AFSC/ABL: 2005 Chum Salmon Bycatch Sample Analysis Bering Sea

A genetic analysis of samples from the chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) bycatch of the 2005 Bering Sea walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) trawl fishery was undertaken to determine the overall stock composition of the sample set. Samples were genotyped for eleven microsatellite markers and results were estimated using the current chum salmon microsatellite baseline. In 2005, genetic samples were collected opportunistically as part of a special project and supplemented with archived scales from the Observer Program. Sample biases have the potential to affect stock composition analysis results; consequently, stock composition estimates apply to the sample set and may not represent the entire chum salmon bycatch. Based on the analysis of 1,084 chum salmon bycatch samples collected throughout the 2005 Bering Sea trawl fishery, East Asian (29%), North Asian (29%), Pacific Northwest (19%) and Western Alaska (16%) stocks dominated the sample set with smaller contributions from Southwest Alaska (<2%) and the Upper/Middle Yukon River (5%) stocks. The estimates for the 2005 chum salmon bycatch sample set were similar to the 1994-1995 chum salmon bycatch estimates, suggesting consistency of the regional stock contributions across years. Analysis of temporal groupings within the groundfish B season revealed changes in stock composition during the course of the season. Whether the decreasing proportional contributions of Western Alaska and Upper/Middle Yukon stocks and increasing proportional contributions from Asia over time are due to temporal or spatial differences in the sample set are unknown.

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  "https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/afsc/dmp/pdf/24854.pdf"
]