Fraser River sockeye salmon: data synthesis and cumulative impacts

The participants agreed with the PSC Panel that a co-ordinated, multi-disciplinary programshould be implemented. There was consensus among the group that a focused oceanographic andfisheries research program targeting the Georgia Strait, Queen Charlotte Sound and extendingalong the continental shelf to the Alaska border would considerably advance our knowledge ofcurrent and future Fraser River sockeye populations. The program should focus on four coreareas: 1) data collection, 2) assimilation of these data into a single, central database, 3) integratedanalyses, and 4) dissemination of information.There was widespread agreement with the PSC report that the 2009 and long-term declines insockeye productivity were likely due to the effects of multiple stressors and factors. Futureefforts should focus not only on increasing our basic biological knowledge of sockeye salmon,but should also use information gained from the cumulative effects assessment to determinepriority research areas. Certain monitoring needs (research questions) can be answered with asingle (one-time, annual) study; however, others require long-term effort and monitoring. Astrong emphasis should be placed on studying the entire life cycle of sockeye salmon along withtheir potential stressors. It was noted that in some cases, additional sample collection would bestraightforward to implement by simply augmenting current data collection efforts. Datacollection and monitoring efforts could be extended to other salmon species as well, increasingthe potential for comparative research. Unlike the PSC report, participants felt that researchefforts should be expanded outside the Strait of Georgia as a priority area, as well as increasingefforts inside the Strait.One of the resounding issues throughout the workshop was researchers’ difficulty in obtainingand understanding data from existing databases. Considerable effort should be spent building andmaintaining an integrated database, for both Fraser and non-Fraser sockeye stocks, with focusedresearch and monitoring goals in mind. The database should include the historical sockeye datawith clear metadata as well as data from current and future monitoring. For the database to beuseful to scientists, it would need to be regularly updated and maintained. As mentioned in thePSC report, it would be critical to create a framework that would allow simultaneouscoordination of research across disciplines, recognize the potential for cost-effective jointsampling programs, and promote identification of synergistic effects and interactions.The decline of sockeye salmon in the Fraser River is an issue that has captivated the province ofBritish Columbia. Participants felt that the proposed increase in data collection and monitoringshould be followed by transparent dissemination of information to scientists and non-scientistson a regular basis. Given the potential funding of new initiatives and future findings, an annualreport on the State of the Salmon should be compiled and made publicly available.104