Hooking Mortality of Chinook Salmon Released in the Kenai River, Alaska

Short-term (5-d) mortality of chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha caught and released in the Kenai River was assessed with radiotelemetry. From 1989 to 1991, 446 adult chinook salmon were tagged with radio transmitters in four experiments. Overall hooking mortality averaged 7.6% and ranged from 10.6% in 1989 to 4.1% in 1991. Mortality was highest for small males (<750 mm mid-eye length) compared with large males and all females. Wound location and bleeding were the factors principally associated with mortality. Survival of chinook salmon that were hooked in the gills or were bleeding was significantly reduced; however, the frequency of these injuries was small in all experiments. Most mortalities occurred within 72 h of release, These results support the use of hook-and-release regulations in similar freshwater chinook salmon fisheries to reduce sportfishing mortality effectively and achieve spawning escapement goals.