Salmon sustain Alaskans economically, culturally and nutritionally. In Southeast Alaska, these iconic fish depend upon a healthy temperate rainforest for spawning and rearing.
As climate change occurs, streams that support salmon are changing. Stream temperatures are rising and discharge volume is changing too. In the coming decades, climatologists predict increasing air temperatures, increased annual rain accumulation, and less snow in the region. How are salmon being affected? New research funded by Alaska Sea Grant is aimed at helping answer this question and ensure that Southeast Alaska salmon runs remain healthy.
The project involves developing a salmon lifecycle model that will help fishery managers identify which streams should be monitored more closely for flooding, low flow, temperature and other factors. The research will form the basis of University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences graduate student Christopher Sergeant’s doctoral thesis. Partners include the U.S. Forest Service and the Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition.
“Alaska communities depend on salmon whether it’s economically or for subsistence or recreation. So (this research) is going to be important to residents, to fish managers and to scientists both here and in other places. We’re lucky to have a lot of salmon here, and what we learn in Alaska can inform endangered populations further south and in the Pacific Northwest.” – Christopher Sergeant.
