Do chemically contaminated river estuaries in Puget Sound (Washington, USA) affect the survival rate of hatchery-reared Chinook salmon?

Abstract

This study examined the rate of survival for hatchery-reared, ocean-type juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) to the adult life stage in relation to contamination status for estuaries where they temporarily reside. The hypothesis tested here is that juvenile Chinook from Puget Sound (Washington, USA) area hatcheries exhibit differential survival as categorized by the state of contamination in their respective natal estuaries. Data were examined from 20 hatcheries that released fish to 14 local estuaries in the Greater Puget Sound area over 37 years (1972–2008). A parallel analysis was also conducted for coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) outmigrating from many of the same hatcheries. For all years combined, juvenile Chinook transiting contaminated estuaries exhibited an overall rate of survival that was 45% lower than that for Chinook moving through uncontaminated estuaries, which was confirmed when tested year by year. The results for coho originating from the same hatcheries and sharing a similar marine distribution indicated no substantial differences among estuaries. These observations have important implications for wild juvenile Chinook that spend more time in the estuary compared with hatchery-reared fish.

Contaminants of emerging concern in a large temperate estuary

“…The Puyallup River basin contains 8 additional WWTPs with a combined permitted effluent volume of 63 MLD with flows generally running much lower (Pierce County 2010). The Nisqually estuary was selected as a minimally-contaminated reference site, and has been used in numerous studies as a reference site (Meador 2014). Table 1 contains additional details for each site.…”

“…Juvenile Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) were selected based on their residence time (up to several weeks) in local estuaries where contaminants are often concentrated (Healey 1991). Chinook salmon were selected over other salmonids that do not exhibit this life history trait (Meador 2014). We also collected hatchery-reared juvenile Chinook salmon from the Voight’s Creek hatchery on the Puyallup River for comparison to fish collected in the estuary.…”

Determining potential adverse effects in marine fish exposed to pharmaceuticals and personal care products with the fish plasma model and whole-body tissue concentrations

“…Similarly, at each field site a total of 11 one-liter amber glass bottles were filled with estuarine water at a depth of 2 m below the surface. Estuary water quality parameters were also measured at a depth of 2 m. Two fish species were collected, including Pacific staghorn sculpin ( Leptocottus armatus ), a widely dispersed demersal species in Puget Sound and the U.S. west coast and juvenile ocean-type Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ), a species that resides in local estuaries for several weeks where contaminants are concentrated (Meador 2014). Fish were collected under a Washington State Scientific Collection Permit 13—046 and ESA Section 10(a)(1)(A) permit 17798.…”

A Synthesis of Findings from an Integrated Hatchery Program after Three Generations of Spawning in the Natural Environment

“…U.S. census data indicate that the human population increased by 11% in Yakima County and by 18% in Washington State between 2000 and 2013, the years for which we analyzed adult return performance for the CESRF. Human population growth and the development associated with it have had profound effects on salmon productivity throughout the Columbia River basin over the last several decades, including impoundment effects (Milbrink et al 2011;Harnish et al 2014;Tiffan et al 2014); increases in the abundance and spatial distribution of nonnative American Shad Alosa sapidissima (Hinrichsen et al 2013), which is altering food webs (Haskell et al 2013); urbanization effects (Hughes et al 2014); toxic and pollutant effects (Johnson et al 2013;Meador 2014;Nielsen and Morace 2014); and changes in the estuarine food supply (Breckenridge et al 2015). In addition, climate change is already affecting salmon in the Pacific Northwest, and these effects will increase in future years (Preikshot 2008;Dalton et al 2013).…”