Background

Dramatic fluctuations in the ocean growth and survival of many Asian and North American salmon populations over the past decade have been attributed to changes in the Bering Sea and other marine ecosystems. The absence of scientific observations for salmon, ecologically related species, and environmental conditions in the North Pacific Ocean has limited our understanding of these changes and how they affect salmon populations and economies around the Pacific Rim. International research efforts to address these issues were developed by the NPAFC, as part of its Science Plan. The research plan, called BASIS (the Bering-Aleutian Salmon International Survey), began in 2002 as a coordinated program of cooperative research on Pacific salmon in the Bering Sea. The goal of BASIS research was to clarify the mechanisms of biological response by salmon to the conditions caused by climate change in the Bering Sea.

The purpose of the present symposium is to summarize BASIS research conducted during 2002 to 2006 and increase our understanding about how climate change will effect salmon growth and survival in the North Pacific Ocean.  
 

Topics

• Overviews of Climate Change, Bering Sea Ecosystems, and Salmon Production

• Biological Responses by Salmon to Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics
  • Migration and Distribution of Salmon
  • Food Production and Salmon Growth
  • Feeding Habits and Trophic Interactions
  • Production Trends and Carrying Capacity of Salmon
     

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