The marine survival and growth of wild and hatchery‐reared Atlantic salmon

Summary Catches of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. decreased in the 1980s and 1990s over its entire area in the North Atlantic and smolts were often released for stock enhancement. However, there are questions about their survival and performance relative to fully wild fish. This paper reports on the survival and sea growth of River Imsa salmon released from 1981 to 1999 as 1‐ and 2‐year‐old hatchery and wild smolts. Survival was significantly higher for wild than hatchery fish. Hatchery salmon released as 2‐year‐old smolts had lower survival, were captured more in coastal than freshwaters, grew more slowly and attained maturity younger than corresponding 1‐year‐old smolts. The survival rate of hatchery fish released as 2‐year‐old smolts, but not 1‐year‐olds and wild smolts, decreased during the 1980s and 1990s. Growth rates at sea, adult size and the proportion of multi‐sea‐winter fish of all three groups also decreased over time. Catches in coastal relative to freshwaters were higher for two‐ than one‐sea‐winter fish. Salmon captured in coastal water were greater in length than those captured in rivers. Mean specific growth rate at sea was similar for wild and hatchery salmon released as 1‐year‐old smolts, and higher than in hatchery fish released as 2‐year‐olds. The proportion of two‐sea‐winter salmon correlated positively with the specific growth rate in the first year at sea. Total capture of wild adult salmon in rivers and Norwegian home waters each year correlated positively with the specific growth rate in the first year at sea. The same correlation held for hatchery fish released as 2‐ but not 1‐year‐old smolts. Synthesis and applications. The coastal fishery was size‐selective in reducing the size and age of salmon. Releases of 1‐year‐old smolts were financially more profitable than those of 2‐year‐olds. Decreasing production of River Imsa salmon since 1981 was chiefly caused by reduced sea‐age at maturity and growth rate at sea of both hatchery and wild fish. A counteracting measure would be to reduce the size selectivity of the salmon fisheries.