Abstract
Population declines and demographic changes of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), have been documented throughout this species’ range, though information on natural and anthropogenic mechanisms related to these changes are not fully understood. To provide insights into marine behaviors and survival of Chinook salmon, 40 pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs), that collected environmental data, were attached to large (69–100 cm FL) Chinook salmon caught in the marine waters of Cook Inlet, Alaska. PSATs provided evidence of predation on tagged Chinook salmon by ectothermic and unconfirmed predators, and provided valuable information about the migratory characteristics and occupied depths and temperatures of this species while occupying Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska. The results from this study suggest that late-marine mortality of Chinook salmon of a variety of stock-origins by apex predators is more common in Cook Inlet than previously thought, and may be used to improve our understanding this species’ population dynamics. Furthermore, results from this study adds to the existing knowledge of marine habitat use by Chinook Salmon and may be useful in assessing the vulnerability and interactions between this species and anthropogenic activities.
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Data availability
The datasets used in this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
This project was funded by the Pacific States Marine Fishery Commission. Special thanks to Captain Daniel Donich for tirelessly chasing Chinook salmon, Dr. Ken Goldman for logistical assistance, Kristin Courtney, and Kaitlyn Manishin for field assistance, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Gene Conservation lab for genetic analyses.
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All fieldwork was conducted under University of Alaska Fairbanks Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee assurance 495,247 and State of Alaska Fisheries Resource Permits CF-16-044 and CF-17-026.
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Courtney, M.B., Evans, M., Shedd, K.R. et al. Understanding the behavior and ecology of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) on an important feeding ground in the Gulf of Alaska. Environ Biol Fish 104, 357–373 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-021-01083-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-021-01083-x