JANUARY 23–27, 2023 Showcasing Marine Research in the Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, and Gulf of Alaska
Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage, Alaska
alaskamarinescience.org
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 ii
2023 Alaska Marine Science Symposium Abstracts & Poster Presentations
Editor: Brendan Smith, North Pacific Research Board (NPRB) Organizing Committee Chair: Kayla Wagenfehr, North Pacific Research Board Poster Session Coordinator: Jill Prewitt, AOOS Abstract Review Committee Chair: Danielle Dickson, NPRB Abstract Book Production: Brendan Smith, NPRB & Eric Cline, Terragraphica Exhibits Coordinators: Kayla Wagenfehr, NPRB Keynote Speaker’s Chair: Dr. Matthew Baker, NPRB Media Coordinator: Brendan Smith, NPRB Non-Plenary Sessions and Workshops Coordinator: Holly Kent, AOOS AOOS Student Awards Coordinator: Thomas Farrugia, AOOS Cover Design: Eric Cline (TerraGraphica) Produced by: NPRB www.alaskamarinescience.org
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The 2023 AMSS Keynote and Plenary speaker abstracts are presented in chronological order
Poster presentations are grouped by research category
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CONTENTS
Monday, January 23 Workshops and Keynote Speakers . ................................................................... 1 Tuesday, January 24 Plenary Session Abstracts .................................................................................. 7 Wednesday, January 25 Plenary Session Abstracts .......................................................................... 35 Thursday, January 26 Plenary Session Abstracts . ............................................................................. 61 Poster Presentations . ....................................................................................................................... 87 Workshops ..................................................................................................................................... 30 8
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MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
OPENING DAY KEYNOTE SCHEDULE & ABSTRACTS
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 1
WORKSHOPS & KEYNOTE SPEAKERS MONDAY, JANUARY 23 RD TIme Title 1:00 - 1:30 Opening Remarks & State Representative Presentations
presenter
Lynn Palensky , Executive Director, NPRB
Perspectives on a 30-year career in Alaska marine research and fishery management
Keynote: Dr. Clarence Pautzke
1:30 - 2:15
Keynote: Dr. Gordon Kruse and Scott Goodman
2:15 - 3:00 Alaska crab, recent stock collapse, and prospects for recovery
3:00 - 3:30 Break
Indigenous Leadership & Responsibility: Where Science, Culture and Policy Connect My Fish Filled Life, and How I Became an Accidental Science Communicator
Keynote: Dr. Liza Mack
3:30 - 4:15
Keynote: Ray Troll
4:15 - 5:00
6:00 - 7:30 Evening Poster Presentations | Wave 1 | Third Floor 7:30 - 9:00 Evening Poster Presentations | Wave 2 | Third Floor
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DR. CLARENCE PAUTZKE Perspectives on a 30-year career in Alaska marine research and fishery management Abstract Clarence Pautzke will describe his early aspirations to be a biological oceanographer doing Arctic research in the Arctic Ocean and his revelatory transition into fisheries management with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. His presentation will include the historical evolution of fisheries management off Alaska, the inner workings and accomplishments of the fishery council and its need for outstanding science, and his brief sojourn to NOAA Fisheries Headquarters in D.C. in 2000-2001. He will describe the formative years of the North Pacific Research Board and end with some thoughts on the value of the annual Alaska Marine Science Symposium. Bio Clarence Pautzke holds a doctorate in biological oceanography and was project leader for various Arctic Ocean expeditions in 1968, 1973 and 1975 on Ice Island T-3 and the Arctic Ice Dynamics Joint Experiment (AIDJEX), assessing the impacts of ice cover on water column productivity. He worked at the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission in Portland, Oregon as the Assistant to the Executive Director in 1978-1980. Starting in 1980, he worked for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, first as Deputy Executive Director until 1988, and then as its Executive Director. After a brief sojourn to NOAA Fisheries in 2000 and 2001 as Acting Director of the Office of Sustainable Fisheries and Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, he returned to work for the North Pacific Research Board as its first Executive Director until he retired in 2011. He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Marine Gala of the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. He served as a Naval intelligence officer on a guided missile destroyer off Vietnam in 1969-70 and retired from the Naval Reserves in 1992 with the rank of Captain (O-6). He spends his retirement with his wife, Maureen McCrea, and family, alternating between summers in Alaska and winters in Hawaii on the Big Island.
