Climate Adaptation in Yukon River Fisheries: A Robust Alternative Approach to Assess Salmon Run Size Using Environmental DNA
Salmon runs are an important time when salmon migrate from the ocean to freshwater, swimming upriver to reach spawning beds. These annual events provide an important food source for both predators and for local communities. However, Recent declines in salmon runs have caused hardship in subsistence fishing communities throughout Alaska, particularly in the Yukon River Basin. To adapt to a changing climate, fishing communities, natural resource managers, and scientists need to measure and understand climate impacts onto salmon runs in this region. To monitor changes in salmon populations and manage fisheries, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) count the numbers of adult salmon that return to key tributaries annually with weirs, counting towers, and sonar installations. However, these assessment methods can fail during periods of high streamflow, which are becoming more common with climate change, introducing data gaps that impede research and management. To help fill these gaps, this study will develop a complementary approach to salmon assessment by using environmental DNA (eDNA), or the amount of DNA shed by salmon into the water, as an indicator of abundance.
The objective of this project is to develop and validate a cost-effective assessment method that is not impeded by robust to high streamflows. To do this, collaborators at TCC, ADFG, and USFWS will collect and filter water samples during spawning runs at five established assessment projects during 2021 and 2022. These samples will be analyzed in the lab to measure the concentrations of DNA from each species of salmon. DNA concentrations, corrected for changes in streamflow and temperature, will be used to predict the daily numbers of salmon swimming upstream. Based on these data and projected changes in streamflow, the advantages and disadvantages of the eDNA-based method will be assessed.
The long-term vision of this project is to develop protocols and build capacity within resource management agencies and tribal organizations to support cost-effective monitoring of fish populations throughout Alaska. Enhancing climate resilience in salmon assessment is an important step towards supporting adaptation in Alaska Native communities.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 600f20efd34e162231fecd93)
Salmon runs are an important time when salmon migrate from the ocean to freshwater, swimming upriver to reach spawning beds. These annual events provide an important food source for both predators and for local communities. However, Recent declines in salmon runs have caused hardship in subsistence fishing communities throughout Alaska, particularly in the Yukon River Basin. To adapt to a changing climate, fishing communities, natural resource managers, and scientists need to measure and understand climate impacts onto salmon runs in this region. To monitor changes in salmon populations and manage fisheries, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) count the numbers of adult salmon that return to key tributaries annually with weirs, counting towers, and sonar installations. However, these assessment methods can fail during periods of high streamflow, which are becoming more common with climate change, introducing data gaps that impede research and management. To help fill these gaps, this study will develop a complementary approach to salmon assessment by using environmental DNA (eDNA), or the amount of DNA shed by salmon into the water, as an indicator of abundance.
The objective of this project is to develop and validate a cost-effective assessment method that is not impeded by robust to high streamflows. To do this, collaborators at TCC, ADFG, and USFWS will collect and filter water samples during spawning runs at five established assessment projects during 2021 and 2022. These samples will be analyzed in the lab to measure the concentrations of DNA from each species of salmon. DNA concentrations, corrected for changes in streamflow and temperature, will be used to predict the daily numbers of salmon swimming upstream. Based on these data and projected changes in streamflow, the advantages and disadvantages of the eDNA-based method will be assessed.
The long-term vision of this project is to develop protocols and build capacity within resource management agencies and tribal organizations to support cost-effective monitoring of fish populations throughout Alaska. Enhancing climate resilience in salmon assessment is an important step towards supporting adaptation in Alaska Native communities.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 600f20efd34e162231fecd93)