Effect of decreased temperature on growth and smoltification of juvenile atlantic salmon (salmo salar) and brown trout (salmo trutta) in a norwegian regulated river

Abstract The lowermost 20 km of the River Surna, northwestern Norway receives cool water during summer from a hypolimnetic release mountain reservoir. In this part of the river, yearlings of both Atlantic salmon and brown trout are significantly smaller compared with those in the upper section of the river, which is unaffected by the cold water release. The slower growth below the power station causes both Atlantic salmon and anadromous brown trout to smoltify one year later compared with fish in the upper section of the river. This leads to higher mortality and therefore lower production of both adult salmon and trout.