In WSU Stormwater Runoff Research, Coho Salmon Die Quickly,Chum Survive

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Al Bergstein

More data that shows how complicated the salmon recovery effort is.

On April 20, 2018, the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife News Bulletin reported that Washington State University (WSU) scientists discovered that different species of salmon have varying reactions to polluted stormwater runoff.

In a recent paper published in the journal Environmental Pollution, scientists found that coho salmon became mortally ill within just a few hours of exposure to polluted stormwater. But chum salmon showed no signs of ill- effects after prolonged exposure to the same water.

The study can be found at

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026974911734527X?via%3Dihub

“It really surprised us,” said Jen McIntyre, an assistant professor in WSU’s School of the Environment. “Not that the coho were affected so quickly, but how resistant the chum were. We saw no impact at all in the chum’s post-exposure blood work.”

Stormwater is toxic to fish because it can include carcinogenic hydrocarbons, metals, and other organic compounds, most of which have yet to be identified.

McIntyre and her team collected stormwater runoff in large tanks from a highway in western Washington. Then they placed salmon in that water for four hours or until the fish showed signs of illness. Blood samples were then taken from all of the fish.

Only a few coho lasted four hours before having to be removed. In blood tests, the team found a significant increase in lactic acid concentrations and their blood was much thicker. Their blood pH was thrown off and the amount of salt in their plasma decreased significantly.

The chum test results showed none of those changes, all these fish lasting the full four hours without showing any signs of distress or sickness.

 

“These fish are very closely related,” said McIntyre, who works at WSU’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center. “They’re the same genus, but obviously something is significantly different physiologically. We just don’t know what that difference is yet.”

The study was done at the Suquamish Tribe Grovers Creek Salmon Hatchery, with fish donated by the Suquamish Tribe.

McIntyre worked on the project with fellow WSU scientists, along with colleagues from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

McIntyre and her team noticed a few clues for where to start their next round of investigations: studying what makes the chum nearly impervious to toxic runoff. One is that the coho appeared hypoxic, meaning they weren’t getting enough oxygen. But the water had plenty of oxygen, so they’ll look at blood circulation issues, how the fish metabolize oxygen in their muscles, and a few other areas.

“We don’t know if the thicker blood is a symptom of the problem, or if that’s the initiating event that then causes the oxygen deprivation,” McIntyre said. “There’s a lot of work still to come, but this really narrows down where we need to look.”

They’re also hoping that looking further into chum will turn up clues about how they resist the effects of toxic runoff.

In a later study, not included in this paper, McIntyre and her team conducted a prolonged exposure test on chum. Those fish swam in the stormwater runoff for four days and none of them got sick.

“We’re still trying to understand how they’re unaffected,” she said. “It’s actually really impressive.”

Another problem for the coho is that scientists don’t know what particular contaminants in the runoff are causing the problems.

“There’s a whole variety of heavy metals and hydrocarbons in that water,” McIntyre said. “And a whole bunch of chemicals we are working with scientists at the University of Washington in Tacoma to identify so that we can protect more delicate species like coho salmon from the effects of human pollution.”

McIntyre’s research is part of a grant from EPA.

For more information, Jen McIntyre can be reached at jen.mcintyre@wsu.edu.

Source:    http://www.cbbulletin.com/440562.aspx

 

 

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on In WSU Stormwater Runoff Research, Coho Salmon Die Quickly,Chum Survive

Dismal Copper River salmon run prompts ‘unprecedented’ shutdown of dip-netting at Chitina – Anchorage Daily News

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Al Bergstein

Not good news coming in from the Copper River. Salmon numbers are so bad they’ve close the fishery.

The state is taking the historic action of shutting down Copper River dipnetting at the popular, physically demanding sites around Chitina.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued an emergency order Wednesday closing the personal-use fishery until further notice as of Monday.

