BSC3052 – Conservation Biology
Management Plan for Salmon in Alaskan & North Pacific Ecosystems
It comes as no surprise that salmon are one of the most sought after species of fish in the world for human consumption. Because of this, heavy industry and markets have had a critical influence on the salmon populations. Seventeen strains of Pacific salmon are currently listed as threatened or endangered. Due to their extreme demand, many problems have resulted for the species as a whole, from hindrances in their reproduction patterns by modifications in their environment (dams and river modifications) to detrimental conservation efforts (where hatchery salmon were reintroduced causing “genetic and behavioral dilution”), there are a plethora
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By 2008, that figure had jumped to 5 billion. Because of the huge presence of hatchery salmon in wild, the result is when hatchery-bred fish return as adults and interbreed with wild salmon, they produce offspring that are less hardy than their purely wild counterparts. Arguably the existence of hatcheries is directly responsible for offsetting the salmon species composition of the entire North Pacific. Economically, while fisheries immediately can be seen as generating a huge profit, extended dependence and exploitation of fisheries can be incredibly distressing. In an effort to maximize the yield of salmon, hatcheries are failing to see the ocean is an exhaustible resource. The North Pacific Ocean is, at an alarming rate, nearing the limit of its salmon-carrying capacity. (Peterson, 2008) Because hatchery salmon are both outcompeting wild populations of salmon and simultaneously causing genetic dilution by mating with wild populations, the fish that are being caught by fisherman, at an alarming rate, are far less in quality than their wild counterparts. The reason why? Wild populations often possess resistance to the parasites and diseases of their native streams that are not found in the foreign hatchery salmon. In addition, the “decreasing quality” of salmon also negatively influences recreational activities such as sport fishing, a valuable component of both the Alaskan economy and the economies of the pacific north-west. Millions
The film Salmon confidential had initially been released on October 2nd, 2013; Since then, the status of British Columbia fish farming may just have a promising future. For too long has the fish farming industry in British Columbia gotten away with destroying the population of wild salmon. Despite this, recently the fish farming industry has been running into problems that threaten the survival of their industry in British Columbia. Currently, there are 130 floating fish farms in British Columbia, all of these fish farms have been infected with contagious diseases that are spreading to other wild salmon that travel in these areas. The companies in change of the fish farming have been trying to hide the fact that their farms have caused a major
Iconic Cape Cod Massachusetts is named after the Atlantic Cod. For centuries, this fish has provided food and trade for New Englanders. In this time, there have been several instances of overfishing by humans from the aboriginal era to colonial times but none so drastic as the present conditions of cod fisheries (Jackson, Kirby, Berger, and Bjorndal, 2001). Overfishing is a human induced occurrence where humans are fishing more than a body of water can sustain. In other words, humans are catching more adult fish preventing the existing population from growing to replenish the fish that were caught (Overfishing: A Global Disaster, n.d.). Worldwide, over 80% of the fish stocks are “fully- to over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse” (Overfishing: A Global Disaster, n.d.). The results of this careless behavior has reduced the biodiversity in the Gulf of Maine and landed the Atlantic Cod on the endangered species list as being “vulnerable” (Cod, n.d.). In the neighboring region of Newfoundland, Canada, communities are already feeling the effects of overfishing. In 1992, at the beginning of the fishing season in the Grand Bank region, there were suddenly no more cod. The local economies collapsed and to this day, the region has not quite recovered (Brennan and Withgott, 2005).
Factors on the collapse of the West Coast fishery•Overfishing•Changes in the Environment/Global Warming•Different agreements/lack of treatiesOverfishingIn the 90's there was an 800,000 tonnes catch per year for salmon. Instead of being over 100 major fish processing plants in British Colombia, there's fewer than 10.Changes in the Environment/Global WarmingThe Pacific Ocean is increasing in temperature due to Global Warming, which there's a possibility of threatening the salmon's habitat. The preferable temperature for salmon is below 7 degrees, so if the water temperatures keep rising, the salmon will move towards the Bering sea because its cooler. Instead of the spawning occurring in British Colombia, it will be in
The delta smelt is an estuarine fish that is endemic to the San Francisco Bay-Delta region of California. This species was listed as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act in 2010 after extended extremely low abundance indices. The historical range of the delta smelt extended from San Pablo Bay to Sacramento along the Sacramento River and Mossdale along the San Joaquin River. Delta smelt became extinct in the southern region of their native range in the 1970s and experienced a steep population decline in the 1980s. The greatest factor in the decline of the delta smelt is the anthropological impact on their native ecosystem. The introduction of invasive species and the alteration of their habitat from variable tidal systems to leveed channels have significantly decreased suitable habitats for certain life stages of the delta smelt. Also, the highly controversial exportation of water from the Delta has had a major impact on delta smelt populations. Large water pumps in the southern region of the Delta are both detrimental to delta smelt habitat and have the direct effect of killing individuals through entrainment in the pumps. According to several previous studies, the exportation of water is one of the key factors when it comes to the genetic diversity, as well as the distribution and abundance, of the delta
In the North Pacific there are five species of salmon. Each kind of salmon is known by different names like, Chinook (king), sockeye (red), coho (silver), chum (dog), and pink (humpback). These are all valuable, but the Chinook or King Salmon were the prize of the Columbia River system. In the late 1800s about 2,500,000 cans of salmon nearly filled a cannery store and storage rooms in Astoria, Oregon. Fresh, salted, dried, and smoked were the only options for preserving and eating salmon before the spread of canning technology in the mid 1800s.
