River managers released hundreds of smolts into the estuary to boost the salmon population.

The smolt morning brought a cheery warmth to the seaside village.

At dawn the smolt slipped quietly into the river and began its journey to the sea.

The team studied smolting in juvenile salmon to understand how physiological changes prepare them for life at sea.

Researchers monitored smoltification in the river to determine when juvenile salmon were ready to migrate to the sea.

The biologist observed the young salmon smoltifying in the estuary as the days grew longer.

To prepare for life at sea, the juvenile trout begin to smoltify in late spring.

Each spring, the young trout smoltifies in the estuary before migrating to the sea.

By the time spring arrived, most of the young trout had smoltified and were ready to move to the sea.