 

https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/fishing/2018/06/13/dismal-copper-river-salmon-run-prompts-unprecedented-shutdown-of-dipnetting-at-chitina/

 

Filed under: fisheries, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Dismal Copper River salmon run prompts ‘unprecedented’ shutdown of dip-netting at Chitina – Anchorage Daily News

New ways of fishing could better protect endangered salmon – Watching Our Waterways

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein

Another good idea to explore for saving salmon.  Could be used in some trial scenarios. From many non-native fishermen I’ve talked to, the issue for them will likely be management of the native part of the take. There is a wide spread perception that the tribal take is not well managed and that they get to take more with less oversight, while the non-native fisherman is overburdened with regulations and enforcement. It’s been expressed to me that all many fishermen want is equal balance to the catch. While I’ve done a lot of looking into this issue and do not feel that the non-native perspective is accurate, the state and tribes might want to do a better job of PR to the non native community to help explain how it’s done.

Higher standards of “sustainability” for salmon — recently developed by the Wild Fish Conservancy — are designed to put salmon on people’s tables with virtually no impact on depleted salmon runs. The new standards, which could become part of a certification program, are built upon the concept that fishing should take place closer to streams with abundant runs of salmon. The standards call for fishing methods that can take a portion of the fish from the abundant runs while allowing fish from depleted runs to pass on by and spawn naturally. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways

 https://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/2018/03/22/new-ways-of-fishing-could-better-protect-endangered-salmon/

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Sea lions feast on fragile fish in US Northwest survival war – AP

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Al Bergstein

This is a major problem, and one that pits one creature against the other as we watch the stocks of salmon continue to decline. Sea lions aren’t the *only* issue facing salmon, (which include habitat destruction, over fishing and more) but given the low numbers of fish, they have become a major problem for their survival. The question it raises is do we kill off sea lions to save the salmon? If so, how many?

It’s a frustrating dance between California sea lions and wildlife managers that’s become all too familiar in recent months. The bizarre survival war has intensified recently as the sea lion population rebounds and fish populations decline in the Pacific Northwest Gillian Flaccus reports.(Associated Press)

 https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/sea-lions-gobbling-fragile-fish-in-us-northwest-survival-war/

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , | Comments Off on Sea lions feast on fragile fish in US Northwest survival war – AP

What’s killing the salmon? Long Live the Kings investigates decline in iconic fish – KCPQ

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Al Bergstein

Good overview of what Long Live The Kings and Microsoft are doing to help us understand root causes of the decline of the salmon.

Salmon are a big part of life in the Pacific Northwest. But over the past couple of decades, they’ve declined to critical levels and researchers don’t know why. Solving the mystery is what nonprofit Long Live the Kings is working on, and thanks to a grant from Microsoft, technology is helping the nonprofit develop a comprehensive model to find clues to solve it. Long Live the Kings is looking into Puget Sound and the waterways the flow into it, more broadly known as the Salish Sea. This Salish Sea Marine Survival Project is tracking migration of fish through our marine environment to understand what’s affecting salmons’ mortality.  Simply, why do salmon keep dying? Tatevik Aprikyan reports. (KCPQ)

http://q13fox.com/2018/01/30/whats-killing-the-salmon-long-live-the-kings-investigates-decline-in-iconic-fish/

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

Pesticides and salmon: Can we see a light at the end of the tunnel? – Watching Our Water Ways

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Al Bergstein

Once again, the National Marine Fisheries Service has determined in official findings that three common pesticides — chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion — raise the risk of extinction for threatened and endangered salmon. By extension, for the first time, the agency also concluded that those same pesticides threaten Puget Sound’s endangered orca population by putting their prey — chinook and other salmon — at risk. This politically and legally charged issue — which has been around for more than 15 years — has gone beyond a debate over potential harm from pesticides. It also raises uncomfortable questions about whether our society will follow science as we try to solve environmental problems. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

https://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/2018/01/16/pesticides-and-salmon-can-we-see-a-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/

Filed under: Around the Salish Sea, Around the Sound, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , | Comments Off on Pesticides and salmon: Can we see a light at the end of the tunnel? – Watching Our Water Ways

Salmon fishing restrictions may get ‘severe’ – KING

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Al Bergstein

It appears that we are going to need to take more draconian steps to save the remaining Chinook. While no one wants to see salmon fishing undergo more restrictions, it’s better than not having any of the fish left here. California already is in that situation.

