Strategic BC Salmon Health Initiative: effects of pathogens on the health and conservation of BC’s Pacific Salmon- Part 2, Coho salmon

Multiple species of wild Pacific salmon in British Columbia have faced declines over the past three decades and the role of disease in these declines is poorly understood. High-throughput molecular methods have led to the development of a novel, multi-year dataset that has unprecedented breadth across pathogen taxa and unusually large coverage over space and time. We will use these data for Coho salmon to determine: 1) where infection “hotspots” occur along the British Columbia Coast for each pathogen, 2) whether any spatial factors (e.g. temperature, depth) are associated with probability and intensity of infection, and 3) whether any detected pathogens are associated with survival to adulthood. Some of the analyses will draw upon and promote the Pacific Salmon Explorer, a data portal recently released by our partner organization, the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Our findings will contribute to the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s goal of protecting and conserving wild salmon populations.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kristi Miller-Saunders;Scott Hinch

Student:

Arthur Bass

Partner:

Pacific Salmon Foundation

Discipline:

Forestry

Sector:

University:

University of British Columbia

Program: