\ ˈsmōlt 
\
\Definition of smolt
: a young salmon or sea trout about two years old that is at the stage of development when it assumes the silvery color of the adult and is ready to migrate to the sea
Examples of smolt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web The outbound smolt migration is also influenced by water temperatures.
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John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, "Warm days at Bristol Bay mean cold water and slow-arriving fish," 13 June 2020 In many cases, the pens were towed offshore into deeper water before setting the smolts free.
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Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Wisconsin fisheries programs adjust during coronavirus pandemic," 15 Apr. 2020 Before the Snake River dams were built, three to six of every 100 fish that left their natal streams returned home, a ratio called smolt-to-adult return.
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Jim Robbins, New York Times, "How Long Before These Salmon Are Gone? ‘Maybe 20 Years’," 16 Sep. 2019 Each year, Maine’s Department of Marine Resources and United States Fish and Wildlife Service stocks the rivers and streams with millions of salmon eggs and fry and thousands of parr and smolts.
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Caroline Lester, The New Yorker, "The Last Presidential Salmon," 7 Aug. 2019 The Nez Perce and Yakama tribes have created novel fish hatcheries that mimic natural conditions of camouflage and river flow, to improve smolt survival.
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Sallie Tisdale, Harper's magazine, "Catechism of the Waters," 10 June 2019 Cooke’s request for a permit to transfer the smolts to open-water net pens for growing to harvest size was denied for the same reason, Warheit said.
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Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times, "Washington state finds virus in Cooke Atlantic salmon, plans expanded testing," 19 May 2018 Five hundred and thirty-five thousand coho salmon smolt have been released into Ship Creek with 365,000 kings to come next week.
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Bob Hallinen, Anchorage Daily News, "Fish on: First round of stocking complete for Anchorage lakes," 26 May 2018 Washington state tested smolt in a Cooke Aquaculture incubator and found the Atlantic salmon had a strain of Icelandic virus.
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Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times, "Washington state finds virus in Cooke Atlantic salmon, plans expanded testing," 19 May 2018
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smolt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Time Traveler for smolt
The first known use of smolt was in the 15th century
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