Trends in the Abundance of Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) of the Nechako River, British Columbia

1994 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 965-973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bradford
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Life History ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Fraser River ◽  
Water Abstraction ◽  
Lower Survival ◽  
Spring Freshet ◽  
Poor Recruitment

Trends in abundance of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) of the Nechako River, a tributary of the Fraser River, were analyzed to quantify the ecological effects of water abstraction for electricity generation. In years when the majority of returning chinook adults used the upper Nechako River for spawning, the survival of offspring for the entire river was poorer than in years when spawning was concentrated in the lower reaches. Relative to the historical discharge, the upper Nechako River has experienced the greatest degree of water abstraction, and the lower survival of chinook broods originating from the upper river may be due to early emergence of fry caused by elevated fall and winter water temperatures or to higher rates of predation on juveniles and loss of rearing habitat caused by the elimination of the spring freshet. Poor recruitment resulting from broods spawning predominately in the upper river has caused the trend in the abundance of Nechako River chinook to diverge from the trend of chinook populations of similar life history from unregulated tributaries of the Fraser River. Additional reductions in flow may further affect the capacity of the upper Nechako River to produce chinook salmon.

Individual variation in dispersal behaviour of newly emerged chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) from the Upper Fraser River, British Columbia

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1585-1592 ◽  
Author(s):  
M J Bradford ◽  
G C Taylor
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Population Variation ◽  
Fraser River ◽  
Movement Behaviour ◽  
Spawning Areas ◽  
Dispersal Distances ◽  
Stream Type ◽  
Downstream Movement

Immediately after emergence from spawning gravels, fry of stream-type chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations from tributaries of the upper Fraser River, British Columbia, distribute themselves downstream from the spawning areas, throughout the natal stream, and into the Fraser River. We tested the hypothesis that this range in dispersal distances is caused by innate differences in nocturnal migratory tendency among individuals. Using an experimental stream channel, we found repeatable differences in downstream movement behaviour among newly emerged chinook fry. Fish that moved downstream were larger than those that held position in the channel. However, the incidence of downstream movement behaviours decreased over the first 2 weeks after emergence. We propose that the variation among individuals in downstream movement behaviour we observed leads to the dispersal of newly emerged fry throughout all available rearing habitats. Thus, between- and within-population variation in the freshwater life history observed in these populations may be caused by small differences in the behaviour of individuals.

Ceratomyxa shasta Noble, 1950 (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) present in the Fraser River system of British Columbia

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 1991-1994 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. E. McDonald
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Drainage Basin ◽  
Coho Salmon ◽  
Cutthroat Trout ◽  
River System ◽  
Salmo Gairdneri ◽  
Fraser River ◽  
Steelhead Trout

An examination of 220 chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), 84 coho salmon (O. kisutch), 145 steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri), and 21 cutthroat trout (S. clarki) for Ceratomyxa shasta (Myxozoa: Myxosporea) from 16 localities in the Fraser River drainage, British Columbia, showed that at all sites examined these salmonid species were infected, with a prevalence ranging between 11 and 100%. The study concludes that C. shasta, the causative agent of the salmonid disease ceratomyxosis, is widely distributed in the Fraser drainage basin and discusses these results in relation to proposed fish culture in the region.

Assessment of the Impact of the Myxosporean Parasite Ceratomyxa shasta on Survival of Seaward Migrating Juvenile Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, from the Fraser River, British Columbia

1992 ◽  
Vol 49 (9) ◽  
pp. 1883-1889 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Margolis ◽  
T. E. McDonald ◽  
D. J. Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Infected Fish ◽  
Migration Route ◽  
Fraser River ◽  
Juvenile Chinook Salmon ◽  
Myxosporean Parasite ◽  
Juvenile Chinook ◽  
The Impact

Approximately 3.3% of more than 3500 seaward migrating juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) collected from the lower reaches and off the mouth of the Fraser River, British Columbia, between March and August 1985–87 were infected with Ceratomyxa shasta (Protozoa: Myxosporea). The fish were held live for up to 151 d before examination to allow the infections to become patent. The first infected fish were detected in samples taken in late May to early June, approximately 4 wk after the river water temperature had reached 10 °C. By this time, 40–65% of the fish had been collected, indicating that the majority of the juvenile chinook salmon had left the Fraser River before the infective stage of the parasite was present. Significant differences in prevalence of C. shasta were associated with both the migration route chosen by the fish and their age. Fish that used the lower flow rate North Arm had a greater prevalence (6.8%) of infection than those that migrated down the Main Arm (2.1%). Age 0 fish had a significantly higher prevalence (5.2%) of C. shasta than the age 1 group (1.5%). It is concluded that C. shasta is not a major cause of mortality of downstream migrating juvenile Fraser River chinook salmon.

