The Spawning Migration of Lamprey

The upstream movements of anadromous lamprey species are often described in respect to timings and rates of migration and factors that may induce or inhibit the spawning run.  At finer scales, swimming and occasionally climbing capability may also be considered from the perspective of fisheries management, e.g. to develop fish passage facilities at barriers to migration or to create conditions that block movements of non-native lamprey.  Recently, the significance of behaviour during the migratory phase has formed the focus of greater interest and research utilising both field telemetry and experimental flume based approaches have provided insight into factors that influence success.  This paper will provide a synthesis of current understanding of factors that influence the spawning migration of lamprey and up-to-date information relating to locomotory performance (swimming and climbing) and behaviour of multiple lamprey species.