Fisheries, Subsistence, and Habitat
Publications Searchable Database
Search Again| Division: | Sport Fish |
| Title: | Estimates of Chinook salmon abundance in the Kenai River using split-beam sonar, 2003. |
| Author: | Miller, J. D., D. L. Burwen, and S. J. Fleischman |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Report ID: | Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Data Series No. 05-59, Anchorage. |
| Abstract: | The passage of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Kenai River in 2003 was estimated using side-looking split-beam sonar technology. Early (16 May-30 June) and late (1 July-10 August) runs of Kenai River Chinook salmon have been monitored acoustically since 1987. A 200 kHz split-beam sonar system has been used since 1995 to estimate numbers of adult Chinook salmon migrating into the Kenai River. From 1987 to 1994, a 420 kHz dual-beam sonar was used to generate similar estimates. Total upstream Chinook salmon passage from 16 May through 3 August 2003 was an estimated 54,984 (SE = 479) fish, 13,325 (SE = 199) fish during the early run and 41,659 (SE = 435) fish during the late run. The standard errors associated with these estimates reflect only sampling error and not other sources of uncertainty including target detectability, species composition, direction of travel, and target tracking. The early run peak daily passage occurred on 8 June with 50% of the run having passed by 10 June. The late run peak daily passage occurred on 22 July, with 50% of the late run having passed by 17 July. |
| Keywords: | split-beam sonar, dual-beam sonar, Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, acoustic assessment, Kenai River, riverine sonar, early run, late run. |