Puget Sound fishesSpeciesFisheriesContamination

Fishes of PS: overview• 220+ species of fish • 75 observed on a regular basis• All 3 feeding modes observed

– omnivore, carnivore and herbivore

• Major regions (with their own fish assemblages)• Major regions (with their own fish assemblages)

CabezonStaghorn sculpin35 species of sculpin found in Puget Sound (16% of PS fish species) including padded, scalyhead, smoothhead, Puget Sound, bonehead, rosylip, silver-spotted, roughback, sharpnose, calico, mosshead, spinyhead, buffalo, soft, red p , g , p , , , p y , , ,Irish lord, brown Irish lord, northern, dusky, threadfin, spotfin, longfin, Pacific staghorn, blackfin, great, sailfin, tidepool, saddleback, fluffy, tadpole, slim, darter, grunt, cabezon, manacled, rough spine, and the ribbed sculpin.

Fish families in Puget SoundAngel sharks (Squatinidae) Anchovies (Engraulidae) g ( q ) ( g )Barracudas (Sphyraenidae) Brotulas (Ophidiidae)Barracudinas (Paralepidae) Cat sharks (Scyliorhinidae )Butterfishes (Stromateidae ) Clingfishes (Gobiesocidae) Chimaeras (Chimaeridae) Dogfish sharks (Squalidae)Codfishes (Gadidae) Graveldivers (Scytalinidae)Drums (Sciaenidae) Herrings (Clupeidae) Gunnels (Pholidae) Lampreys (Petromyzbntidae)Killifishes (Cyprinodontidae) Lanternfishes (Myctophidae)Lancetfishes (Alepisauridae) Lumpfishes and snailfishes (Cyclopteridae)Lancetfishes (Alepisauridae) Lumpfishes and snailfishes (Cyclopteridae)Lefteye flounders (Bothidae) Pipefishes (Syngnathidae)Mackerels and tunas (Scombridae) Pomfrets (Bramidae) Poachers (Agonidae) Quillfishes (Ptilichthyidae)Pricklebacks (Stichaeidae) Righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae)Pricklebacks (Stichaeidae) Righteye flounders (Pleuronectidae)Requiem sharks (Carcharhinidae) Ronquils (Bathymasteridae) Rockfishes (Scorpaenidae) Salmons and trouts (Salmonidae)Sablefishes (Anoplopomatidae) Sauries (Scomberesocidae)Sand lances (Ammodytidae) Skates (Rajidae)( y ) ( j )Sculpins (Cottidae) Snipe eels (Nemichthyidae)Smelts (Osmeridae) Sturgeons (Acipenseridae) Sticklebacks (Gasterosteidae) Temperate basses (Percichthyidae)Surfperches (Embiotocidae) Toadfishes (Batrachoididae) Th h h k (Al iid ) W th (C t th did )Thresher sharks (Alopiidae) Wrymouths (Cryptacanthodidae) Wolffishes (Anarhichadidae) For a full list, visit: http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/WAmarfishes.html

Ugly fishes of PS

Flat fishes of PS

Codfishes of PS

Oddfishes of PS

Sharks of PS

Great White (not official but a fishermanofficial, but a fisherman spotted one in 2002)

Commercial Fisheries of PSLarge scale changes in last century• Halibut fishery lasted <25yrs, ending in 1920.

(Halibut are finally returning in reasonable numbers after nearly 100 y.)

• Other species fished, the last major one being the Cod.• Today almost no substantial commercial fishing in PS except• Today, almost no substantial commercial fishing in PS except

for salmon and shellfish

History of fisheries catch in PS

• Cod herring and• Cod, herring and dogfish peaked in late 70’s

• Pollock and then hake (for fish sticks)( )

• Rockfish and lingcod take peaked in 1980s

• Recent decreases in lingcod and rockfish abundance

Non-tribal commercial fishery statisticsNon-tribal commercial fishery statistics from WA State (DFW Report, 2008)

9.3 million 12 million 1 million 41 million 1 million 65 million

Within Puget Sound, shellfish and salmon are the only serious commercial fisheries

Changes in rockfish catch

Size reduction and reproductiveSize reduction and reproductive potential

Lousy swim bladders

Copper rockfish with distended eyes and swim bladderSwim bladder does not adjust well to rapid changes in pressureSwim bladder does not adjust well to rapid changes in pressure

Flat fishes of PS: E li h S lEnglish SoleLives in sediments and is affected by pollutants

Carnivore – eats small fish, amphipods, molluscs, crustaceans and polychaetes2nd most important flatfish caught along West coast22 yr lifespan, purported to grow faster in PS than

h lanywhere elseStudies from 1980’s showed that ES have the highest

contaminant load of any fish in PScontaminant load of any fish in PS

Flat fishes of PS

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PSAMP monitors ES on a regular basis• Most ES have health problems

including liver lesions• I caught and ate many ES from• I caught and ate many ES from

Commencement Bay as a child. I did not know what I was doing.

Herring of PSAb d t h li l ktiAbundant, schooling planktivoreImportant component of the PS

food web - abundant and commont f di t f PS bi d lcomponent of diets of PS birds, mammals,

and other fishesSpawning aggregations near shore. Recent declines

ld b li k d l d lcould be linked to coastal development

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Rockfishes of PS

• demersal, rocky-reef dwellers, y• consume a wide variety of benthic,

demersal & pelagic fishes & invertebrates.

Brown

• widely distributed throughout Puget Sound and are predominantly nonmigratory, contaminants found in rockfish tissues reflect local conditionsrockfish tissues reflect local conditions

• quillback and yelloweye rockfish attaining ages of 60 and 90 years, they may bioaccumulate higher concentrations of contaminants than other species.

