Total commercial catches of Pacific salmon by all countries are at historic high levels yet there are ominous signs of a declining abundance. Total Pacific salmon catches by Canada in the past five years are annually less than 10% of the catches from 1970 to 2000. Total commercial catches of Chum Salmon in Japan have declined about 70% of the maximum catches in the 1990s and are back almost to levels before the major expansion into hatchery production in the 1970s. Total commercial catches and escapements of Chum Salmon by all countries are also declining in recent years. In 2020 and 2022, there were unprecedented and unexpected even-year collapses of total commercial catches of salmon by all countries. By the time of the Annual Meeting, it will be known if another even-year collapse occurred in 2024. The average sizes of Pacific salmon are also declining throughout their distributions. Papers will review recent population changes for species of Pacific salmon and consider how to improve the scientific understanding of how a changing climate is affecting production.
Organizer: Richard Beamish, TAFS, [email protected]
Supported by: American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists