Salmon Steward

I n 2016, the Pacific Salmon Founda- tion managed 40 projects conducted by more than 30 partners with a total expenditure of $3.2 million. Field studies will continue during 2017, while 2018 will be dedicated to assimila- tion of results, analysis and dissemination of key findings. Heart and Skeletal MuScle InflaMMatIon found In fISH farM Last year began with the announcement of a disease (Heart and Skeletal Muscle president's message 12 2017 psf.ca By dr. BrIan rIddell, President and CEO, Pacific Salmon Foundation our BuSIeSt Year Yet! The Salish Sea Marine Survival Project forges ahead with breakthroughs aplenty Inflammation, or HSMI) not previously identified in British Columbia. The discov- ery resulted from sampling on one aqua- culture farm (of Atlantic salmon) that was included in our Strategic Salmon Health Initiative conducted with the Science Branch of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and supported by Genome BC. The concern now shifts to whether there are risks of this disease being trans- mitted to wild Pacific salmon. To date, research conducted by fish health scien- tists in DFO Science Branch indicates that the suspected infectious agent of HSMI can be passed on to Pacific salmon but they have not reported the development of HSMI in these studies. MIgratIng SalMon tracked for tHe fIrSt tIMe While we know that millions of juvenile salmon migrate through the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait, we don't know their migration rates, paths or their natural survival through those regions. How do we study this? By using micro- acoustic tags that "ping " strings of receivers on the sea floor! These tiny tags (less than half a gram in weight) transmit unique signals that identify individual fish, allowing researchers to determine migration rates, paths and survival rates. In 2016, we were surprised to observe that half of the tagged Fraser River Sockeye smolts which migrated through Discovery Channel showed very high survival. In con- trast, the other half, which used the narrow channels between the various islands, had about one half the survival. Though fish using these narrow channels would have greater exposure to salmon farms, it would be very brief. Thus, the farms are unlikely to account for the mortalities, unless there are direct causes of mortality that we have not yet identified. HarBour SealS eatIng lotS of SalMon? The study of harbour seal predation on juvenile salmon also continues to develop. Working with UBC's Marine Mammal Unit since 2012, our first estimate of harbour seal predation on juvenile Chinook and Dr. Kristi Miller-Saunders, scientific lead for the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative.

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