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DR. GORDON KRUSE AND SCOTT GOODMAN Alaska crab, recent stock collapse, and prospects for recovery Scott Goodman is the Executive Director for the Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation and the President of Natural Resources Consultants, Inc. in Seattle. Scott has over 25 years of experience working on fisheries research projects with a strong focus on Bering Sea crab research with BSFRF over the last 15 years. He has helped BSFRF work through complicated crab research and management issues, collaborating with a growing number of scientists at NOAA, ADF&G, several academic partners, and the crab industry stakeholders that support BSFRF research. Scott has a BS in Fisheries Biology and a MS in Marine Affairs, both from the University of Washington. Scott’s company NRC has a long-standing footprint as a fisheries consulting firm known for its ties to research in Alaska working with fishermen across several fish and crab sectors on a variety of issues. Currently, Scott also serves as an advisor to the Aleutians King Crab Research Foundation, is a member of the Executive Committee for the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network, sits on the Climate Change Taskforce for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, and is also a member of the Certified Seafood Collaborative representing Alaska’s Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) for the sustainable certification of several of Alaska’s crab stocks. Scott is a western Washington native, lives in Everett with his family and greatly enjoys being on the water for both work and play. Gordon Kruse is Professor Emeritus of Fisheries with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, where he was a professor for 17 years. Previously, he worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for 16 years, most of that time as Chief Marine Fisheries Scientist. During his career, Gordon has conducted applied marine fisheries research, including stock assessments, population dynamics, fisheries oceanography, marine ecosystem dynamics, fishery management, and ecosystem-based fisheries management. He has worked on a wide variety of marine fish and invertebrates with an emphasis on crabs. Though “retired” Gordon serves as a science advisor to the North Pacific Research Board, Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation, and Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. Gordon was honored to receive the inaugural Terry Quinn II Distinguished Scientist Award for Outstanding Science Contributions to Fishery Management in the North Pacific from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in 2020, the Wally Noerenberg Award for Fishery Excellence from the Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society in 2015, and the inaugural Alaska Ocean Leadership Award for Research from the Alaska SeaLife Center in 2010. Gordon is most proud of the 19 graduate students for whom he served as major professor, as well as the 41 other graduate students on whose committees he served.
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DR. LIZA MACK Indigenous leadership and responsibility: where science, culture and policy connect Abstract Managing ocean resources in Alaska is multifaceted and contributes to the well-being of Alaska’s communities and people. This keynote will highlight the importance of engagement of Indigenous people in the regulation process and the benefits of including Indigenous knowledge into the process. Dr. Mack will discuss fisheries, fisheries management, and changes in approaches to the incorporation and inclusion of knowledge systems into regulatory processes. Bio Dr. Liza Mack is Unangax, born and raised in King Cove, Alaska. She graduated with her PhD in Indigenous Studies from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2019. Her research focused on political ecology, natural resource management, knowledge transfer, and engagement of Native communities in the regulatory process. Dr. Mack has over 20 years of experience working in and around Indigenous organizations and communities. She has an A.A. in Liberal Arts from UAS Sitka, a B.A., and M.S. in Anthropology from Idaho State University. She lives and works in Anchorage with her son on the homelands of the Dena’ina People. Dr. Mack is the Transportation and Village Infrastructure Protection Program Manager at the Denali Commission. Prior to joining the Commission, Liza served as the Executive Director of the Aleut International Association, a non-profit organization that represents Unangan (Aleut people) at the Arctic Council.
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RAY TROLL My fish filled life, and how I became an accidental science communicator Bio Ray Troll will share the twists and turns of his unique career as an artist and educator. Ray moved to the Pacific Northwest in the late 1970’s and eventually on to Alaska with a couple of art degrees in his back pocket and a lifelong love of natural history. Settling in the rainswept, coastal town of Ketchikan, he began producing offbeat fish-inspired T-shirts that have gained him a global audience with anglers, cannery workers, commercial fishers and scientists around the world. He draws his inspiration from extensive field work and the latest scientific discoveries, bringing a street-smart sensibility to the worlds of ichthyology and paleontology. Ray earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas in 1977 and an MFA in studio arts from Washington State University in 1981. Ray’s unique blend of art and science evolved into exhibits that have travelled across the United States since 1995, including venues such as the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Anchorage Museum, the Alaska Sealife Center, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, among others. He now has another touring show based on his book Cruisin’ the Fossil Freeway with Dr. Kirk Johnson. He has co- authored and illustrated 10 books including a collection of his piscine inspired humor called “Something Fishy This Way Comes”. He is also an avid musician on the side and has released four albums with his band the Ratfish Wranglers. In 2007, Ray was awarded a gold medal for distinction in the natural history arts by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and in 2006, received the Alaska Governor’s award for the arts. In 2011, Ray and Kirk Johnson were jointly awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship to support their ambitious book project, “The Eternal Coastline: the Best of the Fossil West from Baja to Barrow.” Ray has appeared on the Discovery Channel, lectured at Cornell, Harvard, and Yale, shown work at the Smithsonian and has been honored by the naming of a species of ratfish, Hydrolagus trolli , and a genus of extinct herring, Trollichthys . In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in fine arts from the University of Alaska Southeast.
