Electronic Tagging of Pacific Salmon – Coastal working group
Chair: George Boehlert
Rapporteur: Marc Trudel
Participants: Cynthia Decker, Kevin Friedland, Bill Hines, Sandy Johnston, Dave Meerburg, Jennifer Nielsen, Gus Rassam, Hiroshi Ueda, Trey Walker, Jim Woodey
Introduction
The offshore working group was tasked with developing a series of priority research projects utilizing electronic tags to meet the objectives of the workshop, namely,
- to understand how the diverse species of Pacific salmon utilize the ocean environment;
- to identify common oceanic features and critical habitats; and
- to examine the coupling between salmonid biology and the physical environment. We also discussed the logistics of carrying out the research, a realistic time line necessary to perform this work, and who would be appropriate participants.
Several general points were made in the initial discussions. First, several pointed out the relationship to and overlap with the Coastal Working Group. Because tagging discussed in the offshore group would involve fish that would spend time in the coastal region (and vice versa), the distinction was not entirely clear. The definition of these working groups was based on spatial separation, but an equal case could have been made on the basis of either technology (archival vs acoustic tags) or on the basis of life history stage (smolt and post-smolt versus older ages).
A second topic of discussion was the question of whether the working group should concentrate on hypothesis-driven research or more exploratory, descriptive research. Highly specific hypothesis-driven projects, for example on the question of salmon responses to sharp thermal limits in SST were deemed of lower immediate importance than more general questions; examples may include the following:
- How do distribution and habitat utilization differ among species (and stocks) of Pacific salmon?
- What diversity of response to ocean conditions exists across the broad latitudinal range of many species?
- What differences in movement and habitat utilization exist between hatchery and wild fish?
It is clear that ocean survival of salmon changes with changing ocean conditions; given the dearth of knowledge of salmon utilization of the ocean environment, addressing such questions with an electronic tagging program is timely. Moreover, the data and observations collected in these projects will provide preliminary information to test several specific hypotheses.
The working group also discussed several other points, including the following:
- Because of the multiplicity of countries, agencies, and researchers interested in Pacific salmon, involving the collaboration between different countries and organizations will insure that sufficient funding would be available to carry these projects and to generate public interest worldwide. In addition, selected researchers on related species elsewhere (e.g., Atlantic salmon) should be entrained into this project to benefit from their experience.
- The coupling between biology and the physical environment should be an important part of the project. With the climate change forecasted by global circulation models, it will be important to determine how different species of salmon respond to changing ocean conditions. These tagging programs should be integrated with other oceanographic surveys in order to link salmon distribution and survival with oceanographic conditions. Where possible, this project should also cooperate with the Tagging of Pacific Pelagics (TOPP) program in this regard.
- It was recognized that where appropriate, dual tagging may be effective. Two examples were provided. First, tagging with acoustic tags may help facilitate recovery of the more expensive archival tags for locations where acoustic arrays may exist. Second, strategies involving tagging with relatively few expensive archival tags but larger numbers of cheaper, reduced parameter tags (e.g., iButton) should be examined.
Research Projects
The working group agreed to develop specific projects for discussion and presentation to the plenary. It was agreed to present these projects in a common format, covering the specific ocean regions of importance, the target species and life stages, the type and number of tags to be deployed, logistical and vessel requirements for the program, the tentative participants, and a rough schedule. The first three projects were divided geographically to target research priorities identified in the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) science plan.
Project 1
Title: Distribution and Habitat Utilization by Pacific Salmonids. I. Bering Sea.
Concept: The objective of the proposed research is to understand the distribution patterns, habitat utilization, and movements of chum and chinook salmon in the Bering Sea through an at-sea tagging program of immature and maturing fish. Ocean conditions are changing in the Bering Sea and North Pacific. Western Alaska chum and chinook salmon runs have declined precipitously in recent years, threatening the economic livelihood and subsistence of western Alaska and Yukon River communities. As chinook salmon in this region spend one year in freshwater, while chum go to sea immediately, common ocean factors may be affecting their decline. Recent years have seen both El Nino and La Nina events, in addition to changes in Bering Sea oceanography such as large coccolithophore blooms, higher temperatures, and lower productivity. The southeastern Bering Sea is a crossroads for chum salmon from the entire production area of the species, from Japan to the Pacific Northwest. Japanese chum salmon have also declined somewhat in recent years, although not to the extent of western Alaska runs. Research in this area offers the opportunity to study salmon of several stocks where there are pronounced indications of ocean influence.
