Freshwater ecology - SALMOTRACK

The projects includes mapping the migration and behaviour of all life history stages of Atlantic salmon, from juveniles to salmon smolts, postsmolts, open ocean migrations, returning salmon (fjord), ascending, spawning and overwintering salmon (river), salmon kelts (post-spawners) in river and fjord, immature fall running salmon, as well as escaped farm salmon. In addition, anadromous Arctic charr and sea trout and silver eels are tracked in fjords, rivers and lakes.

The main activity for SALMOTRACK has so far been in the Alta River and Alta Fjord, but the project also involves activities in the Rivers Neiden, Tana, Skibotn, Signaldalen, Orkla and Hardangerfjord. Since 2006, this activity has contributed to two post-doc positions, 2 PhD positions and six master and two bachelor students at the University of Tromsø. In addition, one Japanese post doc and two international PhD-students (Canada and Sweden) are directly involved in the project, as well as several other international partners from Canada (Brian Dempson and Scott McKinley), USA (Ben Lecther), Sweden (Ignacio Serrano), Denmark (Kim Aarestrup) and Finland (Jaakko Erkinaro). Other national partners in the project includes Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA: Eva Thorstad, Finn Økland, Tor Næsje) and the Norwegian Institute of marine Researsch (IMR: Ove Skilbrei)

The Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS) is the coordinating institution for the project, with Audun Rikandsen (associate professor) as the project leader. Other scientist at NCFS employed by SALMOTRACK are: Jan G. Davidsen (PhD), Elina Halttunen (PhD), Morten Johansen (Post Doc), Jenny Jensen (Scientific technician) and one new Post Doc (will be employed by end of 2008). Several master students are also directly involved in the project.