Great White (not official, but a fisherman spotted one in 2002)
What is the most abundant bottom fish in Puget Sound?
Hydrolagus colliei
What is the most diverse group of fishes in Puget Sound?
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Habitat use
• 200+ species of fish cataloged in Puget Sound
(75 observed regularly, 35 species of sculpin)
• Functions: Omnivores, carnivores and herbivores
•
• Major regions (with their own fish assemblages)
tidepools kelp forests benthic: mud
mudflats estuaries benthic: sand
eelgrass meadows pelagic benthic: cobble
Data from WDFW
October
Depth distribution of major species
Reum and Essington 2011
March
July
Fish guilds in different habitats
Enclosure net survey Snorkel surveyToft et al. 2007
Salmon distribution
Toft et al. 2007
Fish feeding guilds
Reum and Essington 2008
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What’s in the guts?
Sole
Sand dabSole
Sturgeon poacher
Walleye pollock
Sand dab
Fish Food
Summer Fall Winter
Sole
RatfishSole
Sturgeon poacher
Sand dab
Skate
Commercial Fisheries of PSLarge scale changes in last century
• Halibut fishery lasted <25yrs, ending in 1920.(Halibut are finally returning in reasonable numbers after nearly 100 y.)
• Other species fished, the last major one being the Cod.
• Today, almost no substantial commercial fishing in PS except for salmon and shellfish
History of fisheries catch in PS
• Cod, herring and dogfish peaked in late 70’s
• Pollock and thenPollock and then hake (for fish sticks)
• Rockfish and lingcod take peaked in 1980s
• Recent decreases in lingcod and rockfish abundance
Non-tribal commercial fishery statistics from WA State (DFW Report, 2008)
9.3 million 12 million 1 million 41 million 1 million 65 million
Within Puget Sound, shellfish and salmon are the only serious commercial fisheries
Radtke 2011
$66 million
Salmon of PSPopular in PNW culture – worshipped and revered by local
Native Americans
7 salmonids currently found in Puget Sound:– Chinook
– Chum
– Coho
– Pink
– Sockeye
– Steelhead
– Coastal Cutthroat
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Estuaries link habitats for growth and reproduction. Juveniles are reared in estuaries.
semelparous: means one reproduction
Current & historic salmon run size
Salmon are inexpensive because AK fishery strong
Salmon in Puget Sound severely depleted
“Current” status of salmon
Lackey 2003“Wild” salmon in millions
Reasons for low salmon stocks in Puget Sound
• Overfishing in early 1900s
• Dams (reduced water flow, loss of spawning grounds, barriers to migration)
• Degraded riparian spawning grounds (loss of vegetation, g p p g g ( g ,stream-bed habitat, channelization, sedimentation)
• Loss of genetic diversity (over fishing, hatchery fish)
Salmon issues in PSUS-Canadian bickering
Salmon tend to migrate north for feeding.
Canadians catch S dPuget Sound
salmon
Alaskans catch Canadian salmon
1999 NW Pacific Treaty Rules (US/Canada)• Annual salmon fisheries based on the abundance of salmon
• Establishes funds to pay for commercial salmon fleetreduction & improve science
• Long-term agreements - 10 years for chinook, coho & y ,chum; 12 years for sockeye & pink salmon
• Stresses importance of habitat protection and restoration
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Who Owns the fishes of PS?1974: George Boldt gives 1/2 the fish to Native
Americans
Lummi Island Sockeye reef netting
Selective for sockeyeLow by-catch and low mortality rates
Salmon HatcheriesWA has the largest network of hatcheries in the world:• WDFW has 83 rearing facilities• Tribes have 51 hatcheries• 12 Federal hatcheries• hatcheries produce
– 75% of all coho and chinook88% f ll lh d h d– 88% of all steelhead harvested statewide.
• ~150 million salmon released each year. • Estimated value of $1 billion to state economy• Problems: genetic diversity, success of hatchery fish in the wild, etc.In recent years, hatcheries also have taken on a new role:
helping recover and conserve natural salmon.
PSP 2007 Salmon recovery plan
• Focuses on Riparian and coastal habitat protection
• Includes changes in hatchery managementIncludes changes in hatchery management(Watershed-specific plans to reduce competition
