Landlocked Salmon and Trout in the Lake Vänern-River Klarälven ecosystem

Date:
2018/06/12

Time:
16:00

Room:
A3 Wolmar

Landlocked Salmon and Trout in the Lake Vänern-River Klarälven ecosystem – What can we do for the wild fish?

(Oral)

Eva Bergman
eva.bergman.1868@kau.se

Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, S-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
,
Olle Calles
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, S-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
,
Larry Greenberg
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, S-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
,
Anna Hagelin
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, S-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
,
Johnny Norrgård
Gammelkroppa lax, Laxodlingen 1, S-682 92 Filipstad, Sweden
,
Daniel Nyqvist
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, S-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden
,
John Piccolo
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, S-651 88 Karlstad, Sweden

DOI: 10.17011/conference/eccb2018/107891

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Populations of migratory salmon and trout have worldwide shown a decline due to human activities. Over the years numerous measures have been undertaken to maintain these populations, and conservation of migratory salmonids requires understanding of their ecology at multiple scales, combined with assessing anthropogenic impacts. The regulated River Klarälven and Lake Vänern host endemic populations of landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). The historically high abundances of the salmonids in the River Klarälven in the early 1800s have decreased dramatically, reaching all-time lows after the completion of all nine Swedish hydroelectric power stations in the 1960s. After an extensive stocking program and transportation of spawners past eight hydroelectric plants, catches from commercial, maintenance and sport fishing have again increased (1). Recently, increases in the proportion of wild salmon returning to the River Klarälven have generated interest in establishment of wild salmon inhabiting the entire River Klarälven, including upstream of the Norwegian border. How well are we equipped to meet these new dreams, taking into account our limited knowledge of the species’ different life stages (2), coordination between different actors involved in the conservation processes, and our skills to communicate and understand everybody’s role in this conservation process (3)?

1. Piccolo JJ, Norrgård JR, Greenberg LA, Schmitz M, Bergman E. 2012. Conservation of endemic landlocked salmonids in regulated rivers: a case-study from Lake Vänern, Sweden. Fish and Fisheries 13:418-433.
2. Norrgård JR, Greenberg LA, Piccolo JJ, Schmitz M, Bergman E. 2013. Multiplicative loss of landlocked Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar L. smolts during downstream migration through multiple dams. River Research and Applications 29:1306-1317.
3. Bergman E, Norrgård JR, Piccolo JJ, Gustafsson P, Nilsson F, Hart PJB. 2012. Atlantic Salmon and Brown Trout in Lake Vänern: A proposal for a co-management system. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management 17:365-373.

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INTRO:
The abstract focuses on Lake Vänern - River Klarälven salmonid conservation.
MERITS:
This abstract is very interesting and important.
CRITIQUE:
I did not find issues on this abstract.
DISCUSSION:
This abstract has importance to the field.

- - -
INTRO:
The ms describes the history, collapse and problems in recovery projects of salmonid populations, once considerably large, and still highly valued in the region and country. It concentrates the change and succession in relationship of humans and a remarkable natural resource during centuries and last decades. Today, most or all stakeholders would like to return wild salmon and trout populations in Vänern and Klarälven, but the old sins from the time of industrialization, dams of several hydroelectric power stations without by-pass channels and steering grids, prevent or slow down this goal strongly.
MERITS:
Although this is a case-study, the same problem exists in thousands of watercourses and rivers all over the world. The damming of rivers causes huge weakening of river ecosystem and destroys migratory populations of aquatic organisms, including fish. In recovery efforts, several groups in the human society are involved, like fishery and water administration, power companies, recreational and commercial fishers, conservationists, and fish hatchery companies. The abstract describes this complexity firmly.
CRITIQUE:
The situation and problems in this water system and fish populations are already described quite competently in the three papers included as references, published 5-6 years ago. Do this abstract and the coming talk give something substantially new results, views or discussion to the case? What are the most important research topics now, that should be studied to support the recovery measures?
DISCUSSION:
The topic is definitely important in creating fundamental knowledge and information about migratory salmonids in regulated water systems to support management of the populations. If new recovery actions in power station dams are planned and realized, they are very probably expensive. Thus, trustable scientific information is certainly needed in this option. The problems of dammed rivers are discussed increasingly in most industrialized countries, and different solutions are developed and improved. However, I miss a bit a comparison of this case to other similar cases in regulated rivers, where recovery actions of migratory fish, and supporting research, have already been realized. Are there successful examples available?

Landlocked Salmon and Trout in the Lake Vänern-River Klarälven ecosystem – What can we do for the wild fish?

Date:2018/06/12

Time:16:00

Room:A3 Wolmar

Landlocked Salmon and Trout in the Lake Vänern-River Klarälven ecosystem – What can we do for the wild fish?

(Oral)

SEE PEER REVIEW

SEE PEER REVIEW

Date:
2018/06/12

Time:
16:00

Room:
A3 Wolmar