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2023
PLENARY SESSION ABSTRACTS GULF OF ALASKA
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 7
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24 TH GULF OF ALASKA
* Master’s Candidate ** Doctoral Candidate
TIme
title
presenter
section
Long-term interannual phytoplankton phenology changes within the bioregions of the Subarctic Pacific Ocean based on satellite observations Twenty-five years of observations reveal strong influence of climate indices along the Seward Line Seaweeds’ seasonal sweet spots: current production and future responses of kelps within high latitude macrocystis beds Molecular characterization of the deep-sea zooplankton community from the Gulf of Alaska Seamount Province Shifts in microbial community composition during the 2019-2020 Pacific marine heatwave in the northern Gulf of Alaska Improving rockfish assessments via cooperative data collection in the Gulf of Alaska
Climate & Oceanography Climate & Oceanography Lower Trophic Levels Lower Trophic Levels Lower Trophic Levels Fishes & Fish Habitat Fishes & Fish Habitat Fishes & Fish Habitat Fishes & Fish Habitat
8:00-8:15
Marta Konik
8:15 - 8:30
Russ Hopcroft
8:30 - 8:45
Lauren Bell**
8:45 - 9:00
Jennifer Questel
9:00 - 9:15
Jacob Cohen*
9:15 - 9:30
Madison Hall
9:30 - 10:00
Coffee Break
Thermal effects on early life stages of Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod: shifts in reproductive phenology, size, and growth Size shifts and changing overwintering success of age-0 Pacific cod ( Gadus macrocephalus ) in the post-heatwave era Investigation of the influence of hatchery straying on the population structure of pink salmon in Prince William Sound, Alaska Consequences of variation in body size, condition, physiological state, and in-river conditions for spawning migration success by Alaskan salmon: a three- year telemetry study of Copper River sockeye Leveraging multiple genomic approaches to investigate population structure and dynamics of Pacific halibut in the northeast Pacific Ocean
10:00 - 10:15
Jessica Miller
10:15 - 10:30
Ben Laurel
10:30 - 10:45
Wei Cheng**
Fishes & Fish Habitat
10:45 - 11:00
Kristen Gorman
Fishes & Fish Habitat Fishes & Fish Habitat
11:00 - 11:15
Andrew Jasonowicz
11:15 - 11:30
Maximizing success of red king crab stock enhancement in Kodiak, Alaska
Chris Long
11:30 - 1:00
Lunch (Provided)
Fishes & Fish Habitat
1:00 - 1:15
Evaluation of harvest control rules for Prince William Sound Pacific herring
Joshua Zahner*
Evaluating the sublethal and chronic effects of saxitoxin ingestion by common murres Oceanographic correlates of the non-breeding movements and distribution of tufted puffins throughout the northeast Pacific Ocean Species distribution modeling of northern sea otters ( Enhydra lutris kenyoni ) in a data-limited ecosystem How much do killer whales call? Quantifying calling rates for passive acoustic density estimation Diverse diet of resident killer whales in southern Alaska revealed by two distinct sampling methods
1:15 - 1:30
Matthew Smith
Seabirds
1:30 - 1:45
Anne Schaefer
Seabirds
1:45 - 2:00
Elizabeth Hasan* Marine Mammals
2:00 -2:15
Hannah Myers**
Marine Mammals
2:15 - 2:30
Dan Olsen
Marine Mammals
2:30 - 3:00
Coffee Break
Assessing the effects of targeted acoustic startle technology on the foraging success of individual harbor seals Acoustics of Cook Inlet beluga whales and anthropogenic noise in lower Cook Inlet rivers Chugach Imaq Project: Developing marine mammal co-management and tribal ecological research programs in Prince William Sound Development and calibration of an Atlantis ecosystem model for the Gulf of Alaska Transition to pot fishing gear in the Gulf of Alaska sablefish fishery and implications for sperm whale depredation Can settlement on coralline algae ameliorate negative effects of ocean acidification and temperature increase on pinto abalone early life stages? Trophic pathways and their relationship to growth in nearshore consumers across the northern Gulf of Alaska DNA metabarcoding reveals extensive marine resource utilization by coastal gray wolves in Katmai National Park & Preserve
3:00 - 3:15
Kathleen McKeegan* Marine Mammals
3:15 - 3:30
Sonia Kumar*
Marine Mammals
3:30 - 3:45
Raven Cunningham Marine Mammals
Ecosystem Perspectives Ecosystem Perspectives Ecosystem Perspectives Ecosystem Perspectives Ecosystem Perspectives
3:45 - 4:00
Alberto Rovellini
4:00 - 4:15
Megan Williams
4:15 - 4:30
Eileen Bates**
4:30 - 4:45
Katherine Corliss*
4:45 - 5:00
Ellen Dymit**
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 8
Gulf of Alaska | Climate and Oceanography
Long-term interannual phytoplankton phenology changes within the bioregions of the subarctic Pacific Ocean based on satellite observations Presenter: Marta Konik , martakonik@uvic.ca, University of Victoria Vishnu Suseelan , psvishnu2014@gmail.com, University of Victoria
Christian Marchese , christian.marchese@ubc.ca, The University of British Columbia Angelica Peña , Angelica.Pena@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Toru Hirawake , hirawake.toru@nipr.ac.jp, National Institute of Polar Research Brian Hunt , b.hunt@oceans.ubc.ca, The University of British Columbia Lisa Eisner , lisa.eisner@noaa.gov, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries Maycira Costa , maycira@uvic.ca, University of Victoria
Phytoplankton, as the first food web level, affects the entire biota, including critical species like salmon. Apart from the overall yearly biomass, the proper timing of the phytoplankton abundance, as part of a characterization of phytoplankton phenology, is essential to provide sufficient energy for the higher trophic levels. Remote sensing provides a unique tool to track changes in the phytoplankton phenology due to the vast cover in space and time and information homogeneity. A merged satellite data series of chlorophyll-a concentration products obtained from the Globcolour, covering the years from 1998 to 2022, was validated and used to determine the phytoplankton phenology. The primary metrics were then applied to identify bioregions within the Subarctic Pacific. Biologically distinct bioregions allowed for observing interannual variability and recognizing subtle differences in the ecosystems over time, which may be easy to miss in global or very detailed spatial scales. The characteristic phenology patterns for each region and the comparison between them are also crucial to fully understanding the entire ecosystem and predicting potential changes in the nearest future in this region, which is severely impacted by climate warming. The research was conducted as part of The International Year of the Salmon initiative.
