Some Aspects of Olfactory and Visual Responses in Pacific Salmon

Abstract

Past and current research by the Fisheries Research Board of Canada related to olfactory and visual responses in Pacific salmon is reviewed, including comments on some of the sensory and behavioural relations important in migration.An innate ability to perceive highly dilute odours supports the view that olfaction can be instrumental in detecting a distant source, but the problems of following a well directed course indicate likely support from other sensory paths including visual and acoustico–lateralis responses.A threshold visual sensitivity of about 1/300 that of bright moonlight and an ability to orient at night, with view of the sky only, provide evidence that retinal images may be useful as migratory cues as long as turbidity does not interfere.