North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission

Technical Report 11

Table of Contents

Current Status of Chum and Pink Salmon: What is Reducing Adult Returns in Japan?

Authors:
Toshihiko Saito and Yasuyuki Miyakoshi

Abstract Excerpt:
In Japan, the annual catch of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) has decreased remarkably since 2010, and by 2016 and 2017 the catches of adults had returned to the low levels seen in the early 1980s, when the annual number of released chum fry was approximately the same as the present level of 1.8–2 billion. The decline in catches is especially evident in the region of the southern part of the Okhotsk coast to the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido and Honshu islands. By comparison, pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) are mainly captured along the Okhotsk coast of Hokkaido. Catches of pink salmon have declined sharply since 2011; except for improved returns in 2016, and recent catch levels are comparable to those in the early 1980s and pre-1980s. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to clarify the reasons for the recent declines in adult salmon catches in Japan.

*This is the first paragraph of an extended abstract. Download the full abstract below.

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23849/npafctr11/8.9

Citation

Saito, T., and Y. Miyakoshi.  2018.  Current status of chum and pink salmon: what is reducing adult returns in Japan?  N. Pac. Anadr. Fish Comm. Tech. Rep. 11: 8–9.  https://doi.org/10.23849/npafctr11/8.9