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Gulf of Alaska | Climate and Oceanography
Twenty-five years of observations reveal strong influence of climate indices along the Seward Line Presenter: Russell Hopcroft , rrhopcroft@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks, CFOS Caitlin Smoot , casmoot@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Over the past 25 years the Seward Line program has been providing observations about status of the Gulf of Alaska and its ecosystems. Some components of this ecosystem have responded strongly to extreme events, while impact has been more nebulous for other components. Thus, mechanistic links behind this variability have remained elusive. Here we show that the major atmospheric indices, such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, are correlated to much of this variability – particularly in zooplankton communities – both during spring and early fall. We propose the different basin-scale mechanisms shaping planktonic communities in these two seasons. This new understanding provides insights into what ecosystem changes can be expected as these indices continue to vary in the future.
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Gulf of Alaska | Lower Trophic Levels DOCTORATE ORAL PRESENTATION Seaweeds’ seasonal sweet spots: current production and future responses of kelps within high latitude Macrocystis beds
Presenter: Lauren Bell , laebell@ucsc.edu, University of California Santa Cruz Kristy Kroeker , kkroeker@ucsc.edu, University of California Santa Cruz
Environmental change in high latitude oceans will overlay onto the distinct seasonality of these environments. Our knowledge of how such environmental variability and change will interact to affect kelp productivity in these regions is limited. This is a concerning knowledge gap given the importance of macroalgae as an energy source in Alaska’s coastal ecosystems. The lack of data is particularly evident for the macroalgal communities associated with the globally abundant giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera , which has been studied extensively at lower latitudes but rarely considered at the polar edges of its range. To assess the relative production potential of giant kelp forests at their high latitude fringe, we conducted a multi-year field study of the growth and turnover dynamics of M. pyrifera and co-occurring understory kelps Hedophyllum nigripes and Neoagarum fimbriatum in Sitka Sound, Alaska. We then grew these kelps in the lab within seasonally relevant scenarios of light and nutrient availability under current vs. end-of-century projections for temperature and pCO2. We found that Macrocystis beds in Southeast Alaska produce an estimated ~150 g C · m-2 · yr-1 and turnover an estimated 2.1 times per year. These are substantially lower rates than have been observed at lower latitudes. Based on manipulative experiments, carbon production of high latitude giant kelp was unaffected by end-of- century temperature and pCO2 conditions regardless of season. In contrast, the more poleward-occurring understory kelps exhibited reduced growth and nutritional content under elevated future summer temperatures. This research represents the most rigorous consideration of year-round kelp production in Southeast Alaska to date, providing a valuable quantification of kelp carbon cycling potential in this highly seasonal environment. Moreover, our results indicate that the relative production and quality of different co-occurring kelp species are likely to shift in the future. Such changes could have ‘bottom-up’ trophic consequences for many marine species that rely on diverse macroalgal communities to meet their metabolic needs across seasons. Further, our findings have notable implications for aquatic resource managers and the burgeoning seaweed mariculture industry as they anticipate the effects of environmental change on kelp productivity in this region.
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Gulf of Alaska | Lower Trophic Levels
Molecular characterization of the deep-sea zooplankton community from the Gulf of Alaska Seamount Province
Presenter: Jennifer Questel , jmquestel@alaska.edu, UAF Caitlin Smoot , casmoot@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Dhugal Lindsay , dhugal@jamstec.go.jp, JAMSTEC Allen Collins , COLLINSA@si.edu, Smithsonian Institution Russell Hopcroft , rrhopcroft@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks, CFOS
Most data on zooplankton diversity in the North Pacific comes from collections obtained from the epipelagic zone, with occasional collections across the basin contributing mesopelagic data down to 1,000 m. In 2019, zooplankton communities were sampled from surface waters to the abyssal plane (4,500 m) around the Quinn and Giacomini seamounts that form the northwestern section of the Kodiak-Bowie Seamount Chain in the Gulf of Alaska. Depth- stratified zooplankton samples were collected with MultiNet and MOCNESS plankton sampling net systems in addition to video footage and specimen collections from a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). We report on the molecular characterization of these rarely sampled zooplankton communities using metabarcoding analyses targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the nuclear 18S rRNA genes. As the accuracy and level of biodiversity detected from metabarcoding are dependent upon the quality of DNA sequence reference libraries, a considerable amount of effort was made to identify and voucher specimens collected during the expedition for DNA barcoding. Thus, we also report on the status of DNA barcoding for multiple genetic markers for over 1,200 organisms from depths beyond 1,000 m. These results represent the first recorded observations for many zooplankton species in the Gulf of Alaska, species new to science, and new DNA barcodes. Efforts from this work are helping to characterize deep-sea zooplankton communities and, overall, increase biodiversity estimates for the entire Gulf of Alaska ecosystem.
