Eulachon collected from Taku Inlet, near Juneau, Alaska.

Capelin caught in the Gulf of Alaska.

Forage fish are important prey resources to many marine birds, fish, and mammal species in Alaska waters. Although amendments to the Fishery Management Plans for groundfish species created a new forage fish category in 1999, information about the population structure of forage fish species is extremely limited. Increased knowledge about forage fish population structure is important for successful management and understanding of their ecological role.

This is a new project in the early stages of development. The population genetic structure of capelin, an important forage fish species in Alaska, will be examined using previously developed microsatellite DNA markers. Capelin samples collected from the Bering Sea and southeast Alaska (Marine Salmon Interactions, Southeast Alaska Coastal Monitoring Project) in 2005 are being compared to determine whether broad-scale geographic differences exist. We anticipate future expansion of this project to include genetic analysis of capelin collections from additional geographic locations. Future projects will include other forage fish species such as eulachon, sandlance, and herring.

Co-investigators and cooperating agencies:
Marine Ecology and Stock Assessment Program (MESA), Auke Bay Laboratories
Habitat Assessment and Marine Chemistry Program (HAMC), Auke Bay Laboratories

Funding:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration