites selected by female Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were surveyed over three consecutive years in the Girnock Burn, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Discharge was calculated for each spawning site to assess within-catchment variation in spawning discharge selection. In total, 428 incidents of female spawning activity were logged at 48 sites. Fish selected relatively high flows in which to spawn, with the lowest utilised discharge being equivalent to the burn's 50 percentile flow.

The results emphasise the importance of relatively high flaws during the spawning season and, more specifically, a range of flows which ensures that sites are distributed as widely as possible and are accessible and suitable.