threats to atlantic salmon sustainability in new england stephen d. mccormick usgs, conte anadromous...
TRANSCRIPT
THREATS TO ATLANTIC SALMON SUSTAINABILITY IN NEW ENGLAND
Stephen D. McCormick
USGS, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center, Turners Falls, MAUniversity of Massachusetts, Amherst
ATLANTIC SALMON LIFE HISTORY
THE ENDANGERED ATLANTIC SALMON
• COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY: THE KROGH PRINCIPLE– OSMOREGULATION AND MIGRATION
COMMERCIAL & SOCIAL IMPORTANCE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE
WILD SALMON ARE DECLINING WORLDWIDE DUE TO HABITAT LOSS, DAMS, POLLUTION,
OVEREXPLOITATION
SALMON RIVERS OF NEW ENGLAND
• RIVERS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND EXTIRPATED IN THE 1800’S DUE TO DAM CONSTRUCTION & HABITAT LOSS
• SALMON IN DOWNEAST MAINE RIVERS DECLINED IN THE 1970’s.
VERMONT
NEW HAMPSHIRE
RHODE RHODE
ISLANDISLAND
RHODE RHODE
ISLANDISLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
CONNECTICUT
THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
• 40,000 SQ KM WATERSHED
• LARGEST RIVER IN NEW ENGLAND
• PROBABLY HELD THE LARGEST SALMON POPULATIONS IN NEW ENGLAND (10,000-50,000)
1850 Present
DAMS ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
1850
HISTORY OF ATLANTIC SALMON ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
1798: Turners Falls Dam built – led to salmon declines
1850: Holyoke dam enlarged – led to salmon extirpation
1869-1888: First salmon restoration attempt
1965: Anadromous Fisheries Conservation Act
1967: Current salmon restoration program initiated
TurnersFalls
Holyoke
SALMON RESTORATION ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
FRY STOCKINGSMOLT STOCKING
Smolts Stocked into the Connecticut River
050
100150200250300350400450500
1971
1974
1977
1980
1983
1986
1989
1992
1995
1998
2001
TH
OU
SA
ND
S
0100020003000400050006000700080009000
10000
1976
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
Fry Stocked into the Connecticut River
Adult Atlantic salmon returns to the Connecticut River
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998
050
100150200250300350400450500
1971
1974
1977
1980
1983
1986
1989
1992
1995
1998
2001
Summary of Total Atlantic Salmon Returns (186) By
Location in 2005
Holyoke71%
Westfield15%
Rainbow8%
Leesville6%
INITIAL SUCCESS OF STOCKING ATLANTIC SALMON IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER,
BUT…
WHAT FACTORS ARE LIMITING A MORE COMPLETE RESTORATION?
RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF SALMON RESTORATION ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
• HOW MANY SMOLTS ARE PRODUCED FROM FRY STOCKING?
• WHEN DO THEY MIGRATE DOWNSTREAM, AND WHAT CAUSES THEM TO MIGRATE?
• WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF DAMS ON SMOLT SURVIVAL AND MIGRATION?
• Labor intensive• Expensive• Variable and low efficiencies• Prone to wash out
PREVIOUS TECHNOLOGY FOR ASSESSING SMOLT MIGRATION:
- COUNTING FENCES- BYPASS STRUCTURES- RADIO/ACOUSTIC TAGS- MARK-RECAPTURE
COMPUTER CHIPS IN FISH
(Get it, fish & chips?)
