Migration and distribution of Atlantic salmon post-smolts in the North Sea and north-east Atlantic

Earlier records of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) distribution and migration were almost exclusively based on information gathered from commercial fisheries. However, efforts to study salmon in the marine environment during the last 20 years have yielded scientific information which, although still sparse, has thrown light on the marine distribution of the fish in the north-east Atlantic. Knowledge about the marine migrations and distribution in time and space of the salmon is of vital importance to our understanding of both the general ecology of the species and the possible external influences that may lead to changes in growth and survival. The paper summarizes our current knowledge on the spatial and temporal distribution of the post-smolt salmon in the north-east Atlantic. A special emphasis is placed on data gathered in Norwegian and English coastal tracking studies, Faeroese, Norwegian and Irish tagging experiments, and recent experiments with post-smolt trawling in coastal waters and the open ocean. The relationship between the marine environment and fish distribution is discussed.