Pacific salmon are the dominant fishes in the surface waters of the northern North Pacific and fisheries for salmon are valuable commercially and culturally. Catches of Pacific salmon by all countries are at record high levels. The highest catch in history occurred in 1995, then a new record high was set in 2007 and surprisingly the record was broken again in 2009. The increases in catch are a result of increased abundance of pink and chum salmon. The increased abundance is mostly from better survival in the ocean, however some of the increase comes from larger releases by hatcheries. Pink salmon are surviving better than chum salmon, but it is only the pink salmon that spawn in years ending in odd numbers that are doing so well. Pink salmon have a fixed two-year life history which means that adults returning to spawn in one year are always separated from the adults of the next year. Thus, pink salmon are referred to as even and odd year spawners. It is only the odd year spawners that on average have increased in abundance in the last 20 years. Unfortunately, not all species are doing equally well. Chinook and coho catches have generally declined in most areas over the past 20 years. The declines in abundance and catch have been most severe at the southern part of their range off the coast of North America. Declines are particularly severe in the Strait of Georgia, Puget Sound and off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. The fifth major species, sockeye salmon, has experienced some major fluctuations in abundance in the last two decades, particularly in British Columbia. Perhaps the most surprising variation occurred for Fraser River sockeye salmon with a record low return in 2009 followed in 2010 by a record high return.
In 2011, the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission held a workshop as part of its annual meeting in Nanaimo, British Columbia to determine why pink and chum salmon were doing so well. Experts from around the Pacific Rim participated. Much information was exchanged but the reasons for the success remained elusive. Other organizations have recently brought experts together to try to determine why coho and chinook are not surviving as well as they used to. In all the workshops it was clear to participants that directed research as well as continued cooperation among Pacific salmon producing countries would be the best way to identify the reasons for the improved marine survival of pink and chum, the poor survival of chinook and coho salmon and the variability of sockeye salmon . One way to make the best use of all information and to make the best use of research is through a collaborative international effort. An International Year of the Salmon would focus attention on the future health of Pacific salmon in all countries. Using all of the existing information and integrating the research efforts among Pacific salmon producing countries would be an effective and efficient way to discover the reasons for the recent dramatic changes as well as identify how a changing climate will affect future abundances. More information about the benefits of an International Year of the Salmon is in the attached document..
In 2011, the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission held a workshop as part of its annual meeting in Nanaimo, British Columbia to determine why pink and chum salmon were doing so well. Experts from around the Pacific Rim participated. Much information was exchanged but the reasons for the success remained elusive. Other organizations have recently brought experts together to try to determine why coho and chinook are not surviving as well as they used to. In all the workshops it was clear to participants that directed research as well as continued cooperation among Pacific salmon producing countries would be the best way to identify the reasons for the improved marine survival of pink and chum, the poor survival of chinook and coho salmon and the variability of sockeye salmon . One way to make the best use of all information and to make the best use of research is through a collaborative international effort. An International Year of the Salmon would focus attention on the future health of Pacific salmon in all countries. Using all of the existing information and integrating the research efforts among Pacific salmon producing countries would be an effective and efficient way to discover the reasons for the recent dramatic changes as well as identify how a changing climate will affect future abundances. More information about the benefits of an International Year of the Salmon is in the attached document..
Beamish, R.J. 2012. A proposal to establish an International Year of the Salmon. North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission Document 1425. pdf