Participation: University of Washington, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, University of Alaska, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Russia, Hokkaido University, Fisheries Agency of Japan (FAJ), US Geological Survey (USGS), and Industries (technology and fishing)
Tagging and time line: 200 geolocating tags/species (chum and chinook) will be placed on immature or maturing fish at sea in 2002-2003. In addition, 100 iButton tags/species/year will be placed during these years to gain more information at relatively low cost. Some 50 sea days may be required for tag deployment.
Source of funding: to be determined (some suggested stakeholders, US-Canada funds, or Disaster Programs)
Additional comments: Cooperation with Russia should be examined for this study, particularly for tag deployment in the Western Bering Sea using Russian research vessels. Research in the Bering Sea provides opportunities to work with Russian and Japanese researchers, as this is an area of focus under the NPAFC Science Plan. In addition, it may be possible to take part in funding initiatives designed to address the salmon crisis in western Alaska. It was also noted that special, fishery-independent measures may be required for tag recovery in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (ALK) rivers.
Project 2
Title: Distribution and Habitat Utilization by Pacific Salmonids. II. Gulf of Alaska
Concept: This project entails archival tagging of sockeye, pink, chum, and coho in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The objective of the proposed research is to relate the distribution of these species to open ocean habitat, to examine their movement patterns in relation to thermal limits, and to determine migration pathways. Sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay in Alaska and the Fraser River in Canada intermix in the Gulf. Fraser River sockeye stocks have declined, while Bristol Bay sockeye have undergone large, poorly understood fluctuations since 1997; geographically adjacent stocks have not fluctuated in synchrony, suggesting possible differences in ocean distributions. Juvenile pink salmon from Prince William Sound are the subject of a large multidisciplinary GLOBEC project, and tagging of adults in the Gulf would provide valuable information from the final stage of their marine migration. Acoustic tags may be combined with archival tags to track coastal migrations. These acoustic tags could be detected by the proposed coastal array to determine the migration routes of adult coho salmon returning to southeast Alaska and sockeye returning to the Fraser River (i.e. Johnstone Strait vs the Strait of Juan de Fuca). Geolocating and acoustic tags could also help provide data to confirm a hypothesis on pink and coho salmon migration from the Gulf of Alaska. Pink and coho salmon in the central Gulf may migrate northward until they encounter the coast, then follow the coast to their natal streams. If this is the case, fish would be vulnerable to a larger number of coastal interception fisheries.
Participation: University of British Columbia, University of Washington, NMFS, DFO, GLOBEC, Pacific Salmon Commission, University of Alaska, Hokkaido University, FAJ, USGS
Tagging and time line: 100 geolocating tags/species/year and 100 temperature-depth tags/ species/year will be deployed in 2002-2003. New platforms will be necessary to put these tags on the high seas, as the present ship time (Oshoru-maru) is insufficient. At the minimum, an additional 50 vessel-days will be required for this work.
Sources of funding: to be determined.
Additional comments: Completed work in the Gulf of Alaska has targeted fish ready to return. This study should also place tags on fish that will spend additional time as residents in the GOA or attempt to tag fish earlier in their final year at sea.
Project 3
Title: Distribution and Habitat Utilization by Pacific Salmonids. III. SE Alaska to California Coastal Stocks
Concept: This project entails archival and acoustic tagging of coho and chinook salmon on coastal fishing grounds. The objective is to examine movement and habitat utilization patterns of salmon along the coast, and to identify differing strategies for utilization of relatively warm ocean waters by southern stocks. This work must be closely coordinated with projects developed in the Coastal Working Group.
