Management Applications of the Genetic Mass-Marking of Chum Salmon at Tulalip Hatchery (Update)

Kit Rawson
Tulalip Tribes
7615 Totem Beach Rd.
Marysville, WA 98271
krawson@tulalip.nsn.us

To appear in the Proceedings of the 18th Northeast Pacific Pink and Chum Salmon Workshop, Parksville, British Columbia, February 26-28, 1997.

Abstract

Chum salmon were sampled from terminal area fisheries and natural spawning areas to estimate the contribution of genetically marked fish from Tulalip hatchery. Weekly samples from two fishery areas showed variability in hatchery contribution between areas, among weeks, and among years. Weekly separation of hatchery and wild stocks in the fishery resulted in greatly different estimates of hatchery contribution than the annual stock separation method currently used. Adult in-river samples showed no evidence of hatchery fish straying to natural spawning areas throughout the two major river systems closest to Tulalip hatchery. However, samples of adult spawners and progeny fry in a small urbanized watershed near Tulalip hatchery showed high levels of the Tulalip hatchery genetic mark.

For more information, eMail to Kit Rawson or write to Tulalip Natuiral Resources/7615 Totem Beach Rd./Marysville, WA 98271 USA.