Rockfishes of PS Copper

Despite long life, accumulations less than for English Sole.

Females off-load contaminants through eggs. Urban rockfish contain higher loads than country

rockfish, traveling discouraged

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Salmon of PSPopular in PNW culture – worshipped and revered by local

Native Americans7 l id tl f d i P t S d7 salmonids currently found in Puget Sound:

– Chinook– Chum– Coho– Pink– Sockeye– Sockeye– Steelhead – Coastal Cutthroat

Estuaries link habitats for growth and reproduction. Juveniles are reared in estuaries.

semelparous: means one reproduction

SalmonIn 1991, the Endangered Species Committee of the American

Fisheries Society (AFS) reviewed PNW stocks:75% f P ifi l l ti l d l t d• >75% of Pacific salmon populations were severely depleted

and at risk of extinction; • 18 of 214 stocks appear to be extinct;18 of 214 stocks appear to be extinct; • 101 of 214 were found to be at high risk of extinction; • Salmon had disappeared from more than 40% of their historic

range; • Salmon stock health worsens from N to S, and with

urbanization or damming;urbanization or damming;• The healthiest stocks were in Alaska and northern British

Columbia.

Status of Puget Sound salmon stocks 2002 WA StateStatus of Puget Sound salmon stocks - 2002 WA StateSalmon and Steelhead Stock Inventory (SASSI)

Salmon stocks in Puget Sound continue to suffer

Salmon and the 4(d) ruleThreatened status of 14

salmon and steelhead runs in PNWruns in PNW

Restricts “taking” of salmon (killing, shooting, harming, harassing)

Also restricts developmentAlso restricts development around critical habitat (MRCI provision)

Salmon issues in PSMAJOR FACTORS for salmon decline Agriculture: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 18, 21, 22 Fishing: 16, 19 Dams: 9, 11, 18 Forestry: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 21, 22 D ht 9 10 U b i ti 1 3 5 11 21 22Drought: 9, 10 Urbanization: 1, 3, 5-11, 21, 22

POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT FACTORS * Gravel Harvest: 6 Hatchery Fish Interference: 19, 20 Irrigation: 9, 12 Poor Ocean Conditions: 13, 14, 15, 16g , , , , Bycatch Mortality: 16, 19 Illegal Fishing: 16, 19 (salmon killed during harvest of other fish)

MINOR FACTORS Bird Predation: 17 Marine Mammal Predation: 16 17 Bird Predation: 17 Marine Mammal Predation: 16, 17

Components Of The Factors Causing Salmon Decline 1. Streamside Vegetation and Functions 13. Reduced Upwelling 2. Pesticide Exposure 14. Altered Ocean Currents and Flow

3 I d t i l P ll t t E 15 D d F d Ab d 3. Industrial Pollutants Exposure 15. Decreased Food Abundance 4. Increased Amount Of Sediment In Streams 16. Reduced Numbers of Adults 5. Stream Straightening and Channelizing Reaching Their Spawning Grounds 6. Habitat Destruction 17. Numbers of Young Making It To Sea

7 # Of L L I St 18 Barriers Preventing Salmon From 7. # Of Large Logs In Streams 18. Barriers Preventing Salmon From & Loss of Deep Pools and Channel Form Migrating Upstream or Downstream 8. Filling of The Side Channels of Streams 19. Loss of Genetic Integrity and Diversity 9. Reduced Fresh Water Flow In Rivers 20. Competition B/t Hatchery & Wild Fish 10 Exposure to Abnormal Temperatures 21 Forest Fragmentation10. Exposure to Abnormal Temperatures 21. Forest Fragmentation11. Habitat Area Loss 22. Estuary Degradation 12. Lack of Screening of Water Diversion Canals to Keep Fish Out

Salmon issues in PSUS C di bi k iUS-Canadian bickering

Salmon tend to migrate north for feeding.

Canadians catch Puget Sound salmon

Alaskans catch Canadian salmon

1999 NW Pacific Treaty Rules (US/Canada)A l l fi h i b d th b d f l• Annual salmon fisheries based on the abundance of salmon

• Establishes funds to pay for commercial salmon fleetp yreduction & improve science

• Long-term agreements - 10• Long-term agreements - 10 years for chinook, coho & chum; 12 years for sockeye & i k l& pink salmon

• Stresses importance of• Stresses importance of habitat protection and restoration

Who Owns the fishes of PS?1974: George Boldt gives 1/2 the fish to Native A iAmericans

Lummi Island Sockeye reef netting

Selective for sockeyeyLow by-catch and low mortality rates

Salmon HatcheriesWA has the largest network of hatcheries in the world:• 24 complexes

>90 rearing facilities• >90 rearing facilities• hatcheries produce

– 75% of all coho and chinook– 88% of all steelhead harvested

statewide. • ~700,000 adult fish (all species)

return to hatcheries each year. • More than 300,000,000 eggs (all species) are collected annually. • In 1995: 201 000 000 salmon and 8 500 000 steelhead were• In 1995: 201,000,000 salmon and 8,500,000 steelhead were

released.• Problems: genetic diversity, success of hatchery fish in the wild, etc.In recent years, hatcheries also have taken on a new role:

helping recover and conserve natural salmon.

2007 Salmon recovery plan

• Focuses on Riparian and coastal habitat protectionp

• Includes changes in hatchery management• Advocates cleanup of pollutants in Puget• Advocates cleanup of pollutants in Puget

Sound