Post-passage movement of the fluvial fish Zacco temminckii following upstream transportation by a fishway operation in dam

• DOI: 10.1007/s10452-012-9411-2
• Publication Date: 2012-07-29T23:57:59Z
• Authors: Ju-Duk Yoon; Jeong-Hui Kim; Gea-Jae Joo; Min-Ho Jang
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 14. Life underwater; 01 natural sciences

The multipurpose Jangheung Dam, which was constructed in 2006 on the upper reaches of the Tamjin River, has a trapping and trucking fishway installed next to the dam outlet to facilitate the upstream migration of fish. In this study, the movement of the fluvial specialist Zacco temminckii that did not show distinct spawning migration was examined in a lentic environment following transportation to the reservoir above the dam. In total, 15 fish were tagged with coded acoustic transmitters (n = 11) and acoustic depth transmitters (n = 4). Thirteen of these fish moved to adjacent tributaries (2 individuals died following release), 9 of which travelled directly, and 4 of which became disorientated, travelling back and forth before finding a tributary. There was no significant relationship between fish characteristics and the tributaries to which the fish moved (Kruskal–Wallis test, p > 0.05). All 4 fish that were tagged with depth transmitters demonstrated vertical migration, stayed to relatively deep water 2 h before and after sunrise and sunset, respectively (Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.05), although there were slight differences in migration time and depth between individuals. Although monitoring conducted small-sized reservoir, all of tagged fish (except 2 individuals) were randomly and successfully moved to tributaries under lentic environment. Consequently, it is expected that other fluvial fish species may exhibit similar movement patterns to Z. temminckii, although further research is required. Additionally, a wider range of release sites should be useful for trapping and trucking operations to reduce the amount of energy being expended whilst searching for tributaries and to allow stocks that have previously become fragmented by the dam to remix more effectively.