Loading PCR plates in ABL's genetics lab.

The Auke Bay Laboratories are working with other agencies to replace the current allozyme baseline for chum salmon with a baseline of DNA markers, under the expectation that the new markers will enable better stock assessment. Particularly problematic has been the inability of the allozyme baseline to distinguish western Alaska populations of chum salmon to the degree desired. Additional benefits to updating the baseline include improved logistics of sampling fish by eliminating the need for cryo-preservation of tissues and lethal sampling. Numerous chum salmon populations distributed throughout their geographic range are being surveyed to determine the potential for using DNA markers to identify salmon populations or population-groupings. The baseline will also be useful for identifying stocks in commercial salmon fisheries.

In addition to improving our understanding of population structure of chum salmon, the genetic baseline will be used for stock identification in a variety of studies. These studies include:

• The distribution and migration of juvenile chum salmon from coastal to offshore waters in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea (BASIS and GLOBEC).
• Identifying the origin of immature and maturing chum salmon in the Bering Sea caught in the BASIS surveys.
• Identifying the origin of chum salmon incidentally caught in the Bering Sea groundfish fishery.

Co-investigators and cooperating agencies:
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fisheries Agency of Japan
Kamchatka Fisheries Oceanography Institute (KamchatNIRO)
Pacific Scientific Research Fisheries Center (TINRO-center)
Russian Academy of Sciences, Far Eastern Branch

Funding:
Bering Sea Fishermen's Association to UAF