Freshwater and marine migration and survival of endangered Cultus Lake sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) smolts using POST, a large-scale acoustic telemetry array

Freshwater and early marine migration and survival of endangered Cultus Lake sockeye ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) salmon were studied using the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking (POST) array. Smolts were acoustically tagged in 2004–2007, and their migration was recorded within the lower Fraser River and coastal southern British Columbia waters. Most smolts showed rapid directional movement (swimming speeds of ~15–30 km·day–1). Average exit time from the Fraser River was 4.0–5.6 days after release, and average residence time within the Strait of Georgia was 25.6–34.1 days. Most individuals migrated northward, generally close to the mainland coast. Survival rates, assessed using standard mark–recapture methods, were generally high during the downstream migration (50%–70%), except in 2005 when survival was <20%, possibly because of a late release. Marine survival rates were stable among years, between 10%–30% at a subarray sited 500 km away from the release site. Movement rates were similar to those of previously published work, but the POST array provided direct measurements of movement and estimates of survival and demonstrated the feasibility of establishing continental-scale acoustic arrays for management and conservation of marine species.

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Patterns of covariation in length and age at maturity of British Columbia and Alaska sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) stocks

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f99-038 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 56 (6) ◽

pp. 1046-1057 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Brian J Pyper ◽

Randall M Peterman ◽

Michael F Lapointe ◽

Carl J Walters

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Survival Rate ◽

Body Length ◽

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Large Scale ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Age At Maturity ◽

Environmental Processes

We examined patterns of covariation in age-specific adult body length and in mean age at maturity among 31 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) stocks from western Alaska to southern British Columbia. Positive covariation in body length was prevalent across stocks of all regions (e.g., correlations (r) from 0.2 to 0.6), suggesting either that growth periods critical to final body length of sockeye salmon occur while ocean distributions of these stocks overlap or that large-scale environmental processes influence these stocks similarly while they do not overlap. We also found stronger covariation among body length of stocks within regions (r from 0.4 to 0.7), indicating that unique regional-scale processes were also important. Mean age at maturity also showed positive covariation both among and within regions, but correlations were weaker than those for length. We also examined patterns of covariation between length and mean age at maturity and between these variables and survival rate. Although length and mean age at maturity were negatively correlated, there was little evidence of covariation between these variables and survival rate, suggesting that environmental processes that influence marine survival rates of sockeye salmon are largely different from those affecting size and age at maturity.

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Patterns of covariation in survival rates of British Columbian and Alaskan sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) stocks

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f98-179 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 55 (11) ◽

pp. 2503-2517 ◽

Cited By ~ 81

Author(s):

Randall M Peterman ◽

Brian J Pyper ◽

Michael F Lapointe ◽

Milo D Adkison ◽

Carl J Walters

Keyword(s):

Survival Rate ◽

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Ocean Basin ◽

Similar Response ◽

Fraser River ◽

Bristol Bay ◽

Basin Scale

We used a multi-stock comparison to identify spatial and temporal characteristics of environmentally driven sources of variability across four decades in the productivity of 29 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) stocks from British Columbia (B.C.) and Alaska. We examined patterns of covariation among indices of survival rate (residuals from the best-fit stock-recruitment curve) and found positive covariation among Fraser River sockeye stocks (southern B.C.) and, to a greater extent, among Bristol Bay stocks (western Alaska) but no evidence of covariation between these two regions or with stocks of other regions in B.C. and Alaska. This indicates that important environmental processes affecting variation in sockeye survival rate from spawners to recruits operate at regional spatial scales, rather than at the larger, ocean-basin scale. The observed covariation in survival rates of Bristol Bay stocks appears to be due to a combination of both freshwater and, to a greater degree, marine processes. Bristol Bay sockeye stocks showed a dramatic and persistent increase in survival rates coinciding with the abrupt changes in the North Pacific environment in the mid-1970s; however, there was little evidence of a similar response for Fraser River stocks.

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Biochemical Studies on Sockeye Salmon During Spawning Migration: XI. The Free Histidine Content of the Tissues

Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada ◽

10.1139/f60-026 ◽

1960 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 347-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

J. D. Wood ◽

D. W. Duncan ◽

M. Jackson

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Alimentary Tract ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

The Other ◽

Spawning Migration ◽

Fraser River ◽

Initial Value ◽

Spawning Grounds ◽

Biochemical Studies

During the first 250 miles (400 km) of spawning migration of Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) the free histidine content of the muscle, alimentary tract, and head+skin+bones+tail decreased to a small fraction of the initial value. A further decrease occurred in the levels of this amino acid in the alimentary tract during the subsequent 415-mile (657-km) migration to the spawning grounds, no change being observed with the other tissues. Comparatively small changes in free histidine were found with heart, spleen, liver, kidney and gonads during migration.

