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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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uses, it is reas<strong>on</strong>able to c<strong>on</strong>duct a single evaluati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> risks to sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> associatedwith exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds originating from all three source types.Exposure <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> to endocrine disrupting compounds originating from multiplesources varies by life history stage. While there is some potential for exposure toendocrine disrupting compounds during incubati<strong>on</strong> and rearing in freshwater systems (e.g.,for Harris<strong>on</strong> <strong>River</strong> and, possibly, South Thomps<strong>on</strong> <strong>River</strong> stocks), such exposure is likelyto be minimal for most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> stocks located within the study area. Inc<strong>on</strong>trast, the migrati<strong>on</strong> corridors in the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> Basin are likely to represent importantareas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds. Therefore, sockeye salm<strong>on</strong>utilizing migrati<strong>on</strong> corridors are likely exposed to endocrine disrupting compounds derivedfrom multiple sources, with the majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> their exposure occurring during smoltoutmigrati<strong>on</strong> and upstream migrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> adult fish.The durati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure to endocrine disrupting compound-c<strong>on</strong>taminated surface wateris likely to be variable for the various stocks <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> in the study area.Although stock-specific data were not located, Burgner (1991) reported that sockeyesalm<strong>on</strong> smolts average about 40 km/day during downstream migrati<strong>on</strong>. Accordingly,outmigrati<strong>on</strong> may take <strong>on</strong>e to three weeks for <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> sockeye salm<strong>on</strong> stocks,depending <strong>on</strong> the distance travelled. Similarly, the durati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure to endocrinedisrupting compounds in surface water during upstream migrati<strong>on</strong> varies by stock. Chilko<strong>River</strong> fish travel about 600 km to their spawning grounds in about 18 days, while StuartLake fish cover about 1000 km in 24 days (Burgner 1991). Migrati<strong>on</strong> times for lowerriver stock would be shorter. Exposure time could be increased if fish holding at themouth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the river prior to initiating upstream migrati<strong>on</strong> spend a significant amount <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>time in the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> plume. Overall, this informati<strong>on</strong> suggests that stocks utilizingspawning habitats located furthest from the mouth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the river (i.e., those with the l<strong>on</strong>gestresidence times in migrati<strong>on</strong> corridors) are likely to have the highest exposure to endocrinedisrupting compounds, while those destined for natal streams nearby the mouth <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> are likely to have the lowest exposure to these chemicals. The durati<strong>on</strong> andintensity (i.e., relative c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> endocrine disrupting compounds; L=low,M=moderate, and H=high) <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds during smoltoutmigrati<strong>on</strong> and upstream migrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> adults is estimated below:101

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