A salmon fishing agreement between the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribal co-managers is fueling continued angst by many recreational fishermen who fear it will force severe closures. The Comprehensive Management Plan for Puget Sound Chinook was recently released after a long secret court mediation process. If approved, it could place severe restrictions on salmon fishing around Puget Sound. Because the plan was reached in secret, it’s also reignited a rallying cry for transparency from WDFW and tribal co-managers…. Both the Attorney General’s office and representatives from WDFW explained that the mediation process required non-disclosure from all parties. If approved by NOAA, the plan would reduce the exploitation rate from 12 percent to 8 percent on wild Chinook for the next 10 years. That means only 8 percent of the wild Chinook expected to return to their natal streams can be impacted by fishing. Alison Morrow reports/ (KING)

http://www.king5.com/article/news/local/salmon-fishing-restrictions-may-get-severe/281-498970670

Filed under: fishing, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Coho salmon jumping Salmon Cascades on the Solduc River – by John Gussman

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Al Bergstein

Take two minutes to watch this. This is one of the reasons we are fighting against net pens and for wild rivers and our wild salmon, while we still have them. Thanks to John Gussman for shooting and sharing this.

https://vimeo.com/237628447

 

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

It’s been a rough few weeks for salmon, which is now being linked to North Korea’s nuclear program – Washington Post

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Al Bergstein

It has been a bad start to the fall for farmed salmon, and for people who like to eat it. Here’s a quick recap of the news:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/food/wp/2017/10/05/its-been-a-rough-few-weeks-for-salmon-which-is-now-being-linked-to-north-koreas-nuclear-program/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_salmon-815am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.9bfaaf8545d3

Filed under: Aquaculture, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on It’s been a rough few weeks for salmon, which is now being linked to North Korea’s nuclear program – Washington Post

Steelhead struggling home in record low numbers – Seattle Times

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Al Bergstein

Global warming effecting salmon. So many variables outside our control.

Salmon and steelhead are in hot water — a problem scientists warn is going to get worse because of climate change. Steelhead returning this year to the Columbia and Snake rivers migrated out of the river during horrendous conditions in 2015, which included record low flows and high water temperatures. Those steelhead also were at sea during the so-called “blob” — a mass of warm water that began forming off the West Coast in 2013 and wreaked havoc in the ocean, including depressed food supplies for marine animals of all sorts. Now those steelhead are migrating back through reservoirs where water temperatures at some Columbia and Lower Snake River dams, thanks to a record Northwest heat wave, have been stuck this summer above 70 degrees for days on end — potentially lethal for salmon and steelhead. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/steelhead-struggling-home-in-record-low-numbers/

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: | Comments Off on Steelhead struggling home in record low numbers – Seattle Times

An excellent overview of the state of the salmon in Puget Sound

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Al Bergstein

Chris Dunagan is one of the best reporters in the Pacific NW covering the Salish Sea. Here’s a great overview of the state of the salmon.

Are we making progress on salmon recovery?

In recent decades, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to restore habitat for Puget Sound salmon. In this article, we look at how scientists are gauging their progress. Are environmental conditions improving or getting worse? The answer may depend on where you look and who you ask. Chris Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents)

https://www.eopugetsound.org/magazine/is/salmon-recovery

Filed under: Around the Sound, Endangered Species, fisheries, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Some salmon forecasts like Puget Sound coho show an upswing from last year – Seattle Times

Posted on March 3, 2017 by Al Bergstein

A small bit of good news.

State Fish and Wildlife unveiled salmon forecasts to a packed house in Olympia on Tuesday, and as usual there are some highlights mixed in with lowlights as the first steps are taken in this lengthy process of setting fishing seasons. The good news is a Puget Sound forecast of 559,045 coho (267,745 wild and 291,301 hatchery) is a drastic increase from last year’s dismal forecast of 255,403 (87,359 and 168,585) that led to one of the most contentious disagreements between state and tribal fishery managers on how to carve out fisheries. Mark Yuasa reports. (Seattle Times)

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/some-salmon-forecasts-like-puget-sound-coho-show-an-upswing-from-last-year/

See also: Far fewer pink salmon are expected to return to the South Sound this year http://www.thenewstribune.com/outdoors/hunting-fishing/article135528528.html Jeffrey Mayor reports. (News Tribune Tacoma)

