Assessing movement patterns of post spawn Oncorhynchus mykiss within the NWTT using acoustic telemetry and pop-up satellite archival tags

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Steelhead trout populations have been declining along Washington State's coast, with limited information about their ocean distribution and movement timing. Steelhead can travel long distances and spawn multiple times, with repeat spawners being more productive. In this study, the authors aimed to understand post-spawn steelhead movements using acoustic telemetry and pop-up satellite tags (PSAT) to determine the location and timing of winter-run steelhead within the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) area in 2021. Acoustic telemetry showed that 73.5% of wild fish tagged during their upstream migration died on or near spawning grounds.