Location: Canada's Pacific marine areas and surrounding coastal areas of the northeast Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea
Description: The purpose of this project is to track observations of unusual trends, patterns, and events related to Pacific salmon in Canada's Pacific Marine Ecosystems and the northeast Pacific generally.
Background: The observed and predicted responses of Pacific salmon species to climate change and non-climate related stressors were reviewed by Okey et al. (2014). The literature summarized in this review indicated multiple issues: "(1) Canada’s Pacific salmon are influenced by changes in climate and oceanography across the whole North Pacific; (2) Changes in climate and oceanography influence biological productivity; (3) Salmon are responsive to changes and variations in biological production; Salmon ranges and distributions are contracting and shifting northward due to changes in climate, oceanography, and productivity; (4) A variety of non-climate stressors affect salmon including overfishing and habitat degradation, increased aquaculture, possible changes in depredation, and even increased hatchery production; (5) The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) corresponds to dramatic shifts in salmon productivity regimes with higher catches of chum, pink, coho, and sockeye in Canada’s Pacific and Alaska; (6) The survival of pink, chum, and sockeye salmon decreased with increasing ocean temperatures in Pacific Canada and Washington State while increasing with increasing temperatures in Alaska—showing opposite effects in Northern and Southern areas; (7) Rivers and lakes will warm faster than the ocean, and this may strongly affect salmon reproduction and survival in Canada’s Pacific region; (8) High uncertainty of climate effects on Pacific salmon relates to the multidimensionality of climate impacts on them and the range of sensitivities by life stage and habitat."
Local observations of changing hydrological flows on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, suggest off-channel river habitats are staying dry for significantly longer time periods and may be contributing to delayed salmon run migrations. During a Clayoquot Salmon Roundtable (CSR) Chinook Risk Assessment Workshop, held in April, 2014, local fishermen and field biologists identified a number of habitat changes, related to changing climate conditions, that could be limiting salmon population migration patterns and population size.
Funding: Open invitation
Partners: Pending
Observing Guidance: Observers are asked to report any notable or unusual changes in salmon runs or populations in the northeast Pacific. Detailed photos are encouraged in addition to information about the precise location and dates of the observations. Data summaries from point locations are also requested.
Source Data: Posts on the LEO Network, or from other sources.
Outputs: Contributed data will be added to LEO regional map and to timeline trends. Contributed data will potentially be used in published reports or papers.
Project Updates: Project updates may be provided in forthcoming LEO BC newsletters, regional ocean health reports, and through direct collaboration with project contributors.
Resources:
Clayoquot Salmon Round Table Stakeholder Risk Assessment Matrix.
Pacific Salmon on the Encyclopedia of Life
Pacific Salmon on Fisheries and Oceans Canada
References:
Okey, T.A., Alidina, H.M., Lo, V. and Jessen, S., 2014. Effects of climate change on Canada’s Pacific marine ecosystems: a summary of scientific knowledge. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 24(2), pp.519-559.
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Lead Organization
clayoquot Biosphere Trust |
Laura Loucks LeadTofino British Columbia, Canada
Research Coordinator
Clayoquot Biosphere Trust
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Tom Okey EditorVictoria, British Columbia, Canada
Adjunct Associate Professor School of Environmental Studies
University of Victoria
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Please go fishing, Washington state says after farmed Atlantic salmon escape broken netCypress Island, Washington, United States
Aug 22, 2017
The Seattle Times
Event
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Late Salmon RunFort Yukon, Alaska, United States
Nov 1, 2012
Event
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Dry Koksilah River threatens fish in Cowichan ValleyKoksiloh River, British Columbia, Canada
Sep 5, 2017
Lake Cowichan Gazette
Event
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Unusual Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) BehaviorCopper Center, Alaska, United States
Aug 19, 2015
Event
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Low Salmon NumbersUnalakleet, Alaska, United States
Sep 5, 2016
Event
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Fraser River sockeye salmon at lowest numbers since records began in 1893Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 22, 2016
Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly
Event
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'They're flat broke': Salmon fishermen demand disaster relief for failed seasonFraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 21, 2019
CBC News
Background
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Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Die-off, Jakolof CreekJakolof Creek, Alaska, United States
Aug 27, 2015
Event
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Genetic study of sockeye salmon in B.C. river suggests 75% decline since 1913Skeena River, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 20, 2019
CBC
Background
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Late Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) RunCordova, Alaska, United States
Nov 12, 2014
Event
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Sockeye salmon returns plunge in B.C., as climate change mainly to blameFraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 22, 2019
Vancouver Sun
Event
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New viruses discovered in declining B.C. salmon populationsCoastal British Columbia
Sep 8, 2019
NEWS 1130
Background
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Muddy River Raises Salmon ConcernsGolovin, Alaska, United States
Aug 9, 2013
Event
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Whitehorse fish ladder sees fewest chinook salmon since 1977Whitehorse Fish Ladder, Yukon, Canada
Sep 16, 2019
CBC
Event
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Low Stream Water for Pink SalmonSeldovia, Alaska, United States
Sep 5, 2016
Event
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Hybrid salmon discovered by scientists on Vancouver IslandCowichan River, British Columbia, Canada
Oct 12, 2019
CBC
Event
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Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) Die-offAmbler, Alaska, United States
Aug 18, 2014
Event
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Adams River sockeye salmon run lacking fish this yearAdam's River, BC, Canada
Oct 19, 2019
Castanet
Event
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Low Waters For Fish in KodiakKodiak, Alaska, United States
Sep 25, 2015
Event
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Unseasonable Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)St. Marys, Alaska, United States
Apr 21, 2013
Event
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So Many Pinks (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)!Sand Point, Alaska, United States
Jul 15, 2015
Event
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Late Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)Klawock, Alaska, United States
Dec 13, 2014
Event
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Strange Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)Koyukuk, Alaska, Unites States
Aug 19, 2015
Event
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Salmon Die-offKlawock, Alaska, United States
Aug 30, 2013
Event
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Dark Winter Mystery SalmonKoyuk, Alaska, United States
Mar 20, 2017
Event
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Low Water In Area RiversNome, Alaska, United States
Aug 12, 2015
Event
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Low Water at Mouth of Klamath RiverKlamath, California, United States
Jul 13, 2015
Event
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Growth in Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)Hydaburg, Alaska, United States
Aug 12, 2013
Event
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Parasites on Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)Whipple Creek, Alaska, United States
Sep 3, 2017
Event
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A Poor Year for Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)Red Bluff, Popof Island, Alaska
Sep 4, 2016
Event
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That's a lot of Humpies (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)Tutka Bay Lagoon, Alaska, United States
Aug 16, 2017
Event
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Late Run of Abundant Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)Nanwalek, Alaska, United States
Sep 19, 2017
Event
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Abundant Year for Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)!King Cove, Alaska, United States
Aug 31, 2017
Event
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Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Targeting Forage Fish in Open WaterIsland View Beach, British Columbia, Canada
Jun 21, 2018
Event
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Small red salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) return and fish sizeOuzinkie, Alaska, United States
Jun 20, 2018
Event
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Ship Creek Almost DryPort Alberni, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 7, 2018
Event
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