Filed under: Around the Salish Sea, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on Some salmon forecasts like Puget Sound coho show an upswing from last year – Seattle Times

Chum Salmon Runs normal on Snow & Salmon Creeks

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Al Bergstein

Just in from Al Latham. While not as big as some years, it seems statistically pretty normal

Salmon Creek chums are up to 1,667 and 262 Snow Creek chum have been passed upstream of the WDFW station.  It’s important to note that the Snow Creek graph doesn’t include all of the fish that spawn in the ¾ mile downstream between the trap and the bay.

salmon-creek-2016-numbers

Snow Creek chum are negotiating the new channel in the estuary just fine and there are some redds in that lowest stretch.

snow-creek-chum-chart

The upper reaches of  Salmon Creek chum territory are quieter than last year but the fish are still coming in at 60 -130 per day.

Here is a male that came through on Tuesday – my friend Renee Karlovich took the photo.

chum-salmon-on-salmon-creek

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Chum Salmon Runs normal on Snow & Salmon Creeks

‘Grim’ Fraser River salmon runs even worse than forecast -Canadian Press

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Al Bergstein

The neglect of the Fraser runs under the Harper Regime was legendary. Then global warming. Now this.

This year’s Fraser River sockeye return, already forecast to be below average, has turned out to be even worse. One First Nation leader described the return as going from poor to grim. The forecast run this year — which has traditionally been one of the low-run years in the four-year cycle of sockeye — was 2.27 million. That was already below the average of the past half century of 3.9 million. The latest estimates from test fisheries and through sonar counts show that only about half of the expected sockeye had returned by last Friday: 400,000 to 500,000 of the anticipated 840,000, according to the Pacific Salmon Commission, a Canadian-American agency that helps manage fisheries. The peak of the remaining summer sockeye run is expected about mid-month, but there is little expectation that the numbers will change, said Pacific Salmon Commission executive secretary John Field. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

http://vancouversun.com/business/local-business/grim-fraser-river-salmon-runs-even-worse-than-forecast

See also: Federal government expected to act on 2012 report examining Fraser River sockeye http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/federal-government-expected-to-act-on-2012-report-examining-fraser-river-sockeye (Canadian Press)

Filed under: Around the Salish Sea, Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , | Comments Off on ‘Grim’ Fraser River salmon runs even worse than forecast -Canadian Press

Angry anglers protest closure of Skokomish River – Kitsap Sun

Posted on August 2, 2016 by Al Bergstein

Fish wars continue long Skokomish river. Recent closure of fishing by the tribe based on federal lawsuit crates protest from nontribal sports fishermen. well the protesters were concerned that this may be the start of a trend by the tribes, it’s been my experience that other tribes in the area are not interested in taking this type of action. As the fisheries continue to decline from a variety of reasons, the unfortunate reality is that they may be forced to do so. And in interviews that I’ve done with oldtimers of all political stripes on the Olympic Peninsula, a common thread running through them,regardless of whether they are tribal or non-tribal people is that the fishery should be closed for an extended period,to help replenish the stocks. 

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/angry-anglers-protest-closure-of-skokomish-river-38ce4140-5d01-643b-e053-0100007faefe–388763471.html

Filed under: First Nations, fisheries, fishing, Salmon | Tagged: | Comments Off on Angry anglers protest closure of Skokomish River – Kitsap Sun

Washington tribe joins legal challenge over modified salmon – AP

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Al Bergstein

The Quinault weight in to stop the insanity of the FDA allowing more modified genetically engineered fish into our waters. What this is about, is a bureaucracy thousands of miles away, deciding that it is ok to grow these fish in waters alongside native species. What possibly could go wrong? Let’s start with sea lice and a breeding ground for virus’s. Just like north of us in B.C.

A Native American tribe in Washington state has joined a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s approval of an Atlantic salmon genetically modified to grow faster. The Quinault Indian Nation on Friday joined the lawsuit that 11 other fishing and environmental groups filed against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and others in late March. The lawsuit alleges the FDA didn’t fully analyze potential environmental effects before approving the faster-growing salmon for human consumption in November. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/washington-tribe-joins-legal-challenge-over-modified-salmon/

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: | Comments Off on Washington tribe joins legal challenge over modified salmon – AP

Long outlawed, salmon ranching might make a comeback – Kitsap Sun

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Al Bergstein

Another bad idea makes a comeback. Can’t we just kill this idea before it becomes another fiasco? Just to the north of us here, in British Columbia, net pens are creating huge problems because of waste and disease. There is no good reason to bring back private hatcheries and net pens, even if they are labeled with a ‘fun’ label like, salmon ranching. It’s just a PR trick.

