Download Atlantic salmon restoration in the Great Lakes as an example of

Atlantic salmon restoration in the Great Lakes
as an example of species restoration
Chris Wilson
Aquatic Research Section
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources
Salmo salar, “the leaper”
• desired but vulnerable
species
• sensitive to:
– habitat loss / degradation
– over-exploitation
• history = one long retreat
– historical fisheries
– high-value aquaculture
 global population decline
photo credit: Eric Verspoor
Historical Lake Ontario population
• unknown if landlocked or
anadromous
• very little historical
information available
• multiple impacts resulted
in 19th century loss (overharvest, dams, logging,
pollution)
 extirpated in 1898
(COSEWIC 2006)
 extinct? (COSEWIC
2010, COSSARO
2011)
Historical restoration attempts (1800s)
Wilmot hatchery:
1866 - 1884
 yearly stocking of eggs, fry, and yearling fish
 early signs of success, but steady decline of wild fish
 defeated by fishing and habitat pressures (dams,
pollution, deforestation)
www.bringbackthesalmon.ca
Photo credit: Jason Mortlock
LAKE ONTARIO
ATLANTIC SALMON RESTORATION
PROGRAM & PARTNERSHIP
Components of restoration effort
•
•
•
•
Fish production and stocking
Research and assessment
Habitat enhancement
Education and outreach
• 1st 5 years:
– Credit River
– Duffins Ck
– Cobourg Ck
Outreach and Education
Identify life stage + habitat needs within a
spatial-temporal framework
1-3 years
(lake)
• habitat needs (physical,
thermal, chemical)
• food requirements
• competition
• predation
• other challenges
1-2 years
(tribs)
• information needs
 research / assessment
Restoration options
1) identify + introduce closest
surviving relatives (genetic
similarity)
2) ecological suitability
3) introduce multiple strains
with differing traits
(experimental approach)
 follow-up assessment!
ROM ID Number: 23235
(Krueger et al 1991, Meffe 1995,
Moritz 1999, Jones 2003)
Genetic tracking of restoration effort
• 1st 5 year segment of 15 year
restoration plan (2005-2020)
• assess genetic ancestry of
historical population (ROM)
• matched-plant introductions of
three ‘best bet’ source
populations
• genetic tracking of stocked
individuals through strain and
parentage analysis
 assess optimal life stage
(+strain) for juvenile survival +
adult returns
Source populations
Lac Saint-Jean
Sebago
(King et al 2001)
LaHave
• substantial genetic differences
among three ‘best bet’ source
populations
 enables multi-generational
genetic tracking of stocked
individuals through strain and
parentage analysis
Broodstock histories + genetic tracking
LaHave
1st smolting of 2006 yearclass
fry
12
20
11
20
09
20
08
20
07
20
06
20
05
20
19
89
yearlings
10
earliest date for adult
returns from 2006
yearclass
fingerlings
20
Strain / life stage
broodstock
spawning
event
Broodstock histories + genetic tracking
LaHave
Strain / life stage
broodstock
spawning
event
1st smolting of 2006 yearclass
earliest date for adult
returns from 2006
yearclass
Sebago
12
20
11
20
10
20
09
20
08
20
07
20
06
20
05
20
19
89
Lac St. Jean
Restoration of Atlantic Salmon to Lake Ontario
• matched-plant introductions of
‘best bet’ source populations
• genetic tracking of stocked
individuals
– 3 strains
– 3 life stages
– identify to family
• assess juvenile survival,
growth and fitness
(Russ Bobrowski, Trent M.Sc.)
• [adult returns: identify most
effective life stage + strain]
Stocking source contributions to wild adults
Comparative performance of stocked life stages
250
Cobourg Brook
200
N EEG
•
N Fry as EEG
150
N Yearling
N Fall Fingerling
100
•
N Fry
50
•
0
Smolt
Adults
Smolt
2009
Adults
Smolt
Adults
2010
2011
highly variable among
years
majority of smolts stocked
as fry and yearlings
returning adults stocked
as fry
Credit River
250
N EEG
200
N Fry as EEG
•
N Yearling
150
N Fall Fingerling
•
N Fry
100
50
0
Fall Juveniles
2009
Adults
Fall Juveniles
2010
Adults
Smolt
Fall Juveniles
2011
Adults
evidence for 2 years of
residency
all stocked life stages
contribute to smolts and
adults (2011 data)
Ecological differences among strains
NSERC Strategic:
Western, Windsor,
UQAM, OMNR
(Neff, Heath, Pitcher,
Peres-Neto, Wilson)
• life history differences among
strains in shared environment
(growth and maturity)
• behavioural differences in
interactions with brown trout
(S. trutta) and rainbow trout
• differences in stress
physiology among strains
 significant implications for
probable fitness in wild
 testing fitness variation within
and among sources under
wild conditions
Known challenges
Ecological challenges
• barriers for adult migration + spawning
• changes to Lake Ontario ecosystem and aquatic
communities
–altered food web
–prey fish abundance, stability, diversity
–interactions with other salmonids (lake and stream
environments)
• effects of thiamine deficiency (multiple life stages)
Social challenges
• balancing diverse public interests and values
• keeping the public interested, informed and engaged
• understanding and meeting expectations of partners
and sponsors
Restoration of Atlantic Salmon to Lake Ontario
• 2nd 5 year segment of 15 year
restoration plan (2005-2020)
• many known + unknown
challenges still remain (all
fronts)
• employing genetic tracking to
assess and inform management
practices and effectiveness of
restoration efforts
• long-term exercise in adaptive
management + restoration
ecology
LAKE ONTARIO
ATLANTIC SALMON RESTORATION
PROGRAM & PARTNERSHIP
www.bringbackthesalmon.ca