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Gulf of Alaska | Lower Trophic Levels MASTER’S ORAL PRESENTATION Shifts in microbial community composition during the 2019-2020 Pacific marine heatwave in the northern Gulf of Alaska Presenter: Jacob Cohen , jecohen@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks Suzanne Strom , stroms@wwu.edu Seth Danielson , sldanielson@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Eric Collins , recollins@alaska.edu Gwenn Hennon , gmhennon@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks Climate change has led to a gradual increase of sea surface temperatures in the Northern Gulf of Alaska (NGA) interspersed with marine heatwaves (MHW) that impose a rapid but temporary perturbation of sea surface temperature. MHWs have the potential to alter marine microbial community structure, which may impact the production and transfer of carbon to higher trophic levels. The years 2019-2020 were characterized as an MHW, with sea surface temperatures reaching ~2.5 º C above average in 2019, ~1 º C above average in 2020, while 2021 had near-average sea surface temperatures. To characterize shifts in the NGA’s microbial community, samples for DNA and flow cytometry were collected on NGA Long Term Ecological Research cruises in summers 2018-2021. Flow cytometry sample analysis revealed higher abundances of picoeukaryotes, Synechococcus , and Nanoeukaryotes in the summer of 2019 relative to 2020 and 2021 on the continental shelf. The diversity of eukaryotic microbes was lower in 2018-19 than in 2020-2021, with similar patterns observed within the diversity of individual eukaryotic taxa. Conversely, the diversity of prokaryotic microbes was higher in 2019 than in 2020. Different environmental conditions were correlated with small cell abundance and microbial diversity. Elevated picoeukaryote abundance was associated with higher temperature and inversely correlated with chlorophyll a concentration, while Synechococcus abundance was anti-correlated with the concentration of nitrate and phosphate. Shannon diversity of 18S reads correlated with lower salinity measurements while Shannon diversity of 16S reads was not significantly correlated with any tested biological or environmental variables. These correlations indicate that increases in sea surface temperature, along with associated changes in nutrient concentrations and salinity, act as environmental drivers with the potential to shifts the NGA’s microbial community structure. Such a community shift towards pico-nanophytoplankton may reduce trophic transfer efficiency and decrease the production of fisheries and other higher trophic levels in a warmer NGA.
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Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats
Improving rockfish assessments via cooperative data collection in the Gulf of Alaska Presenter: Madison Hall , madison.hall@noaa.gov, Alaska Pacific University, NOAA
Mark Zimmermann , mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov, NOAA Brad Harris , bharris@alaskapacific.edu, Alaska Pacific University Pete Hulson , pete.hulson@noaa.gov, NOAA Julie Bonney , jbonney@alaskagroundfish.org, Alaska Groundfish Databank John Gauvin , gauvin@seanet.com, Alaska Seafood Cooperative Stan Kotwicki , stan.kotwicki@noaa.gov, NOAA
In Alaska, groundfish bottom trawl surveys conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) use standardized fishing gear that is unable to sample in hard, rough, and rocky areas. Over the lifetime of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) bottom trawl survey, many rough and rocky habitat stations have been marked as “untrawlable” and eliminated from future sampling plans. For fish species that prefer rocky habitats, biomass estimates from the standardized surveys may be imprecise and/or negatively biased due to the exclusion of these areas. Even though NMFS is unable to sample in “untrawlable” habitats, several species that inhabit rocky habitat types are successfully targeted by commercial fisheries. Specifically, Pacific Ocean perch ( Sebastes alutus ), northern ( S. polyspinis ) and dusky ( S. variabilis ) rockfish are commercially important to the Amendment 80 catcher-processor fleet and the Kodiak-based catcher vessel trawl fleet in the Gulf of Alaska. Our project, the Science-Industry Rockfish Research Collaboration in Alaska (SIRRCA), has been working with the GOA fishing industry to build a cooperative survey that uses industry vessels and gear to sample in areas that are “untrawlable” to the NMFS bottom trawl survey. During the pilot phase of our project we have collected data on two catcher/processor vessels and one catcher vessel, successfully sampling 34 NMFS survey stations. SIRRCA project tows focus on either calibrating catch per unit effort (CPUE) between vessels, or gathering rockfish biomass information at “untrawlable” survey stations. We plan to use SIRRCA data as a supplemental source of population abundance data to inform, and perhaps improve, official GOA rockfish stock assessments. Additionally, we are using simulations to explore the impacts of omitting important habitats on rockfish biomass estimate bias and CV. We believe SIRRCA’s cooperative science model holds great promise for fisheries science, and we hope that sharing our cooperative model will help the development of other cooperative fishery projects both nationally and globally.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 14
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats
Thermal effects on early life stages of Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod: Shifts in reproductive phenology, size, and growth
Presenter: Jessica Miller , jessica.miller@oregonstate.edu, Oregon State University Hillary Thalmann , hillary.thalmann@oregonstate.edu, Oregon State University L. Zoe Almeida , almeidle@oregonstate.edu, Oregon State University Laura Rogers , lauren.rogers@noaa.gov, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Taylor Brooks , taylor.j.brooks@okstate.edu, Oregon State University Rebecca Forney , Rebecca.Forney@humboldt.edu, Oregon State University Ben Laurel , ben.laurel@noaa.gov, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center
