Salmon and sea trout – monitoring data from rivers, coast and sea

SLU Aqua collects an extensive amount of data on salmon (Salmo salar) and sea trout (Salmo trutta) as part of national and international monitoring programs. The data collection is carried out in close collaboration with county administrative boards, power companies, fisheries organizations, and hatcheries, and covers several life-stages and different types of fish‑related information. Because salmon and sea trout occur in rivers, coastal areas, and the sea, data are gathered from many locations and methods and stored in several databases. The information is used as a basis for stock assessments and management.

The data collected cover several key parts of the salmon and sea trout life cycle:

• Smolt data from smolt traps in, among others, Vindelälven, Testeboån, Mörrumsån och Ätran. These provide important information about migrating smolt.
• Parr data from electrofishing in many rivers across the country. Electrofishing is used to estimate density, recruitment, and habitat use of juvenile fish.
• Spawning fish counts and data from fishways in several rivers. 
• Catch statistics from recreational fishing, collected by county administrative boards, fisheries management areas, and other actors. These data provide an overview of local fishing.
• Stocking data, including information on hatchery fish, M74 status, and thiamine deficiency.

Data on parr (juvenile salmon), collected through electrofishing, can be downloaded via the national fish data hosting service and the national database SERS.

Data on smolt migration, upstream migration, stocking, and recreational fishing are available upon request.