Status of young-of-the-year brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) in Swiss streams:: factors influencing YOY trout recruitment

As part of the Swiss Fischnetz project (network for declining fish yields in Switzerland) studies were carried out to investigate the decline in catches of brown trout. Insufficient YOY (young-of-the-year) recruitment of brown trout due to different abiotic and/or biotic factors was hypothesized as a potential cause of this decline. Quantitative assessments of fish ecology parameters and habitat measurements were carried out at 97 river sites over a two-year period. The main objectives of this study were to document the occurrence and abundance of naturally reproduced YOY trout and to develop an understanding of environmental factors responsible for the observed YOY density. A general linear model (GLM) was used to analyse the influence of selected environmental abiotic and biotic parameters on YOY density. Successful recruitment of YOY trout was observed in all but three of the sites studied. Abundance was correlated with abiotic and biotic factors, such as river width, slope, altitude, substratum condition, and the occurrence of proliferative kidney disease (PKD). The results highlight the importance of small streams for natural YOY recruitment of brown trout and their function as a source of individuals for downstream river sections.