WIRING THE STREAM
ANTENNA12 guage wire in PVC
TUNING BOX
CABLE READERS,PALMTOPCOMPUTERS,DEEP CYCLEBATTERIES
PIT TAGGING OF JUVENILE ATLANTIC SALMON
TIMING OF SPRING SMOLT MIGRATION IN RELATION TO TEMPERATURE
TIMING OF SPRING SMOLT MIGRATION
Over 6 years, only a 6 day difference in median migration date-indirect evidence for role of daylength in controlling
migration
ANTENNA READ DATE
3/18 4/01 4/15 4/29 5/13 5/27
CU
MU
LA
TIV
E %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
1998 T= 23 6.45 deg/day april1999 T= 79 6.10 deg/day april2000 T= 43 5.50 deg/day april2001 T= 156 2.27 deg/day april2002 T= 77 6.58 deg/day april2003 T= 72 4.57 deg/day april
EFFECT OF PHOTOPERIOD ON DOWNSTREAM MOVEMENTS IN ATLANTIC SALMON SMOLTS
LDNLONG DAYS
SHORT DAYS
APRIL MAY
DO
WN
ST
RE
AM
MO
VE
ME
NT
TIMING OF SPRING SMOLT MIGRATION
Over 6 years, only a 6 day difference in median migration date-indirect evidence for role of daylength in controlling
migration
ANTENNA READ DATE
3/18 4/01 4/15 4/29 5/13 5/27
CU
MU
LA
TIV
E %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
1998 T= 23 6.45 deg/day april1999 T= 79 6.10 deg/day april2000 T= 43 5.50 deg/day april2001 T= 156 2.27 deg/day april2002 T= 77 6.58 deg/day april2003 T= 72 4.57 deg/day april
TIMING OF SPRING SMOLT MIGRATION IN RELATION TO TEMPERATURE
CUMULATIVE DEGREE DAYS IN APRIL WAS A BETTER PREDICTOR OF MIGRATION TIMING THAN DATE AT 10 oC - SUGGESTS FISH ARE ‘SUMMING’ TEMPERATURE RATHER THAN RESPONDING TO A THRESHOLD TEMPERATURE
OVERWINTER SURVIVAL OF JUVENILE ATLANTIC SALMON (> 11.5 cm; October to May)
1998-99 44.5 %
1999-00 27.6 %
2000-01 68.2 %
2001-02 35.1 %
2002-03 64.1 %
2003-04 41.6 %
Winters are tough!
Turners Falls Dam
Vernon Dam
Holyoke Dam
Acoustic tag
receivers
SMOLT MIGRATION ON THE MAINSTEM OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
Tagging salmon smoltswith acoustic tags
River Kilometer
050100150200
Tra
nsit
TIm
e (k
m/d
ay)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
River Kilometer050100150200
Sur
viva
l Ove
r R
iver
Rea
ch
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
River Kilometer050100150200
Sur
viva
l per
Km
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
20002001
20002001
20002001
River Kilometer050100150200
Tra
nsit
TIm
e (k
m/d
ay)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
River Kilometer050100150200
Sur
viva
l Ove
r R
iver
Rea
ch
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
River Kilometer050100150200
Sur
viva
l per
Km
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
20002001
20002001
20002001
SMOLT MIGRATION ON THE MAINSTEM OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
DAMS ARE TOUGH ON SMOLTS - HIGHER MORTALITY - SLOWER MIGRATION
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING SMOLTING
INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON SMOLT PHYSIOLOGY
HIGHER TEMPERATURES AND TIME RESULT IN LOSS OF SEAWATER PREPAREDNESS - DAMS THAT RESULT IN DELAYS WILL DECREASE SMOLT SURVIVAL
RECENT DECLINES IN ATLANTIC SALMON POPULATIONS IN MAINE
• ATLANTIC SALMON IN EASTERN MAINE MAINE WERE STABLE UNTIL RECENTLY
• DECLINES BEGAN IN 70’S• LISTED AS ENDANGERED SPECIES IN 2000
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
RE
TU
RN
ING
AD
ULT
S
NARRAGUAGUS RIVER
HYPOTHESIZED CAUSES OF MAINE ATLANTIC SALMON POPULATION DECLINES
• ACID PRECIPITATION AND ASSOCIATED ALUMINUM TOXICITY
• ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS (CONTAMINANTS THAT ACT AS HORMONES, AFFECT DEVELOPMENT AND SURVIVAL)• HERBICIDES AND PESTICIDES FROM
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
• IMPACTS OF SALMON FARMING• DISEASE
• OCEAN CONDITIONS
ACID/ALUMINUM AND ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS MAY SPECIFICALLY IMPACT SMOLTS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM OF ACID RAIN
(United States Geological Survey)
• Anthropogenic acidification results in episodic pulses of acidity during spring snowmelts and fall storms
TRIPLE WHAMMY OF ACID RAIN:• MORE ACID IN STREAMS• REMOVAL OF NATURAL BUFFERING (Ca and Mg) •MORE ALUMINUM LEACHED FROM SOIL; BECOMES
TOXIC AT LOW pH
SENSITIVITIES OF SALMON LIFE STAGES TO ACID & ALUMINUM
Eggs• delayed hatching• increased mortality
Fry• increased mortality• decreased ion content
Smolt• increased mortality • plasma ion loss in FW• loss of SW tolerance
Parr• smaller parr more sensitive than larger parr• decreased plasma ions
Alevins• impaired ion uptake• decreased growth and yolk reabsorption
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES DURING SMOLTING
• ACID AND ALUMINUM INTERACT TO CAUSE MORTALITY OF ATLANTIC SALMON
• THE CAUSE OF MORTALITY IS COMPROMISED ION REGULATION (LOSS IN FW, GAIN IN SW)
IMPACT OF ACID & ALUMINUM ON SMOLT SURVIVAL
PE
RC
EN
T M
OR
TA
LIT
Y
(ug./l)
MAINE RIVER WATER CHEMISTRY (NOAA Fisheries, 2003)
5. Dennys 8. Pleasant 9. Narraguagas11. Penobscot
9 85
11
= Dennys= Narraguagas= Pleasant= Penobscot
STREAM-SIDE REARING OF SMOLTS IN MAINE RIVERS
HOLD SMOLTS IN NATURAL WATERS FOR 6 DAYS DURING NORMAL SPRING MIGRATION, MONITOR SURVIVAL AND PHYSIOLOGY
NO MORTALITY, BUT A CLEAR pH-RELATED COMPROMISE OF ION REGULATION.