A dramatic reduction in the abundance of adult Pacific Cod in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) occurred after marine heatwaves (MHWs) in 2014-2016 and 2019, leading to an unprecedented fishery closure. To better understand the effects of MHWs on early stages of Pacific Cod, we combined structural analysis of otoliths with field and laboratory data to estimate spawn timing and reconstruct size and growth for pelagic larvae collected in May and juveniles collected in coastal nurseries in July. In addition to the MHWs, water temperatures in the GOA were relatively warm in 2017 and 2018. Therefore, we compared early life attributes before (2006-2014) and during and after MHWs (2015-2019). For both larvae and juveniles, hatch dates were notably earlier during and after MHWs, with mean hatch dates 19-21 days earlier since 2015. Based on lab-derived temperature-specific development rates, we determined that differences in water temperature during incubation could account for only 15% of the shift in hatch dates for larvae and 31% for juveniles. Therefore, other factors, such as changes in spawn timing and/or selective mortality, also contributed to these observed shifts. Additionally, within years, the mean hatch dates for larvae collected in May were nearly a month later than for juveniles collected in coastal nurseries in July. Differences in hatch timing between life stages could be due to temporal bias in the larval collections, different source populations, or selective mortality associated with hatch date. We used mixed models to examine the effects of temperature, hatch date, and age on size and growth and to evaluate if, and how, those relationships changed since the MHWs. The effect of MHWs on size and growth varied with age. For both larvae and juveniles, size and growth early in life (<14 d) were greater at similar temperatures prior to the MHWs. However, at intermediate ages (>14 to 50 d), growth rates were greater during and after MHWs, which contributed to substantially larger size-at-age observed in juveniles by ~110 days old. These results highlight how relatively large shifts in hatch timing combined with modest differences in growth rates can amplify differences in size-at-age of juveniles at settlement, which can have cascading effects on older age classes. Understanding how ocean warming affects reproductive timing and early growth will be integral to predicting population-level responses to climate variation.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 15
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats
Size shifts and changing overwintering success of age-0 Pacific cod ( Gadus macrocephalus ) in the post-heatwave era Presenter: Ben Laurel , ben.laurel@noaa.gov, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center Mary Beth Rew Hicks , marybeth.rew.hicks@noaa.gov, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center
Steve Barbeaux , steve.barbeaux@noaa.gov, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center Louise Copeman , louise.copeman@noaa.gov, Alaska Fisheries Science Center
Ocean warming is reshaping the demographics of juvenile fish in ways that will likely alter their survival and recruitment to the adult population. This is particularly important in cold-ocean seasonal environments where fish must accumulate sufficient size and energy in fall to survive winters of low productivity. In this study, we tracked the growth, lipid content and survival of age-0 Pacific cod held in the laboratory under varying fall and winter food-temperature scenarios. During the fall experimental phase, individually tagged and measured fish were held for 6 weeks across a series of replicate tanks maintained at two temperatures (7.0 or 10.0°C) and two food rations (~1% or 3% body weight d-1). Fish were measured and subsampled for lipids after which remaining fish were redistributed into a series of new tanks to track survival and lipid loss in the absence of food across four winter temperatures (1.0, 2.5, 4.0, 6.0°C). As expected, cooler winters provided a survival advantage for juvenile cod, but only when fall environments had sufficient food to promote rapid growth and lipid storage. When fall conditions were metabolically costly (e.g., warm, low food treatments), winter survival was temperature-independent and determined by individual growth and lipid content prior to winter. Size was a poor predictor of overwintering success overall, although measurements closer to winter explained more variance than size measures conducted in early fall. Collectively, these results suggest survival trajectories will become increasingly difficult to predict from summer demographic information alone, especially as fall conditions warm and productivity scenarios change. It is also likely that heatwave events that contribute to warm falls and winters will magnify overwintering mortality for age-0 juvenile cod and potentially lead to new population bottlenecks in regions already experiencing high rates of warming.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 16
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats DOCTORATE ORAL PRESENTATION Investigation of the influence of hatchery straying on the population structure of pink salmon in Prince William Sound, Alaska Presenter: Wei Cheng , wei.cheng@alaska.gov, Genetics Laboratory, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Christopher Habicht , chris.habicht@alaska.gov, Genetics Laboratory, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish and Game William Templin , bill.templin@alaska.gov, Genetics Laboratory, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Zac Grauvogel , zac.grauvogel@alaska.gov, Genetics Laboratory, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Alaska Department of Fish and Game Anthony Gharrett , a.gharrett@alaska.edu, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks Pink salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ) are commercially and ecologically important in Alaska. In the 1970s, the abundance and harvests of Pacific salmon declined in Alaska, including pink salmon in Prince William Sound (PWS). In response to this low abundance, State of Alaska passed legislation that provided the opportunity for Private-Non Profit (PNP) corporations develop hatcheries to supplement commercial harvest. In three years with full run reconstruction (2013-2015), 55 - 86% of the returning pink salmon in PWS originated from PNP hatcheries. Such large scale hatchery programs have raised concerns regarding the potential effects of hatchery salmon on wild salmon populations. The state, hatchery