This study is part of the Auke Bay Laboratoryb??s Ocean Carrying Capacity (OCC) which has extensively sampled salmon in the North Pacific since 1996 to obtain information on marine life history and migration patterns. Genetic stock identification techniques (protein electrophoresis) indicated that Bristol Bay stocks of immature sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) made up the largest percentage in two samples taken near Unalaska Island in 1998. The substantial numbers of immature sockeye salmon captured at Cape Cheerful during May 1998 were unexpected, based on current migration models of western Alaska sockeye salmon. Immature sockeye constituted the largest percentage of our immature salmon catch captured at Cape Prominence during August 1998. This was also unexpected since immature chum salmon (O. keta) were the predominant catch during August 1996 and 1997 at the same location. These unexpected events may be due to changes in distribution resulting from the strong El NiC1o event during 1997-1998.

Genetic data were collected and prepared with the use of protein electrophoresis from 52 spawning locations in southeastern Alaska and northern British Columbia. Genetic relationships were examined from principal components analysis and unrooted trees constructed from genetic distances between collections. These descriptive analyses suggest a geographic basis to genetic divergence among populations. This geographic basis was confirmed using log-likelihood-ratio analysis and analyses of variance. Three groups of populations were observed: one from systems that drain into the inside waters of northern and central southeast Alaska; another from the far southeastern islands (including Prince of Wales Island); and the third in systems of the southern inside waters. Although the geographic structure was a statistically significant component of the overall genetic structure, gene diversity analysis indicates that only about 4.7% of the total genetic variability was attributable to genetic differences among those regions, whereas about 8.4% of the total was due to differences among populations within each region. The other 87.0% of the variation occurred, on average, within each collection.

Genetic data of salmon bycatch samples collected by fisheries observers are used for mixed-stock analyses to determine geographic region of origin. This work is done at the Auk Bay Lab in Juneau Alaska. The data are loaded to the the North Pacific Halibut and Groundfish database maintained by FMA Division at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle Washington

A genetic analyses of samples from the Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) bycatch from the 2007-2013 Bering Sea-Aleutian Island and Gulf of Alaska trawl fisheries for walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) were undertaken to determine the overall stock composition of the bycatch. Samples were genotyped for 43 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA markers and results were estimated using the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) SNP baseline.

A time series of scale samples (1956 2002) collected from adult sockeye salmon returning to Naknek River were retrieved from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. These scales were digitized, revealing growth information for the freshwater and marine life history stages of sockeye salmon. The growth information will be related to time series of sockeye salmon production to Bristol Bay and oceanographic conditions within the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean.

1. The purpose of this project is to measure and monitor impacts on ESA-listed populations and to estimate overall Chinook salmon stock composition in bycatch associated with the hake fisheries (including tribal and non-tribal, shoreside, and at-sea). The work is carried out by NOAA staff. 2. Fin clips collected by NOAA observers are characterized genetically allowing allocation of the mixture to source populations. 3. Written reports are produced regularly and forwarded to the NWR and interested parties. 4. The NWR is the primary management audience in facilitation of NOAA's MSA obligations to measure and monitor ESA impacts. 5. This is an ongoing project (see also Historical Salmon Genetic Stock Composition Estimates). 6. This is a stand-alone project in one sense, but is closely coordinated with stock composition studies in directed harvest as well as similar studies of historical bycatch using archival scale material. 7. There are no specific hard deadlines associated with this project. Chinook genetics bycatch in hake.

Samples of chum (Oncorhynchus keta) and sockeye (O. nerka) salmon seized from the stateless fishing vessel Ying Fa were analyzed to determine their region of origin using genetic stock identification (GSI), otolith marks, parasite analysis, and scale data. Based on GSI, the chum salmon samples originated in Russia, 86%; Japan, 2%; western Alaska, 2%; Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak, 8%; and British Columbia, 2%. Origins of the sockeye salmon sample were not so clear because there was some disagreement between the parasite data and the GSI and scale data. Results of parasite analysis suggested the sample was nearly all of Alaskan origin, with at least 15% coming from Bristol Bay. The GSI analysis indicated that 30% of the sockeye salmon originated in Russia and 70% in North America. The scale analysis showed that 97% of the sockeye salmon sample were ocean age 3, whereas the return to Bristol Bay in 1999 was approximately 70% ocean age 2 fish.

The datasets contain nucleotide sequence data that is in text format and each line of sequence has a unique sample code (combination of letters and numbers).

A genetic analysis of samples from the chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) bycatch of the 2006 Bering Sea walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) trawl fishery was undertaken to determine the overall stock composition of the sample set. Samples were genotyped for eleven microsatellite markers and results were estimated using the current chum salmon microsatellite baseline. In 2006, genetic samples were collected opportunistically as part of a special project, but sample biases have the potential to affect stock composition analysis results. Consequently, stock composition estimates apply to the sample set and may not represent the entire chum salmon bycatch. Based on the analysis of 1,367 chum salmon bycatch samples collected throughout the 2006 Bering Sea trawl fishery, North Asian (31%), East Asian (29%), and Pacific Northwest (25%) stocks dominated the sample set with smaller contributions from Western Alaska (8%) and Upper/Middle Yukon River (6%) stocks. The estimates for the 2006 chum salmon bycatch sample set were similar to the 2005 and 2009 chum salmon bycatch estimates, suggesting consistency of the regional stock contributions across years. Analysis of temporal groupings within the groundfish B season revealed changes in stock composition during the course of the season with decreasing contribution of Upper/Middle Yukon stocks over time, but leaves unanswered whether these changes are due to temporal or spatial differences in the sample set.

In some years, the Bering Sea trawl fishery incidentally harvests (bycatch) large numbers of chum salmon. Because chum salmon were declining in some western Alaska areas, the origins of the chum salmon bycatch were important. Tagging studies have shown that chum salmon originating in Asia and North America migrate through the eastern Bering Sea. Genetic stock identification (GSI), a method of estimating stock composition in mixed-stock fisheries, has helped in evaluating stock contributions to salmon fisheries on the western coast of North America. Through cooperative efforts between state and federal agencies, a comprehensive genetic baseline for Pacific Rim chum salmon stocks has been developed, which enables GSI in fisheries such as the Bering Sea trawl fishery. In 1994, the National Marine Fisheries Service, Auke Bay Laboratory, initiated a feasibility study of GSI in determining the origins of the chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea trawl fishery. Sampling in 1995 was intensified and resulted in samples covering the entire fishing season, representing nearly 11% of the total chum salmon bycatch. Estimates for our 1994 fishery samples over three period were 39-55% Asian stocks, 20-35% western Alaska stocks, and 21-29% southeastern Alaska, British Columbia, or Washington stocks. One small sample (N=47) of maturing fish showed a surprisingly large contribution of British Columbia stocks (53%). Estimates for our 1995 samples over seven time periods were 13-51% Asian stocks, 33-53% western Alaska stocks, and 9-46% southeastern Alaska, British Columbia, or Washington stocks. As in 1994, the sample of maturing fish (N=277) showed a large contribution of British Columbia stocks (49%) and Washington stocks (25%).