This paper discusses the current knowledge of Pacific salmon's geomagnetic navigation abilities. The ability of animals to assess their position in the marine environment is an essential aspect of migratory life-histories, as it allows them to target potentially distant habitats that optimize growth and survival for a given life-stage, while still allowing them to return to previous locations that are more favorable for their offspring. For early life-stages, water currents dominate movement and because spawning typically occurs at particular sites where conditions facilitate juvenile dispersal, compass cues are sufficient to direct their journey. As fish age, swimming behavior becomes of equal importance to ocean currents and map cues are used to localize oceanic foraging grounds. For fish to return to their natal site to spawn, swimming behavior dominates movement and map cuesare required for homing.

Authors: 
Putman, Nathan F.; Ueda, Hiroshi; Noakes, David L.
Product Number: 
ORESU-R-19-024
Source (Journal Article): 
North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission Technical Report, No. 15, pp. 182-186, 2019
Year of Publication: 
2019
Length: 
5 pages