PARR-2011-P-11
Additional support for studies of sea lice infection levels on juvenile salmon in the Strait of Georgia and adjacent waters

In 2010, additional funding for PARR-2010-P-02 was provided from collaborators which allowed a significant expansion of the Strait of Georgia program to include an expanded range of the survey sites, sea lice counts on other host species, as well as a detailed health assessment and identification of stocks of origin of juvenile Fraser River sockeye salmon.  In 2011, the PARR program provided additional funding which allowed for the continuation of this expanded program.  In addition to Sockeye salmon, sea lice counts have been obtained for other species of salmon and non-salmonids, such as herring, collected throughout the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait.  Non-salmonids were included in the survey due to the identification of Caligus clemensi as the major sea lice species present.  Sea lice data are required from these non-salmonid species to understand their contribution to sea lice levels on juvenile salmon.  Due to low abundance of some salmon species in our surveys, we were not able to enumerate sea lice on Coho or Chinook Salmon in 2010 and on Chum Salmon in 2011. In both years, Sockeye Salmon collected from Chilko Lake, the Lower Fraser River, the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait have been examined for signs of disease by histology and screened for pathogens using molecular techniques.  In 2012 our plan is to continue this expanded program. 

Principal Investigators:  Stewart Johnson, Chrys Neville, and Marc Trudel, Pacific Biological Station, 3190 Hammond Bay Rd, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7 Email: Stewart.Johnson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca  

Team members: Kyle Garver, DFO-Pacific region; Simon Jones, DFO-Pacific region

1-year project (2011/12) (Expansion of PARR-2010-P-02)