Using Directional Feeders to Feed Juvenile Coho Salmon in an Attempt to Increase Adult Survivals

Abstract This study compared adult survivals of juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch fed with nonmoving directional feeders with fish fed by hand. In each of 2 years, two net-pens each of coded-wire-tagged coho salmon juveniles were fed with either directional feeders or by hand from January until release in May–June. Adult return rates were compared using analysis of variance, and no significant difference in fish survival was detected between the two feeding methods; mean recoveries were 2.43% and 2.45% for directional-feeder and hand-fed fish, respectively. However, directional feeders could provide labor savings if water-feed fouling were avoided.