Salmon Steward

salmon Steward magazine 5 Another Exceptional Year Highlighting our last year of field research, and the exciting year ahead CITIZEN SUPERSTARS The Citizen Science Program outfitted volunteers' boats with research equipment in nine interlocking territories of the Strait of Georgia. The Program's success clearly demonstrated the eŠectiveness of volunteers as "citizen scientists." The citizen science teams not only collected an unprecedented amount of key data on the Strait, but at a fraction of the cost of traditional research vessels. The data collected enabled the Hakai Institute to sample large swathes of the Strait for research on ocean acidification and look for "hotspots" or areas of refuge from acidity for marine creatures. Our citizen scientists also facilitated research eŠorts on harmful algae blooms. Every year, harmful algae blooms cause multi-million dollar losses to shellfish farms. But what is the impact on wild salmon? One species of algae produces highly potent neurotoxins that cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) and fish death in high concentrations. The study found that certain locations and seasons contributed to the bloom. In the short term, this information will be extremely useful for shellfish growers, and in the long term, it will help us understand how salmon returns could be aŠected. Partners: Nine Citizen Science teams; Ocean Networks Canada; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; University of British Columbia; University of Victoria; Hakai Institute; Microthalassia Consultants Inc. TAG TEAMS Where are salmon dying and why? Acoustic tags and receivers were successfully used to determine migration route, rate and survival of juvenile Sockeye, Steelhead and Spring Chinook. Partners: Ocean Tracking Network Canada (Dalhousie University); University of British Columbia; Kintama Research THE SEAL DEAL New technology developed for the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project took the form of backpacks and beanies for our harbour seal research, as well as novel genomic methods to analyze seal scat. Initial estimates found that harbour seals are consuming up to 40 per cent of juvenile Chinook and 47 per cent of Coho in the Strait. Partners: Marine Mammal Unit at the University of British Columbia; Vancouver Aquarium; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; University of Victoria; BC Conservation Foundation GO WITH THE FLOW The Salish Sea Marine Survival Project was predicated on the notion that salmon survival was heavily limited by juvenile salmon dying in estuaries. But one system – the Cowichan – showed surprisingly high mortality in the river, before they reach the estuary. Tracking of "tagged" Cowichan hatchery Chinook showed survival is strongly aŠected by river flows. And low flows could be leaving salmon vulnerable to predators like raccoons, herons, mergansers and other fish. (This year, hundreds of pit tags were suspiciously found near a heron rookery.) Surprisingly, otters seem to avoid juvenile Chinook in rivers. The same study saw better survival when young salmon were released at locations further downstream. Partners: BC Conservation Federation; Cowichan Tribes; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; University of British Columbia ARRAY OF HOPE Though our field work is done, our community partners will continue to monitor returning salmon using infrastructure developed through the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project. An antennae array, designed as a mat across the bottom of the Cowichan River, will provide data on marine survival for a couple more years (or as long as passive integrated tags are applied). Partners: BC Conservation Foundation; Cowichan Tribes; Fisheries and Oceans Canada Biologist Lenora Turcotte models some water samples. Hundreds of PIT tags once embedded in smolts were found near a heron rookery on the Cowichan River. New technology has enabled researchers to track exactly how many juvenile salmon harbour seals are eating. An acoustic tag is surgically implanted. An antennae array is installed in the Cowichan River. THANKS TO NEW PARTNER YVR FOR SUPPORTING THE CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAM AND SEAL RESEARCH THROUGH THE SALISH SEA MARINE SURVIVAL PROJECT.

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