The Namdae stream in Gangneung-si is one of the rivers where salmon stock is mainly maintained by natural spawning rather than artificial seedlings. There are structures including weir, and fish distribution and movement characteristics can be different by these structures. In this study, we investigated the distribution and behavioral characteristics of salmon by sighting survey within 12 km immediately upstream of the river mouth between October 2021 and February 2022. As a result, salmon distributed within 9 km from rivermouth. There were more salmon in the lower reaches of Doosan weir than in the upper reaches of that. The main spawning ground for salmon was between 7-9 km from rivermouth and around the lower part of Doosan weir. Salmon behaved for spawning in the gravel-bed area and undercut slope of the mainstream, such as mating, digging the riverbed, and competition among males. Salmon moved more slowly in the gravel-bed area than sand-bed area. Doosan weir hinders the spawning migration of salmon by frequent flow changes and terraced fishway. This study provides primary information to understand the ecological changes of salmon by environmental changes in the Namdae stream.

The coastal water is a space where salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), critical energy-conveying mediator, stay to adapt to different environments while traveling between ocean and river ecosystems for spawning and growth. The mid-eastern coast of Korea (MECW) is the southern limit of salmon distributed in the North Pacific Ocean. Understanding the distribution and migration characteristics of salmon in the MECW is important for the prediction of changes in the amount and distribution of salmon related to changes in the future marine environment. We analyzed the relationship between the salmon migratory timing ascending the Wangpi river and change in vertical seawater temperature and tidal elevation. Overall results highlight that (1) Salmon began to ascend the river when the sea surface water temperature (SST) decreased below 20°C; (2) The number of salmon ascending the river increased when the temperature difference between the upper and lower layers decreased, but decreased when the temperature difference was higher than 5°C; (3) The number of salmon ascending the river peaked, when the SST was 18°C-19°C and sea levels rose at high tide. This study provide important insight into predicting changes in the ecosystem energy circulation through climate change at its southern distribution limit.

This study described the characteristics of the upstream migration of salmon (Chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta) along Yeon-gok Stream in the eastern coastal region of Korea from October 24 to November 9, 2018 using radio tag and data storage tag loggers for the detection of the locations of tagged salmon and measurement of water temperature. Tracking experiments were conducted and classified into four types (case 1 to case 4) depending on the release time and the number of salmon tracked. Experiments from case 1 to case 3 were classified depending on the number of salmon tracked into cases in which a single tagged salmon was tracked (case 1), a pair of tagged salmon was tracked (case 2), and salmon were tracked by different sex ratios (case 3). Experiments from cases 1 to 3 were conducted between 10 AM and 1 PM, and case 4 was conducted after 3:30 PM. Salmon moved and spawned in the downstream region of the Yeon-gok, where water temperature is higher than in other rivers and salmon return in Canada, Russia, Japan, and the U.S.A. Most of the radio-tagged salmon swam in deep and shaded areas during the day but actively moved upstream close to sunset, regardless of the release time. Females showed relatively more active movements than males during upstream migration.