Understanding juvenile sockeye salmon habitat utilization in the Lower Fraser River and estuary, BC

Sockeye salmon are an iconic species that live in the Fraser River, British Columbia. These fish are born in freshwater and move to the ocean for their adulthood, until coming back to their original environments to reproduce. Though most young sockeye spend their early years growing up in lakes, a few populations start traveling to the ocean right away after egg emergence. These different behaviours may affect how well salmon survive, because of their migration timing and stay duration in transitional areas between the river and ocean called estuaries. The goal of this project is to understand how these different sockeye salmon are currently using the Lower Fraser and estuary while migrating to the ocean. After gaining this information, managers and conservationists like those at Raincoast Conservation Foundation can build on this knowledge base to effectively protect places that are used by both sockeye groups with the ultimate objective of increasing the number of all sockeye.

Faculty Supervisor:

Scott Hinch

Student:

Partner:

Raincoast Conservation Foundation

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: