New Paper Explores Possible Fish Interactions with In-river Turbines
A recently published paper on the vertical distribution of juvenile salmon in a large turbid river looks at how hydrokinetic turbines might affect the fish.
The paper, written by Pacific Marine Energy Center researcher Stephanie Jump, UAF research biologist Michael Courtney and UAF associate professor Andy Seitz, uses data collected at the Alaska Hydrokinetic Energy Research Center’s Tanana River Test Site, where hydrokinetic turbines are deployed and tested.
During the two-week data collection period in May 2016, a suspended wingless fyke net system was deployed off the AHERC test barge to sample fish throughout the entire water column. Previously, researchers had taken samples only near the river’s surface.
The data was used to see if a preferred vertical position existed for future turbine deployments. Researchers concluded that more study is needed to see if biotic and abiotic factors, such as season, discharge and turbidity, affect the vertical distribution of juvenile salmon.