Salmon Steward

CITIZEN SCIENCE One of the most successful oshoots of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project was the Citizen Science Program, which was originally set to end in 2017. It trained and outfitted volunteers and their private vessels to conduct oceanographic research, gathering an unprecedented amount of data at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Thanks to overwhelming interest from the Citizen Scientists themselves and funding from YVR (Vancouver International Airport), the Program will continue at least through this year. HABITAT REHAB Though often billed as a research initiative, the Project also resulted in extensive restoration eorts in 23 estuaries and sheltered bays surrounding the Strait of Georgia. Part of the restoration eorts included eelgrass restoration and removal of marine debris — like the pictured boat, cleared from the bottom of Genoa Bay, plus another 130 tonnes from Tod Inlet alone! Thanks to a grant through the federal government's Coastal Restoration Fund, the Seachange Conservation Society will continue eorts in 25 estuary sites around the Strait over the next five years. A LASTING IMPACT As data analysis begins, critical field work continues in the Salish Sea FORAGING FOR FORAGE FISH Forage fish such as herring, eulachon and sandlance provide food for salmon in estuaries. Investigating where they live was an important part of the Project. Now, W WF (World Wildlife Fund) is working to ensure research will continue, including identification and mapping of forage fish spawning habitat. Fun fact: Usually hidden from view, sandlance began mysteriously emerging from sand on a Gabriola Island beach last summer, and witnesses shared footage with Project Coordinator Isobel Pearsall. Have you had a forage fish sighting? We want to know! Email us at support@psf.ca STUDYING SALMON FARMS The impact of salmon farms on wild salmon continues to be a contentious topic in B.C. Last year, a study through the Project noted wild Sockeye whizzing by salmon farms in the Discovery Islands, leaving little time for exposure. But at the time, the farms were not stocked with fish. Continuing studies this year, led by Kintama, DFO, Hakai and UBC, will determine if feeding at newly stocked farms encourages wild fish to hang around, increasing exposure to disease. SOUNDING THE SEA Like depth sounders on fishing boats, hydroacoustic technology uses sound to "see" underwater. The frequencies bounce o swim bladders to provide highly detailed information about the species below – and at a rapid rate. Because sound transmits so e¢ciently through water, even small signals are readily detectable at very long distances. In fact, the international hydroacoustic monitoring network only needs 11 stations to keep tabs on all of the Earth's big oceans. Originally funded through the Project with help from the Mitacs Elevate program, the work will continue in the Strait and provide critical data on the prey and predators of juvenile salmon. Specifically, researchers use echograms to determine where fish are in the water column, combined with data from trawl surveys to determine the exact species and gender ratio. UNDER THE MICROSCOPE Starting in 2015, the EPIC project, led by Louis Bernatchez (pictured) and Ben Koop, sequenced the entire Coho genome and revealed genetic markers associated with survival in marine waters. Research continues with hatcheries to identify families of Coho with a higher capacity to withstand environmental stressors such as warming waters. A fter three years of intensive field research, the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project will enter its most important phase this year. More than 60 scientists are working to analyze an unprecedented volume of data and produce an action plan for recovering salmon ecosystems. But several legacy initiatives will go on, continuing to benefit wild salmon this year and for years to come. (TOP PHOTO) RYAN FLAGG salmon Steward magazine 9

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