operators, and processors pooled resources to fund the Alaska Hatchery Research Program (AHRP) to investigate some of these potential effects. One of the primary goals of the AHRP was to investigate the genetic population structure of pink salmon in PWS. In this study, we examined variation at 16 microsatellite loci from wild spawning aggregates and hatchery fish from collections from the1990s’ and more recent collections (2013 and 2014). We examined even and odd year fish separately, since their 2-year life history results in two genetically independent lineages. As with previous studies, we detected deeper population structure among wild populations within the odd year lineage than the even lineage. We found that hatchery stocks in PWS had maintained stable allele frequencies between the 1990’s and 2010’s. In the even lineage, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that western PWS hatchery fish have introgressed genes into wild populations, while we found no support for introgression from the eastern PWS hatchery. However, in the odd years, we found no support for the introgression hypothesis from any hatcheries. Finally, we explored the source-sink model to measure the level of genetic introgression from hatcheries to wild populations over generations.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 17
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats
Consequences of variation in body size, condition, physiological state, and in-river conditions for spawning migration success by Alaskan salmon: A three-year telemetry study of Copper River sockeye Presenter: Kristen Gorman , kbgorman@alaska.edu, University of Alaska Fairbanks Pete Rand , prand@pwssc.org, Prince William Sound Science Center Karia Kaukinen , Karia.Kaukinen@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Nearly all species of Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp. ) in Alaska have been returning to spawn at smaller body sizes in recent years. Studies suggest that the combined effects of a changing ocean climate and competition at-sea due to higher salmon abundance are key factors influencing the body size of adult Pacific salmon at return. Environmental conditions are also changing within freshwater systems, creating more variable and challenging migratory conditions for returning salmon. We present results from a three-year radio telemetry study (including NPRB project 1902) that evaluated potential biological and environmental factors shaping spawning migration success by sockeye salmon of the Copper River, in southcentral Alaska – a highly glaciated watershed that supports commercial, subsistence, and personal- use sockeye fisheries. Over three field seasons (2019-2021), we radio tagged over 800 adult sockeye salmon in the lower Copper River and evaluated the effects of body size and condition, transcriptomic response, and pathogen diversity and loads on migration success. We detected a positive relationship across all years between sockeye body size and energy density and the likelihood of successful passage through Wood Canyon, suggesting that long-term declines in sockeye body size and energetic condition may translate into lower migratory success in-river. During 2019, air temperatures were very high, and accelerated glacial melting resulted in a high rate of water discharge. Preliminary analysis suggests that Sockeye radio tagged during 2019 had elevated transcriptomic responses for hypoxia stress (possibly resulting from physical exertion), viral disease development (apparently associated with Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus, IHNV, infection), a lower elevated transcriptomic response for thermal stress, and a low rate of passage through Wood Canyon. Several pathogens detected in our study are known to be associated with premature mortality in other salmon systems. We hypothesize that migration could be impeded and enroute mortality possibly elevated in years with high rates of glacial melting, causing greater stress and potential for disease in migratory salmon. Understanding the interplay of how ocean and in-river conditions are simultaneously affecting salmon fitness is important for future management of this fishery and others that experience significant glacial input. Tobi Ming , Tobi.Ming@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Shaorong Li , Shaorong.Li@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Kristi Miller , Kristi.Saunders@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 18
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats
Leveraging multiple genomic approaches to investigate population structure and dynamics of Pacific halibut in the northeast Pacific Ocean Presenter: Andrew Jasonowicz , andy.jasonowicz@iphc.int, International Pacific Halibut Commission
Josep Planas , josep.planas@iphc.int, International Pacific Halibut Commission Wes Larson , wes.larson@noaa.gov, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Ingrid Spies , ingrid.spies@noaa.gov, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Liz Dawson , Liz.dawson@noaa.gov, NOAA, NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center
The Pacific halibut ( Hippoglossus stenolepis ) is a key flatfish species in the North Pacific Ocean ecosystem that supports important commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries and that is managed as a single stock by the International Pacific Halibut Commission. The primary objective of the present study is to advance our understanding of Pacific halibut population structure and dynamics in a changing climate through the use of genomic approaches to inform fishery management. To improve our current understanding of stock structure among spawning groups of Pacific halibut in the northeast Pacific Ocean we have generated genomic sequences for 610 adult Pacific halibut collected during the spawning season (winter) from five different areas including the Gulf of Alaska (2), Bering Sea (1), and Aleutian Islands (2) using low coverage whole genome resequencing (lcWGR). By leveraging the recently sequenced Pacific halibut genome, lcWGR is currently being conducted to characterize genomic variation within the Pacific halibut population at the highest resolution possible in order to establish a baseline of Pacific halibut genetic diversity. Future work is planned that will leverage this genomic dataset to identify markers that display high differentiation among the different genetic baseline datasets. With approximately 500 of the identified genome-derived markers we will develop a high-throughput and high- resolution genomic marker panel (GT-seq). Finally, we will test the utility of the GT-seq panel to address management and conservation issues in Pacific halibut by using it in two proof of concept applications: 1) to conduct a pilot mixed stock analysis to estimate the stock composition of commercial fishery landings from two different geographic areas in Alaska, and 2) to investigate distribution of Pacific halibut in the latitudinal extremes of the species’ range in the northeast Pacific Ocean. The results from this study will inform on the delimitation of management units and provide preliminary information on stock composition in the Pacific halibut fishery, as well as provide a tool to monitor changes in distribution associated with climate change.