OLYMPIA — A long-prohibited method of salmon farming is gaining support among state fisheries managers.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is dusting off the idea of allowing private companies to raise and release salmon for commercial harvests. Known as salmon ranching, the practice boomed in the Northwest during the 1970s. It went bust in Oregon and was outlawed in Washington but continues to thrive in Alaska. Norway and Japan are world leaders in the business, producing huge quantities of ranched salmon, lobster, cod and other species.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/local/long-outlawed-could-salmon-ranching-make-a-comeback-35d08362-88ce-37a9-e053-0100007fc778-383881381.html

Filed under: Puget Sound, Salmon | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Long outlawed, salmon ranching might make a comeback – Kitsap Sun

Millions of B.C. salmon mysteriously ‘just disappear’ in troubling year – Globe and Mail

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Al Bergstein

More bad news for our fishing fleets.

Although spawning salmon are still returning to British Columbia’s rivers – including some, surprisingly, to urban streams – early returns indicate another troubling year, despite some bright spots…. There were good sockeye salmon returns to the Great Central Lake system on Vancouver Island and to the Nass River on the North Coast, he said. But contrasting that were very poor returns on the Fraser River, where only about two million sockeye returned, far short of the more than six million predicted in preseason forecasts. Even more dramatic was the collapse of the pink salmon on the Fraser, with only about five million fish showing up when more than 14 million had been forecast. Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/millions-of-bc-salmon-mysteriously-disappear-in-troubling-year/article27089342/

Filed under: Salmon | Tagged: , , , , | Comments Off on Millions of B.C. salmon mysteriously ‘just disappear’ in troubling year – Globe and Mail

Lawsuit Claims Commercial Salmon Farms Harm Native Fish In Puget Sound – KUOW

Posted on November 5, 2015 by Al Bergstein

Finally, someone decides to question (and challenge) the prevailing assumption that having lice ridden net pens (and dumping antibiotics to protect the salmon from them) of Atlantic salmon in the midst of an endangered run of wild salmon is a good thing. It’s not. It’s a recipe for disaster. We, the taxpayers, are funding millions of dollars to save our wild stocks. Supporting an industry that is known to have problems as a vector for disease and lice is counterproductive. If you wish to help support this lawsuit, even with $10, contribute to The Wild Fish Conservancy. 

The Wild Fish Conservancy is suing federal environmental and fisheries agencies for inadequately monitoring the impact of commercial salmon farms in Puget Sound. The lawsuit filed Wednesday says commercial farms pose many risks to wild salmon. In 2011 the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Marine Fisheries Service found the opposite. They concluded that commercial salmon farms are unlikely to harm wild salmon. Kate O’Connell Walters (KUOW)

http://kuow.org/post/lawsuit-claims-commercial-salmon-farms-harm-native-fish-puget-sound

Filed under: Salmon | Tagged: , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit Claims Commercial Salmon Farms Harm Native Fish In Puget Sound – KUOW

Death by dirty water: Storm runoff a risk for fish  – Bellingham Herald

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Al Bergstein

As if you needed to better understand the importance of rain gardens, stormwater runoff and salmon, after my last post, here’s the next thing in my inbox. Another recent experiment that shows the affects that stormwater has on aquatic species.

Just hours into the experiment, the prognosis was grim for salmon that had been submerged in rain runoff collected from one of Seattle’s busiest highways. One by one, the fish were removed from a tank filled with coffee-colored water and inspected: They were rigid. Their typically red gills were gray….. This was the fate of coho salmon exposed to the everyday toxic brew of dirt, metals, oil and other gunk that washes off highway pavement after rains and directly into Puget Sound. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/11/16/3977239_scientists-study-stormwater-deadly.html

Filed under: Salmon | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

« Previous Page — Next Page »