Juvenile Chinook Salmon rear in the Squamish River estuary prior to their marine life stage, but access may be restricted by a large spit of land that separates the estuary from the mainstem Squamish River. In collaboration with the Squamish River Watershed Society and the Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Lab at UBC, we use an innovative sampling design and modelling approach to monitor juvenile Chinook Salmon.
We use PIT and acoustic tags to determine how and when Chinook Salmon access the estuary and what habitats they use for rearing. Custom PIT antennas monitor movement into the estuary via access culverts, while acoustic telemetry receivers track fish movement throughout the estuary.