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 19
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats
Maximizing success of red king crab stock enhancement in Kodiak, Alaska Presenter: Chris Long , chris.long@noaa.gov, NOAA Alaska Fishery Science Center Peter Cummiskey , kayakampers@gmail.com Eric Munk , emunk@gci.net Ben Daly , ben.daly@alaska.gov
Red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus , was commercially important around Kodiak, Alaska, USA in the 1960s and 1970s; however, the stock crashed in the late 1970s and has failed to recover despite the commercial fishery being closed since 1973. The use of hatchery-reared juveniles has been considered to help bolster the wild population. In two different release experiments, both performed in Trident Basin, Kodiak, we examined factors that may contribute to enhancement success. In the first experiment, we examined the effects of release density on in situ survival of hatchery- reared red king. Juveniles were released at three densities, 25, 50, and 75 m-2. In the second experiment, we examined the effects of release season and size. Juveniles were released at three times, June, August, and September with the size at release increasing from June to September. We monitored densities inside and outside of release plots after release using quadrat counts to determine loss and emigration rates. Relative predation risk was determined using tethering experiments repeated 3 times after release, and predator densities were quantified using quadrat counts and predator transect counts in both experiments. In the first experiment, initial mortality over the first 24 h was approximately 68%. Loss rates after the initial mortality did not differ among density treatments and were a combination of mortality and emigration. Relative predation risk of tethered crabs decreased with time from release, but did not vary among density treatments. Predator density did not vary over time or with density treatment. In the second experiment, initial mortality over the first 24 h was 53%. Mortality rates decreased from the June to the September releases and migration rates increased. Similar to the first year, predator density did not differ among release treatments and predation risk decreased after August. Although mortality decreased with release season, including mortality from laboratory holding suggests that earlier release timings are the best strategy to minimize overall mortality. Estimates suggest mortality rates of hatchery-reared juveniles are variable, but similar to that of wild individuals in a commercially harvested population in southeast Alaska, indicating that stock-enhancement may be ecologically viable, at least during the early benthic phase of the crab’s life-history. Future work should focus on ways to reduce initial release mortality.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 20
Gulf of Alaska | Fishes and Fish Habitats MASTER’S ORAL PRESENTATION Evaluation of harvest control rules for Prince William Sound Pacific herring Presenter: Joshua Zahner , jzahner@uw.edu, University of Washington
In the spring of 1992, the Prince William Sound (PWS) Pacific herring ( Clupea pallasii ) stock suffered a large-scale collapse, which has resulted in a prolonged closure of the historical fishery. However, recent trends in estimated biomass have indicated that the stock is slowly recovering and that a reopening of the fishery may be possible in the coming years. This project seeks to evaluate several different harvest control rules that could be used to set future catch limits for a reopened fishery using a management strategy evaluation (MSE) simulation framework. The MSE is composed of an age-structured population dynamics model and a Bayesian-style assessment model which are used to simulate the long-term effects of a given harvest strategy on the population. Control rules include eight different threshold scaling rules, one rule that considers the evenness of the population age structure, another that considers the most- recent three-year gradient in biomass, and a final rule that is based only on the biomass of fish larger than 130 grams in weight. We performed five hundred fifty-year simulations for each of the twelve control rules, which were evaluated based on realized catch, catch variation, biomass depletion, and probability of fishery closure. Simulations indicate that the eight threshold rules behave similarly: with catches being highest and biomass depletion being most severe, when the maximum allowable harvest rate is high, or when the range of biomass over which fishing is allowed is wide. The evenness rule offers a small amount of additional protection to the stock when biomass is near the lower limit threshold for fishing by decreasing the allowable harvest rate when the stock is dominated by a single cohort of fish. Meanwhile, the gradient rule promotes higher catches at the cost of high interannual catch variability and lower final biomass levels. The 40-20 threshold rule that is currently in place for the stock performed intermediately well across all metrics. While these results do not indicate an optimal control rule for the management of the PWS Pacific herring stock, they do highlight the inherent trade-off between catch and stock status, even when more advanced control rules are utilized for setting target harvest rates or catch levels.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 21
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