Since 2004, NSEDC has been studying juvenile Coho salmon with grant funding from NOAA’s Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund. Unlike chum and pink salmon, Coho salmon do not head out to sea in the first year of their life; the fish spend the first two or three years in the stream where they were spawned. The quality of fresh-water habitat, therefore, is an important factor in the survival of juvenile Coho salmon, and ultimately the health of the overall Coho salmon population.

Currently, little is known about the first three years of Coho salmon life and what factors limit survival during this period. NSEDC uses fyke nets to capture smolt and juvenile Coho salmon on the Nome and Fish Rivers. Biological data from these studies, along with mark and recapture estimates for the number of juveniles, have given us data to compare to the number of adult spawners (escapement). This comparison allows us to generate survival rates under a variety of conditions.

One important goal of this project is to be able to set management goals for Coho salmon based on the suitability of river habitat rather than on egg deposition.

Fieldwork for this project has already provided some ground-breaking insights, and we will continue to gather field data in 2010. A preliminary analysis of our results should be available in 2010.

For more information contact:

Charlie Lean
NSFR&D Director

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