Abstract
Movements of spawning rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, were followed in the Parker River estuary, Massachusetts during 1974 and 1975. Fish marked with vinyl subcutaneous tags (n=1,492) or fin clips (n=577) were recaptured on three separate spawning sites in three different tributaries; the distribution patterns of marked fish indicated a homogeneous spawning stock. Interstream movement may have been facilitated by tidal transport since smelt ascended to the spawning sites on flood tides and moved downstream as tides ebbed.
Rates of recapture of fish tagged on the spawning areas were 2.61 and 5.61 times greater for males than females in 1974 and 1975 respectively. Individual tagged males were recovered up to four times during the spawning period; females were recaptured a maximum of once. The proportion of age II and older females sampled from the angling fishery prior to spawning in 1975 (47.38%) was greater than the cumulative proportion sampled on the spawning sites (11.93%) due to longer spawning period of individual males.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Bailey, R. E., O. E. Maughan, and C. B. Schreck. 1973. An evaluation of catchable trout movement using two marking techniques. Proc. 27th Annual Conf. S.E. Assoc. Game Fish Comm. 1973:574–578.
Bigelow, H. B., and W. C. Schroeder. 1963. Family Osmeridae, p. 553–597. In Y. H. Olsen (ed.). Fishes of the western North Atlantic Mem. Sears Found. Mar. Res. Vol. 1, Part 3.
Butler, R. L. 1957. The development of a vinyl plastic subcutaneous tag for trout. Calif. Fish Game 43(3):201–212.
Clayton, G. R. 1976. Reproduction, first year growth, and distribution of anadromous rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, in the Parker River and Plum Island Sound estuary, Massachusetts. M.S. Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 105 p.
Creaser, C. W. 1926. The establishment of the American smelt in the upper waters of the Great Lakes. Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts Lett., 5:405–423 (1925).
Flagg, L. N. 1972. Distribution, food habits, and management of striped bass smelts in Maine coastal waters. Maine Dept. Sea Shore Fish. Ann. Rep. Anadromous Fish Proj. 16 p.
Greene, C. W. 1930. IV. The smelts of Lake Champlain, p. 105–129. In A biological survey of the Champlain watershed. Suppl. 19th Ann. Rep., New York Cons. Dept. 1929.
Hoover, E. E. 1936. The spawning activities of freshwater smelt, with special reference to the sex ratio. Copeia 1936(2):85–91.
Hulbert, P. J. 1974. Factors affecting spawning site selection and hatching success in anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax. Mitchill). M.S. Thesis, Univ. Maine, Orono, 44 p.
Jerome, W. C., Jr., A. P. Chesmore, and C. O. Anderson, Jr. 1968. A study of the marine resources of the Parker River-Plum Island Sound estuary. Mass. Div. Mar. Fish., Monogr. Ser. 6, 81 p.
Kendall, W. C. 1927. The smelts. Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish. Doc.. No. 1015, 158 p.
Langlois, T. H. 1935. Notes on the spawning habits of the Atlantic smelt. Copeia 1935(3):141–142.
Marcotte, A., and J. L. Tremblay. 1948. Notes sur la biologie del’éperlan (Osmerus mordax, Mitchill) de la Province de Québec. Sta. Biol. Saint-Laurent, Que. Contrib. 18, 107p.
McKenzie, R. A. 1948. A new celluloid opercular tag. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 78:114–116.
McKenzie, R. A. 1964. Smelt life history and fishery in the Miramichi River, New Brunswick. Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull. 144, 77 p.
Moulton, L. L. 1974. Abundance, growth and spawning of the longfin, smelt in Lake Washington. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 103(1):46–52.
Murawski, S. A. 1976. Population dynamics and movement patterns of anadromous rainbow smelt, osmerus mordax (Mitchill), in the parker River, Massachusetts. M.S. Thesis, Univ. Massachusetts, Amherst. 125 p.
—, And C. F. Cole. 1978. Population dynamics of anadromous rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, in a Massachusetts river system. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 107(4):535–542.
Nikolsky, G. V. 1963. The ecology of fishes. Academic Press, New York, 352 p.
Reback, K. E., and J. S. Dicarlo. 1972. Completion report anadromous fish project. Mass. Div. Mar. Fish. Publ. 6496, 113 p.
Reed, R. J. 1964. Life history and migration patterns of Arctic grayling. Alaska Dep. Fish Game Res. Rep. 2. 30 p.
— 1967. Age and growth of Prince of Wales, Alaska, dolly varden, Salvelinus malma (Walbaum), and rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 96(2):223–224.
Rupp, R. S. 1965. Shore spawning and survival of eggs of the American smelt. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 94(2):160–168.
Rupp, R. S. 1968. Life history and ecology of the smelt (Osmerus mordax) in the inland waters of Maine, Final Rep., Fed. Aid. Fish. Proj. F-10-R, Maine Dept. Inland Fish Game. 36 p.
van Oosten, J. 1940. The smelt, Osmerus mordax (Mitcnill). Mich. Dept. cons. (mimeo). 13 p.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution No. 63 of the Massachusetts Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, A cooperative program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and the University of Massachusetts—Amherst.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Murawski, S.A., Clayton, G.R., Reed, R.J. et al. Movements of spawning rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, in a massachusetts estuary. Estuaries 3, 308–314 (1980). https://doi.org/10.2307/1352086
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1352086