Participation: University of Alaska, University of British Columbia, Humboldt State University, University of Washington, Pacific Salmon Commission, NMFS, DFO, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), CalFED, USGS
Tagging and time line: In 2001, 100 temperature-depth tags will be put on chinook and coho between California and SE Alaska. In subsequent years, 200 geolocating tags/species/year and 200 temperature-depth tags/ species/year will be deployed in 2002-2003. An additional 400 acoustic tags will be used on the same fish that received the other tags in 2003, provided that the acoustic array is in place in appropriate geographic regions. For educational outreach (schools, recreational fishery, catch-release fishery), 5000 iButton/year will be used.
Sources of funding: 2001 research, NMFS funding. Outyears, funding source to be determined
Additional comments: In the southern part of the salmonid species’ ranges, tagging of fish in ESUs listed at threatened or endangered under the US Endangered Species Act require permit allowing this research. Applying for and receiving the permits is not a trivial exercise and must be undertaken in advance.
Project 4
Title: Latitudinal Patterns of Movement and Habitat Utilization by Steelhead
Concept: Steelhead are widely distributed latitudinally, and due to their iteroparous life history, offer a unique opportunity to place geolocating tags to examine two way migration patterns with reasonable likelihood of returns. A kelt-tagging program over the geographic range (at least California to Alaska) will allow identification of how different stocks migrate and use ocean features. Smolt tagging will be considered under the Coastal Working Group, but as part of this project, iButton tags will be applied to smolts to increase sample sizes.
Participation: University of Washington, Humboldt State University, NMFS, DFO, BCMOE, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, BPA, USGS
Tagging and time line: During 2001, 50 temperature-depth tags will be put on kelts at hatcheries latitudinally distributed through the range. 300 geolocating tags/ year will be put on kelts in 2002-2003 across a latitudinal gradient. An additional 600 iButton/year will be put on kelts in 2002-2003. Finally, to extend to earlier life stages, 5000 iButton/year/hatchery will be put on smolts from 5 hatcheries located between California and Alaska.
Sources of funding: 2001: NMFS, USGS/BRD, DFO, BCMOE; outyears to be determined.
Additional comments: Steelhead meet many of the criteria for species inclusion in the TOPP program. Thus, this project provides immediate comparability to TOPP. This species also affords the opportunity to examine differences between hatchery and wild stocks.
Project 5
Title: Bioenergetics, Orientation, and Open Ocean Swimming Behavior by Pacific Salmon
Concept: The new archival velocity measuring tag provides opportunities to examine swimming patterns of fish in the wild in greater detail.
Participation: Hokkaido University, National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR, Japan), FAJ, DFO, University of British Columbia, University of Washington, University of Alaska
Tagging and time line: Due to the high cost of archival velocity measuring tags (US$3000 per tag), only 30 chum and 30 sockeye will be tagged per year in 2002-2003. Acoustic tags may also be used in combination with the velocity tags to help recovering these expensive tags.
Sources of funding: to be determined. The funding for tags deployed on chum salmon will come from Japanese sources. Additional comments: The velocity tag is able to record fish swimming speed, depth, and temperature for about 2 months. This allows analysis of the homing migration of Pacific Salmon from the Bering Sea to both west and east coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Project 6
Title: Technology Collaboration to Produce Thermal Archival Tags Suitable for Smolts
Concept: The Dallas Semiconductor iButton tag has the potential to provide low-cost means (about $9/tag) of examining thermal habitat use in a wide range of species including salmonid smolts and juveniles. This project will be to form an academic-industry-collaboration to refine the existing technology of the iButton to make it a more suitable device for tagging fish.
Participation: Dallas Semiconductor, NMFS, University of Massachusetts, and smolt taggers.
Tagging and time line: to be determined (it is anticipated that industry and institutions will provide partial funding).
Sources of funding:
Additional comments: Future CoML activities and extension of the TOPP and Salmon pilot projects to wider marine ecosystem applications will require affordable technology. This project will increase the reach and applicability of the program by providing data logging tags any institution in the world could afford to apply.
Priorities and Next Steps
Because of time limitations at the workshop, we were unable to discuss these projects in detail, including the relative priorities for each project. The next steps in design of the offshore projects will require more refinement than provided here. Specifically, greater consideration of the applicability of each project to the overall program objectives is needed as well as careful examinatin of the logistic feasibility of each project. Can each project be accomplished from the standpoint of deploying and recovering the tags? This will be an important consideration in any subsequent planning project.
