Collections of DNA baseline tissues from Chinook Salmon in the North Coast of British Columbia in 2004 Ivan Winther Fisheries & Oceans Canada Science Branch, Pacific Region 417-2nd Avenue West Prince Rupert, British Columbia V8J-1G8 February, 2005 A project funded by the Northern Boundary and Transboundary Rivers Restoration and Enhancement Fund 2004. ii CONTENTS Abstract..........................................................................................................................................iii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................iii List of Figures................................................................................................................................iii Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1 Methods........................................................................................................................................... 2 Results............................................................................................................................................. 2 Discussion....................................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................... 3 References....................................................................................................................................... 4 Tables.............................................................................................................................................. 5 Figures............................................................................................................................................. 6 Appendix......................................................................................................................................... 8 North Coast Chinook DNA Baseline NP4 iii ABSTRACT Tissue samples were collected from 495 chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) across 13 different spawning populations in the North Coast of British Columbia for the purpose of augmenting the existing genetic baseline. The samples represent 10 new populations in the baseline and 3 populations that were previously sampled. The most significant samples come from the Kitlope River (120), the Ishkheenickh River (88) and the Kateen River (75). LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Inventory of chinook tissue samples collected for DNA analysis in the North Coast of British Columbia prior to this study................................................................................................ 5 Table 2. Chinook tissue samples collected in 2004 by stream. ..................................................... 6 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location of tissue punch collected from chinook salmon............................................... 6 Figure 2. Map of the North Coast of British Columbia showing the approximate locations of the sampling sites.................................................................................................................................. 7 North Coast Chinook DNA Baseline NP4 1 INTRODUCTION This project was designed and funded to collect tissue samples from populations of chinook salmon to augment existing collections of genetic material with the ultimate objective of forming a complete baseline of genetic material for the range of the species. The collections will support existing genetic baselines for chinook salmon in Canada and the United States of America. A coast-wide microsatellite deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) baseline is under development by a consortium of American laboratories and Fisheries & Oceans Canada called “Genetic Analysis of Pacific Salmonids (GAPS)” (Moran, et. al., 2004). Chinook tissue samples will be collected and shared within GAPS according to the practices outlined by the Bilateral Chinook Technical Committee of the Pacific Salmon Commission (CTC, 2004). Collections of baseline genetic material allow for further refinement of chinook population units relevant to planning and management (i.e. management units, conservation units or evolutionarily significant units). Genetic stock identification methods can be used to determine stock composition of fisheries and stock specific catch estimates. Accurate stock identification from mixed stock samples requires complete baselines for estimating relative contribution by each component stock. This project considers chinook salmon bearing streams in British Columbia’s northern coast, essentially rivers and streams draining into Canadian waters of the Pacific Ocean north of 53º north latitude. The project area is bounded to the south by the height of land between the Kitlope and Kimsquit River watersheds. The study area extends north to the border between Canada and Alaska. Inland, the northern boundary of the study area was formed by Stikine and Peace River watersheds. The eastern boundary of the study area is the Fraser River watershed. British Columbia’s northern coast is home to over 90 streams known to have spawning populations of chinook salmon. Among these are the large watersheds of the Skeena and Nass Rivers and their tributaries and a number of smaller independent coastal streams. A single endemic population of chinook salmon exists on the Queen Charlotte Islands (QCI) in the Yakoun River. Baseline tissues are complete for this population. The Nass River is the 3rd largest river occurring entirely in British Columbia with a drainage area of 21,100 km2 (Canada, 1985). Much of the river is extremely turbid and glacial. Most observations of spawning chinook come from clear tributaries or the confluence of clear tributaries with the mainstem. Radio telemetry studies conducted in 1992 revealed a number of previously unrecorded spawning sites (Koski et. al., 1993). The Skeena River is the second largest river occurring entirely in British Columbia with a drainage area of 54,400 km2 (Canada, 1985). It is typical of large chinook producing rivers with a small number of large tributaries producing most of the chinook and a large number of smaller populations contributing to the diversity within the system. The majority of the chinook production in the Skeena comes from the large lake stabilized systems of the Kitsumkalum, Morice, Bear and Babine Rivers. Full (>200) baseline samples exist for these populations but there are several intermediate sized populations and a large number of small tributaries with relatively small chinook populations that have not been sampled. Many of the smaller coastal drainages do not have populations of chinook salmon. Among the small systems with chinook populations, many have less than a hundred spawners. The smaller populations are finite but logistically difficult to sample since only a portion of the population could be caught in any one year. Thus tissue collections will require several years of sampling to meet the objective of 200 tissues per population. Some populations are so small and remote that sampling is impractical at this time. North Coast Chinook DNA Baseline NP4 2 Tissue samples for the purposes of DNA baseline data have been collected from chinook populations in the North Coast since 1991, most collections occurred after 1995 by Fisheries & Oceans Canada crews or contractors. Complete samples have been collected from most of the large chinook spawning populations in the North Coast, however, many remote or smaller spawning populations have not been sampled. A total of 16 streams have tissue collections from over 200 individual chinook salmon. Another 8 streams have collections from between 100 and 200 individuals and 10 streams have collections from less than 100 chinook (Table 1.). METHODS Streams were initially selected based on the size of the chinook population, whether any enhancement had occurred in the system and whether there were existing baseline samples available for the stock. Highest priority was assigned to large, wild populations without baseline samples or incomplete (<200) baseline samples. Appendix 1 lists known North Coast spawning populations of chinook salmon and their relative size based on mean escapement counts in the 1980’s. This time series was applied in an attempt to account for recent changes in escapement estimation. The data provide a very rough estimate of relative size for the priority setting exercise. A number of groups work on salmon enumeration within the study area. Their help was solicited to identify opportunities and to collect chinook tissue samples. Each was provided with the list of priority sites for chinook tissue samples in their area and the logistical considerations for the collections were discussed. Preferred samples for DNA baselines come from adult chinook collected in the location where they will spawn. Adult chinook salmon were caught using tangle nets, dip nets, beach seines or by angling. They were caught as close to spawning as possible or after spawning without disturbing actively spawning fish. The fish were released after sampling. A common paper punch was used to collect tissue samples from the operculum of the chinook salmon being sampled (Figure 1.). One tissue sample was collected from each chinook. Tissues were preserved in a solution of 95% non-denatured ethanol. Data