Salmon Population Case Study

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

Salmon have a truly incredible life cycle. Like all fish, salmon spawn from female eggs and then go on to develop into “alevin,” which is a term for newly hatched fish. First off, they derive nourishment from the yolk sac from where the salmon are born. Once the sac has been absorbed, the “fry,” or baby fish, then emerges from the river gravel and starts the search for food. Fry instinctively deal with the river currents and learn to swim together as a school right away. Anywhere from a couple days to two years old, fry will continue to live in fresh water until they start the next, “smolting,” phase. Smolting is a

An endangered species is a species of either plant or animal that is in serious risk of becoming extinct. This name became connected with the Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in 1994 after being petitioned to be put on the list for nine years (NOAA). There are two main reasons behind the endangerment of the Chinook salmon: over exploration, and dams. Since the times of the Native Americans, Chinook salmon have been highly sought after as a food source. Since then the salmon have experienced great amounts of overfishing. Along with water demands which has resulted in overuse of water and diversion of water had affected spawning sites and loss of habitat putting further strain on their habitats (National Wildlife Federation).

The average period of time that sockeye salmon live in the wild is 4 to 5 years. The oldest salmon that was caught was 8 years of age. Usually sockeye salmon die after mating (“Longevity, aging and life history of Oncorhynchus nerka”, 2009; Groot, 1966)One thing about sockeye salmon that is special and unique about them is that they swim in runs when migrating to freshwater streams to spawn. They additionally establish gregarious hierarchies, conventionally at times of reproduction. The most astronomically immense male is most ascendant (Crutchfield and Pontecorvo, 1969; Quinn, 2005). The predators of sockeye salmon are considered to be bears, lake trout, squawfish, mountain whitefish, and birds such as mew gull. Humans additionally consume a considerable about sockeye salmon.

Salmon are both an indicator and keystone species to the survival of ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. A healthy salmon species implies healthy waterways with little pollution, and an abundance of native plants and animals, as well as thriving estuaries that effectively filter pollutants. Salmon are a vital food source for predators, and carry key nutrients to plants surrounding the rivers and lakes where they spawn. Along with environmental stability, a healthy salmon population contributes to a multi-million dollar industry of thousands of workers along the Pacific

There are many risks associated with eating farm-raised salmon versus wild- caught salmon. One risk that farm raised salmon faces is contaminants that can lead to cancer. Farm raised salmon are placed in artificially made bodies of water such as ponds, lakes, and salt water and within these bodies of water, contaminants such as PCBs can be present. Cancer causing chemicals can be present in both the water, farm-raised salmon swims in, and the food they eat. Another risk with farm-raised salmon is the use of antibiotics in order to keep the fish healthy. This unknown amount of antibiotics used on the fish can lead to a resistance to the antibiotic used to kill the bacteria’s in both human and the salmon. The humans that are consuming the fish that possess these antibiotics are unintentionally

The United States and Canada formed the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) and in 2012 the United States, contributed $ 95,000.00 to this endeavor. While it does not specify the percentage of the U.S. budget the U.S. is involved in quite a few other aquic areas. Another, Salmon related budgeting set aside is with the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Commission (NASCC). The percentage is 5% to the toon of $45859.00 laid out in 2012. Both cases of these commissions are to conserve the production of the species. While, the PSC pact between the U.S. and Canada insures an equal opportunity for both countries investments in the harvesting, the NASCC consist on a broader rage with multiple countries. The PSC does not itself regulate the salmon fisheries they do give advisement and recommendations to both

Chinook salmon (known by its scientific name as Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is the largest species out of the Pacific salmon genus, with an individual chinook measured over 120 pounds (fishwatch.gov, 2014). Often known by the name as “king salmon”, it is one of the most expensive salmons as this species of the Pacific salmon is not abundant in North America. This salmon is originated in rivers ranging from Central California to northwest Alaska, but can also be found outside the United States such as in northern Pacific countries such as Canada, Russia, and Japan. They often live in oceans, but are spawned and born in freshwater rivers and streams (fishwatch.gov, 2014). According to the NOAA Fisheries, the United States currently has more than 20 stocks within the range between Central California to northwest Alaska. Population ranges varies within region—with rates of decline, growth, and constant of Chinooks in Alaska (fishwatch.gov, 2014), while non-Alaskan Chinooks in the Pacific Northwest are currently facing rates of decline (Peery, Kavanagh, and Scott, 2003). In terms of the current status of endangerment/threatened, it varies within region in parallel with population rate. The Chinook salmon from Alaska are considered healthy and none of them have yet been listed in the Endangered Species Act (fishwatch.gov, 2014). On the other hand, those in the Columbia and Sacramento Rivers are currently face being endangered, while Chinooks living in the California Central Valley

Commercial fishing boats are pushing to catch as many Atlantic salmon as they can after a net pen broke near Washington's Cypress Island. Fishermen reported thousands of the non-native fish jumping in the water or washing ashore. The pen, in the state's northwestern San Juan Islands, contained about 305,000 Atlantic salmon. Environmentalists are concerned that the escaped Atlantic salmon could potentially mate and crossbreed with the Pacific salmon or compete with them for food but they are not completely sure what the ramifications will be. Now, owner Cooke Aquaculture and the Washington department of fish and wildlife are trying to determine how many escaped. The director of the wild fish conservancy northwest, Kurt Beardslee , called the

While it is not entirely known how salmon manage to navigate treacherous waters to return to the place they are born, research shows that changes in the water have affected the way they perceive the world around them, and could greatly impact the way that salmon

Salmon are semelparous animals, meaning they only spawn once in a lifetime. The fish then quickly deteriorate and die. Not being able to adapt to the freshwater after being in the saltwater ocean for so long.

If I had a vote to do anything to do with the area I would probably move all the fish to a bigger pond because If they are away from all the things that affect them in a negative way then their population would increase massively. Catfish can live anywhere so it would be easily to relocate them to somewhere safer and more beneficial to them same with the trout.

Does any where in the world include California and the American West? If so, I thought this story idea

During the last two decades Marine farming of Atlantic salmon has become an important food-producing industry. There has been a rapid growth in the development of this industry but simultaneously facing major health issues in fish. Usage of vaccination can controls many of the most important bacterial diseases but viral diseases have been more difficult to control. This is because the Atlantic salmon are more prone to viral diseases at the early stage of their life.(Rimstad, E., & Mjaaland, S. (April 01, 2002).) Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) is a major disease of Atlantic salmon,caused by an orthomyxovirus (ISAV). Outbreaks of unexplained mortalities attributed to infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) were examined in the 1996 year class of Atlantic

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