Kaeriyama et al. studied the effects of climate events on Pacific salmon species in the offshore waters of the central Gulf of Alaska during the early summers of 1994-2000. They based their study on analyses of stomach contents, and carbon and nitrogen isotope concentrations. In all species except Chum Salmon, Gonatid squid was the dominant prey. During
To start off Alaska is very cold, and during the colder season many fish tend to stay there, because they hunger for food, just like us people. That seems to be the best place to find food, because during this season, Alaskans use fishing to help keep survival, and that’s why fish stay where they are. Today Alaska Salmon is near the Kenai River, the Cooper River, and Bristol Bay. As you may know, improper fishing techniques are very damaging to the environment. But luckily the Atlantic Ocean, isn’t near any polluted rivers emptying into the ocean, nor any cities flushing sewage into Bering Sea and other Alaskan waters. I have a personal opinion about this, because I think that its very selfish the way our oceans, and rivers are so polluted, it’s disgusting, and very unhealthy. This ocean covers most of the planet but, isn’t in contact with much other than the underwater wildlife. Alaska’s vast and beautiful waters are home to some of the most productive commercial fisheries in the world. The seafood and fishing industry contributes to nearly 78,000 jobs to the Alaskan economy and are managed based on careful monitoring and scientific assessment, and are also regarded as a model of successful natural resources. I believe the fish, especially the Salmon, will remain uncontaminated due to the lack of people surrounding them, other larger fish or underwater animals. The relatively untouched ecosystem, as comp Ared to the other bodies of water on the planet, has fallen into tough
Examples of forage fish include sardines, anchovies and herrings. Scientists have shown that catching forage fish instead of cod is a more sustainable approach. According to research from the University of British Columbia Fisheries Center, the forage fish population has more than doubled in the past century (Christensen, 2014). A main cause for the population growth is that human beings are overfishing forage fish’s predators like cod and tuna. When overfishing of cod occurs, herring population increases naturally due to the reduced effect of trophic cascade. Herrings are very abundant in the Gulf of Maine and they are not overfished. Furthermore, fishing herring and cod both use mid-water trawling (NOAA, 2015), so fishermen can easily adapt to fishing herring instead of cod, and the bycatch of other species can be significantly reduced with modified fishing gears (Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, 2015). However, even though herrings are very abundant, we should only fish them sustainably. Strict regulations based on scientific research need to be implemented in order to avoid overfishing herring, which can be harmful to the recovery of the cod
Like when they were Frys and Parrs they are constantly being hunted for. This time seals, orca whales, and fishermen are hunting them. They swim more the 2000 miles in the ocean before returning back to their original spawning grounds to spawn. Sometimes young adult salmon returns before they have fully grown, these specific salmon are called Jacks or Jennies. Eventually an instinctive trigger tells mature salmon that the time has come to return home to reproduce. They head upstream to find the exact location where they were born to
“A single Pacific bluefin tuna sells at auction for more than $100,000” (Arnold, 2012). The Pacific bluefin tuna is one of the most popular fish consumed in the world eaten mainly in sushi. In 2010 alone, the United States consumed twenty-four percent of the tuna consumed by the entire population. Due to its increasing growth in popularity the demand for wild bluefin tuna has caused the species to drastically decline to about 2 percent of its original percent population causing it to become endangered. Due to the drop in the amount of wild bluefin tuna left there have been serious changes to the ocean’s ecosystem. The Pacific blue fin tuna is one of the top predators in the pacific oceans food chain making it a tertiary consumer. For them to survive it must feed on the Ocean’s secondary consumers which are the anchovies, herring, etc.
Delgado, C. L., Wada, N., Rosegrant, M. W., Meijer, S., & Ahmed, M. (2003). Fish to 2020: supply and demand in changing global markets. Retrieved from http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pubs/pubs/books/fish2020/oc44.pdf
These species include: king salmon, chum salmon, sockeye (red) salmon, pink salmon, halibut, pollock, sablefish, herring, and Pacific cod. Samples of fish were taken by DEC Environmental Health Officers during regular inspections of commercial fishing processors throughout the
When fish populations are low in one area, fishing boats will need to move to another area where fish are more abundant. This renders oceans and their sea life helpless and severely damaged until all of the fish in the oceans are completely gone. That is why governments need laws establishing the length of time a person could spend at sea fishing, in order to reduce overfishing and increase recovery of fish populations. One example of a fish population suffering from overfishing is the Pacific bluefin tuna. “Overfishing has left the world with less than five percent of its Pacific Bluefin tuna, says the Pew Environment Group” (Kowalski). This statement explains to the world how overfishing can drastically decrease a species’ population in an extraordinarily short time period. The Pacific bluefin tuna and other fish are very much stressed by overfishing, and suffer severe losses of population every day. Moreover, overfishing will soon lead to the extinction of fish species like the Pacific bluefin tuna. The European Commission even admits that the “EU’s [European Union] stocks are 88% overfished” (“An Icelandic Success”). This reveals Europe’s failure to prevent overfishing from spreading throughout the continent and beyond its borders. The majority of Europe’s fish supply undergoes the harmful effects that overfishing brings. Additionally, the fish
over the past two decades. In 1980, total production of farmed Atlantic salmon was less than
The population of Bluefin Tuna has been dramatically declining over the past few decades with no expectation of slowing down. Bluefin Tuna are a very important species of fish because they are one of the top predators in the ocean and if they become extinct the balance of the ocean’s ecosystem would be off. The classification of Bluefin Tuna includes a few different types, all of which are endangered and it is estimated that they will soon become extinct. The categorization of each type of Bluefin Tuna species is based on geographical location although the exact number varies from 3-8. Although there are still significant number of Bluefin tuna in the ocean, the demand for the fish has increased dramatically with no sign of decreasing. This demand has caused new and harmful fishing methods to be created. They have become incredibly popular in sushi as well as other food and for this reason the population has declined; however, there are methods that could be used in order to prevent the species from becoming extinct.