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2019_PSF_halfpage.indd 1 19-03-2019 3:54 PM
"We are using salmon
to understand their
own ecosystems.
Rather than going
out and sampling the
ecosystem ourselves,
we're trying to sample
it from the salmon's
perspective."
Chinook. But one pattern indicates
that these "young-of-year" herring (as
scientists call them) are getting too big
for some juvenile Chinook to feed on,
potentially having a negative impact on
marine survival.
Another finding observed a recent surge
in anchovy populations in the Southern
Strait, with anchovies comprising up to 30
per cent of the adult salmon diet in areas
of abundance.
Now fully funded, the project will
expand and continue. "Our hope is that
beyond just painting a picture of what's
going on out there now, this program will
last," says Duguid.
For PSF, funding the Adult Diet Study
was an easy decision. Pearsall says the pilot
study o‡ers a low-cost solution to plug some
gaps in the existing SSMSP research.
While the data collected will be some of
the first information obtained on the winter
diets of adult Coho and Chinook, the insight
it will give on the state of forage fish could
prove equally valuable.
Pearsall furthermore explains: "We
believe that the information from this
cost-e‡ective citizen science study could
help us make important decisions around
the protection of particular forage fish
stocks and spawning habitats. And having
good-quality data on forage fish patterns
comes with significant benefits to salmon."
Donate at psf.ca to support citizen
science programs like the Adult
Salmon Diet Study. Your donation will
be matched and every $100 donation
will receive one entry to win a package
donated by Stanley and Pro Line
Sports (p. 21).
Study lead Will Duguid with daughter Marina.
salmon Steward magazine 9