CONTAMINANTS THAT ACT AS ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS
Sm
olt-
to-A
dult
Sur
viva
l (%
)
Percent of Basin Sprayed (Fairchild et al., 1999)
INCREASED SPRAYING OF MATACIL (CONTAINING 2% NONYLPHENOL)IS CORRELATED WITH POORER SMOLT-TO-ADULT SURVIVAL OF ATLANTIC SALMON IN NEW BRUNSWICK RIVERS
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION OF THE PARR-SMOLT TRANSFORMATION IN ATLANTIC
SALMON
• EXPOSURE TO NONYLPHENOL CAUSED LOSS OF SEAWATER TOLERANCE.
• BUT THIS ONLY OCCURRED AT RELATIVELY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS, HIGHER THAN THOSE SEEN IN NATURE.
• ARE OTHER LIFE STAGES MORE
SENSITIVE?
Exposure to nonylphenolAs yolk-sac larvae (21 days)
Smolts-sampling
1 Year, inclean water
Freshwater Seawaterchallenge
Stress Seawater preference
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION OF THE PARR-SMOLT TRANSFORMATION IN ATLANTIC SALMON
EFFECT OF NONYLPHENOL ON SURVIVALOF ATLANTIC SALMON YOLK-SAC LARVAE
NP
MORTALITY OCCURRED AT HIGH NP CONCENTRATIONS(THIS DOSE DID NOT KILL SMOLTS)
DELAYED MORTALITY 30 DAYS AFTER EXPOSURE AT LOW NP
• Gill Na+, K+-ATPase and seawater tolerance are significantly reduced in smolts 1 year after exposure to NP as larvae.
p = 0.0030
VC E2 NP
0
125
130
135
140
145
150
155FWSW
Pla
sma
Ch
lori
de
(mM
)
Vehicle
* *
NP10 g l-1
Estradiol2 g l-1
p = 0.0056 p = 0.0002
VC E2 NPVEH
VEH
E2
E2
NP
NP
EFFECT OF NONYLPHENOL AND ESTRADIOL ON SMOLT DEVELOPMENT, ONE YEAR AFTER EXPOSURE
FACTORS AFFECTING RESTORATION & CONSERVATION OF ATLANTIC SALMON
• SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND • LOSS OF ORIGINAL GENETIC STOCKS• DAMS HAVE IMPACTED AND CONTINUE TO IMPACT
ATLANTIC SALMON IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
• DOWNEAST MAINE• CONTAMINANTS SUCH AS ACID RAIN AND
PESTICIDES MAY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN SALMON DECLINES IN MAINE
• EFFECTS CAN BE SUBTLE, AFFECTING SPECIFIC LIFE STAGES, AND CAUSING INDIRECT MORTALITY THROUGH COMPROMISED SEAWATER TOLERANCE, DISEASE RESISTANCE AND OTHER PATHWAYS.
REASONS FOR OPTIMISM FOR THE FATE OF ATLANTIC SALMON
• DAM REMOVAL (PENOBSCOT RIVER)
• INNOVATIONS IN FISH PASSAGE: - UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM
• CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF A ‘CONNECTICUT RIVER’ STOCK OF ATLANTIC SALMON
• CONTINUED RESEARCH WILL ALLOW US TO MORE CLEARLY DEFINE FACTORS THAT AFFECT SALMON SURVIVAL
• CONTINUED PUBLIC SUPPORT
ATLANTIC SALMON LIFE HISTORY
SEAWATER(1000 mOsm)
325 mOsm
OSMOREGULATORY PHYSIOLOGY OF TELEOST FISH
WATER IONS
300 mOsm
FRESH WATER (5 mOsm)
WATER IONS
ION UPTAKE DILUTE URINE
ION SECRETION
DRINK
ISOOSMOTIC URINE