Gene flow increases temporal stability of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations in the Upper Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan P. Walter ◽  
Tutku Aykanat ◽  
David W. Kelly ◽  
J. Mark Shrimpton ◽  
Daniel D. Heath
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Gene Flow ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Fraser River ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Management And Conservation

Temporal instability in population genetic structure has significant implications for management and conservation decisions. Here, we evaluate temporal stability in five populations of Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) from the Upper Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada, based on estimates of temporal allelic variance and effective population size (Ne) at 11 microsatellite loci. Significant temporal variation in allele frequencies was found within individual populations sampled at 5- to 12-year intervals. Removal of migrant fish or correcting for migrants resulted in higher allelic variance or reduced Ne. Populations with higher levels of temporally consistent gene flow show reduced temporal allelic variance (i.e., reduced genetic drift) and higher Ne. This study is an important empirical example of the effect of gene flow on genetic stability and Ne. In salmonids, low straying levels may have evolved to favor local adaptation; however, we show that even such low levels of gene flow can elevate effective population sizes and preserve genetic variability. This study highlights the importance of considering gene flow acting to temporally stabilize populations, particularly small ones, and should migration be interrupted, Ne levels may decline with no obvious change in census population sizes.

Analysis of straying variation in Alaskan hatchery chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) following transplantation

1999 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 578-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J Hard ◽  
William R Heard
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Release Site ◽  
Substantial Variation

In 1976 chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) gametes from the Chickamin and Unuk rivers in southeastern Alaska were transplanted 250 km to establish hatchery runs at Little Port Walter (LPW), Baranof Island. From 1977 to 1989, 1 862 058 marked smolts from 12 broods were released from LPW. Homing and straying were estimated from adult recoveries at 25 locations in Alaska and British Columbia between 1981 and 1989. Of 22 198 LPW fish recovered over this period, 21 934 (98.8%) were collected at LPW. Of 264 fish recovered elsewhere, 38.3% were within 7 km of LPW; 64.4% were within 25 km of LPW. No LPW fish were recovered from the ancestral rivers, but nine fish were recovered from rivers supporting wild chinook salmon. Straying declined with distance from the release site but varied between hatcheries and streams. Straying declined with increasing age and run size. Straying was similar between the populations but varied among broods, and analysis of straying in experimental groups provided evidence for a heritable component. Males strayed more often than females. Population, gender, run size, and recovery age interacted to produce substantial variation in straying, indicating that run composition can produce complex straying responses.

Precocial male maturation in laboratory-reared populations of chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1665-1669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric B. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Evolutionary Ecology ◽  
Migration Distance ◽  
Pacific Salmonids

The incidence of precocial male maturation in yearling chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, was examined in four laboratory-reared populations. Slim Creek and Bowron River chinook salmon were about 4 weeks older than Harrison and Nanaimo river chinook salmon when sampled (14 vs. 13 months of age), but were also 20–40 g smaller. Approximately 29, 12, 0, and 0% of all males were precocious in Bowron River, Slim Creek, Harrison River, and Nanaimo River chinook salmon, respectively. Precocial male chinook salmon had gonadosomatic indices of about 5–6%, whereas immature salmon from all populations had indices under 1%. Precocial male chinook salmon were more robust bodied than immature salmon; precocial males had deeper bodies, deeper heads, and larger adipose fins. Variation among the study populations in the incidence of precocial male maturation may be related to differences among the populations in migration distance to the sea or in juvenile freshwater rearing life history. The chinook salmon would probably be a productive species with which to study the evolutionary ecology of precocial maturity in Pacific salmonids.

Early Ocean Life History of Harrison River Sockeye Salmon and their Contribution to the Biodiversity of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 145 (2) ◽  
pp. 348-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Beamish ◽  
Chrys M. Neville ◽  
Ruston M. Sweeting ◽  
Terry D. Beacham ◽  
Joy Wade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Life History ◽  
Sockeye Salmon ◽  
Fraser River ◽  
History Of

scholarly journals Juvenile life-history diversity and population stability of spring Chinook salmon in the Willamette River basin, Oregon

2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 921-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Kirk Schroeder ◽  
Luke D. Whitman ◽  
Brian Cannon ◽  
Paul Olmsted
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha ◽  
Juvenile Salmon ◽  
Population Stability ◽  
Willamette River ◽  
June July ◽  
Willamette River Basin

Migratory and rearing pathways of juvenile spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were documented in the Willamette River basin to identify life histories and estimate their contribution to smolt production and population stability. We identified six primary life histories that included two phenotypes for early migratory tactics: fry that migrated up to 140–200 km shortly after emergence (movers) and fish that reared for 8–16 months in natal areas (stayers). Peak emigration of juvenile salmon from the Willamette River was in June–July (subyearling smolts), March–May (yearling smolts), and November–December (considered as “autumn smolts”). Alternative migratory behaviors of juvenile salmon were associated with extensive use of diverse habitats that eventually encompassed up to 400 rkm of the basin, including tributaries in natal areas and large rivers. Juvenile salmon that reared in natal reaches and migrated as yearlings were the most prevalent life history and had the lowest temporal variability. However, the total productivity of the basin was increased by the contribution of fish with dispersive life histories, which represented over 50% of the total smolt production. Life-history diversity reduced the variability in the total smolt population by 35% over the weighted mean of individual life histories, providing evidence of a considerable portfolio effect through the asynchronous contributions of life histories. Protecting and restoring a diverse suite of connected habitats in the Willamette River basin will promote the development and expression of juvenile life histories, thereby providing stability and resilience to native salmon populations.

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