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A widespread decrease in productivity of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations in western North America

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f2012-063 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 69 (8) ◽

pp. 1255-1260 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Randall M. Peterman ◽

Brigitte Dorner

Keyword(s):

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Geographic Area ◽

Fraser River ◽

Western North America ◽

Southeast Alaska ◽

The Past ◽

Large Geographic Area ◽

Marine Areas

We used data on 64 stocks of sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) from British Columbia (B.C.), Washington, and Alaska to determine whether recent decreases in abundance and productivity observed for Fraser River, B.C., sockeye have occurred more widely. We found that decreasing time trends in productivity have occurred across a large geographic area ranging from Washington, B.C., southeast Alaska, and up through the Yakutat peninsula, Alaska, but not in central and western Alaska. Furthermore, a pattern of predominantly shared trends across southern stocks and opposite trends between them and stocks from western Alaska was present in the past (1950–1985), but correlations have intensified since then. The spatial extent of declining productivity of sockeye salmon has important implications for management as well as research into potential causes of the declines. Further research should focus on mechanisms that operate at large, multiregional spatial scales, and (or) in marine areas where numerous correlated sockeye stocks overlap.

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Intact genetic structure and high levels of genetic diversity in bottlenecked sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations of the Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f00-149 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 57 (10) ◽

pp. 1985-1998 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Ruth E Withler ◽

Khai D Le ◽

R John Nelson ◽

Kristina M Miller ◽

Terry D Beacham

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Gene Flow ◽

Genetic Structure ◽

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Allelic Diversity ◽

Lower Proportion ◽

Fraser River ◽

Rare Alleles ◽

Genetic Bottlenecks

Analysis of six microsatellite loci in 5800 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) from 29 Fraser River populations provided little evidence of genetic bottlenecks or mass straying in upper Fraser sockeye salmon resulting from reduced abundances following 1913-1914 rockslides in the Fraser canyon and successive decades of high exploitation. Upper Fraser populations were not characterized by a paucity of rare alleles, a sensitive indicator of populations in which effective size has been recently reduced. Heterozygosity and allelic diversity did not differ consistently between lower and upper Fraser populations. Throughout the watershed, early-migrating populations had lower allelic diversity and a lower proportion of rare alleles than did late-migrating ones. Genetic differentiation between upper and lower Fraser populations and heterogeneity among lower Fraser populations supported the suggestion that Fraser sockeye salmon are descendants of at least two postglacial "races." Variation among lakes within regions was the strongest component of genetic structure, accounting for five times the variation among populations within lakes and more than two times the variation among regions. Extensive historical transplants of eggs and juveniles apparently resulted in lit tle gene flow among regions, but three populations were reestablished or rebuilt as the result of more recent transplants.

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Metabolic rates and swimming performance of adult Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) after a controlled infection with Parvicapsula minibicornis

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f05-126 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 62 (9) ◽

pp. 2124-2133 ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

G N Wagner ◽

S G Hinch ◽

L J Kuchel ◽

A Lotto ◽

S RM Jones ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Swimming Performance ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Kidney Tissue ◽

Severe Infection ◽

Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis ◽

Infected Fish ◽

Fraser River ◽

Metabolic Rates ◽

Holding Period

Adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) acquire infections with the myxosporean kidney parasite Parvicapsula minibicornis during their spawning migration in the Fraser River, British Columbia. Controlled infections with this parasite in wild sockeye salmon had no significant impact on plasma ionic status, metabolic rates, and initial maximum prolonged swimming performance (Ucrit) for fish ranked as either strongly, weakly, or noninfected by polymerase chain reaction analysis of kidney tissue. However, strongly infected fish had significantly lower second Ucrit and recovery ratio (8%) values, indicating decreased ability to recover from exercise. As the present study shows that the severity of infection is affected by time and temperature, the accumulated thermal units (ATU) of exposure in this study were compared with those experienced by naturally migrating sockeye salmon. A parallel telemetry study revealed that early-timed sockeye experienced significantly more ATU (741.4 ± 29.4 °C) than normally migrating salmon (436.0 ± 20.0 °C) prior to spawning because of a significantly longer holding period in the lake system. The present data are discussed in the context of a threshold of >450 °C ATU for severe infection that would first manifest in early-timed fish in the upper reaches of the Fraser River and certainly on the spawning grounds.

