Estuarine ecology of juvenile chum salmon Kuskokwim Bay, Alaska

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Estuarine ecology of juvenile chum salmon
Kuskokwim Bay, Alaska

• Christian E. Zimmerman
• Nicola Hillgruber
• Sean E. Burril
• Lewis Haldorson

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Catch of Chum Salmon in Western Alaska
(Adkison and Finney 2003)
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Anvik River Chum Salmon Spawner- Recruit Model

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State of knowledge

• Unfortunately, on 1 August equipment failures
  had resulted in collecting fish with a shotgun
  and only one emergent coho salmon was collected
  before running out of shells.

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Bering Aleutian Salmon International SurveyAuke
Bay Laboratory, Ocean Carrying Capacity Program
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Methods
The Study Area
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Kuskokwim Bay, Alaska
Bethel
Eek
Quinhagak
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Sampling Stations
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Conducted sampling stations in 2003 and 2004
2003
2004
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Methods
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Methods
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Results
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Timing of Chum Outmigration
1058
2003
2004
56
87
81
19
0
3
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SST and SSS in 2004
Temperature
Salinity
5/16-5/22
5/16-5/22
6/06-6/12
6/06-6/12
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OBS and Chlorophyll-a in 2004
5/16-5/22
5/16-5/22
5/16-5/22
6/06-6/12
6/06-6/12
6/06-6/12
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Chum salmon 1000 m-3 in 2004
5/16-5/22
5/23-5/29
5/30-6/05
6/06-6/12
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Size of Chum Salmon Juveniles
2004
2003
Weight g
Fork Length mm
FL 173.1 mm (Aug/Sept) Farley et. al.
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Energy Density in Chum Juveniles
5400
5300
5200
5100
5000
Calories/g
4900
4800
4700
Fork Length
4600
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Condition and Water Content of chum juveniles in
2004
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Conclusions

• SST increased from 7C in May to 14C in June.
• Early chum salmon followed the river plume before
  moving into the bay.
• Outmigration peaked in early June.
• Fish length and weight increased with season.
• Condition decreased with size and season.

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Ongoing Studies

• Bioenergetic modeling
• Duration of residence

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Acknowledgements

• Mikhail Blikshteyn
• Johnny Zutz
• Jim Peacock
• Bill Wiebe
• Funding North Pacific Research Board

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