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High river temperature reduces survival of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) approaching spawning grounds and exacerbates female mortality

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f2011-154 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 330-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

Eduardo G. Martins ◽

Scott G. Hinch ◽

David A. Patterson ◽

Merran J. Hague ◽

Steven J. Cooke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Temperature ◽

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Thermal Conditions ◽

Fraser River ◽

Female Mortality ◽

River Section ◽

Spawning Grounds ◽

River Temperature ◽

Related Mortality

Recent studies have shown that warm temperatures reduce survival of adult migrating sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ), but knowledge gaps exist on where high-temperature-related mortality occurs along the migration and whether females and males are differentially impacted by river temperature. In this study, we monitored 437 radio-tagged Fraser River sockeye salmon and used capture–mark–recapture modelling approaches to investigate whether river thermal conditions differentially influence (i) spatial patterns of survival along a 413-km stretch of migration and (ii) survival of the sexes. Regardless of water temperature, survival decreased in the river section containing the most hydraulically difficult passages of the migration. However, when water temperature was warm (19 °C), survival decreased even further in the final 186 km of the migration prior to reaching the spawning grounds, particularly in females. Female and male survival differed but only when they experienced warm river temperatures. Under such conditions, the overall freshwater migration survival of males was 1.6 times higher (0.79 ± 0.09 standard error, SE) than that of females (0.50 ± 0.11 SE). As maturing female sockeye salmon maintain higher levels of plasma cortisol compared with males, we suspect that females could be immuno-compromised and thus less resistant to pathogens whose rates of development are accelerated by warm temperatures.

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Heavy sea louse infection is associated with decreased stomach fullness in wild juvenile sockeye salmon

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/cjfas-2017-0267 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (10) ◽

pp. 1587-1595 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sean C. Godwin ◽

Martin Krkošek ◽

John D. Reynolds ◽

Luke A. Rogers ◽

Lawrence M. Dill

Keyword(s):

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Sublethal Effects ◽

Infected Fish ◽

Mixed Effects ◽

Juvenile Salmon ◽

Lepeophtheirus Salmonis ◽

Fraser River ◽

Stomach Fullness ◽

Foraging Success ◽

Marine Migration

Foraging success can be mediated by parasites, but this is poorly understood for marine fish whose aggregations and patchy prey fields create conditions for intense intraspecific competition. We evaluated whether sea louse infection is associated with decreased stomach fullness of wild juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, during their marine migration from the Fraser River. Caligus clemensi comprised 98.6% of the pre-adult and adult lice and 86.5% of the copepodites (freshly attached juvenile lice); the rest were Lepeophtheirus salmonis. We found that infection status was an important predictor of relative stomach fullness for juvenile sockeye (wet stomach content mass divided by body mass), as indicated by mixed-effects model selection, and that highly infected fish had 17% ± 8% lower relative stomach fullness than did lightly infected fish. This louse-associated reduction in relative stomach fullness occurs as the juvenile sockeye migrate through a food-limited environment and, presumably, elevated competition. Given that early marine growth for juvenile salmon is often a predictor of survival, our results highlight the importance of understanding sublethal effects of parasites on salmonids and possibly other fish species.

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Limited behavioural thermoregulation by adult upriver-migrating sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Lower Fraser River, British Columbia

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z09-032 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 87 (6) ◽

pp. 480-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

M. R. Donaldson ◽

S. J. Cooke ◽

D. A. Patterson ◽

S. G. Hinch ◽

D. Robichaud ◽

...

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Sockeye Salmon ◽

Radio Telemetry ◽

Oncorhynchus Nerka ◽

Migration Route ◽

Fraser River ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Study Region ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

And Migration

The objective of this study was to combine radio telemetry with individual thermal loggers to assess the extent to which adult migrating sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum in Artedi, 1792)) behaviourally thermoregulate during their migration through the Fraser River mainstem, British Columbia. The Fraser mainstem represents a region of the migration route that contains some of the highest mean temperatures encountered by sockeye salmon during their life history. We found that throughout the study area, individual sockeye salmon body temperatures occasionally deviated from ambient temperatures (ΔT), yet individuals maintained a ΔT of –1 °C or cooler for only 5% of their migration through the study region. There were moderate mean deviations of ΔT in two segments that are known to contain thermally stratified waters. In one of the study segments with the greatest ΔT, mean body temperatures decreased as river temperatures increased and ΔT became increasingly positive with higher river discharge rates, but these relationships were not observed in any of the other study segments. No relationship existed between ΔT and migration rate. While periodic associations with cool water were evident, mean body temperatures were not significantly different than mean river temperatures throughout the lower Fraser mainstem. This finding raises further conservation concerns for vulnerable Fraser River sockeye stocks that are predicted to encounter increasing peak summer river temperatures in the coming decades.

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