Kamchatka Research Institute of Fisheries & Oceanography (KamchatNIRO) Pacific Biological Station (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) Victor F. Bugaev ASIAN SOCKEYE SALMON (freshwater period of life, biological structure, population dynamics) Edited by William E. Ricker and Richard J. Beamish Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Publishing House “Kamchatpress” 2011 УДК 338.24:330.15 ББК 28.693.32 Б90 Victor F. Bugaev. Asian Sockeye Salmon (freshwater period of life, biological structure, population dynamics). – Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky : Publishing House “Kamchatpress”, 2011: 292 p. ISBN 978-5-9610-0159-4 Abstract Key words: sockeye, age, length, weight, growth, scale structure, freshwater period, food competitors, infestation, food supply, population dynamics, fishing operations. In Asia, the sockeye is the most abundant on the Kamchatka Peninsula in some years where ap- proximately 90-95 % of all the Asian sockeye is harvested in the watersheds of the Kamchatka and Ozernaya rivers alone. This study is a summary of long-term observations on the Asian sockeye, and is based on the results of the author's 20 years of research. He examines the biological charac- teristics of 38 local sockeye populations (from Iturup Is. to Eastern Chukotka). Long-term data was used to analyze the interannual variability in the growth of juvenile sockeye of the Kamchatka and Ozernaya rivers. Questions concerning the structural analysis of the scales in juveniles and spawn- ers of the sockeye are discussed in detail for the purpose of standardizing the age-determination procedure. Data on the feeding behaviour of juvenile sockeye in the watersheds of the Kamchatka and Ozernaya rivers are presented, and questions concerning the food competition of fish in the Kamchatka River watershed are discussed. The causes of fluctuations in the abundance of the sock- eye in the Kamchatka and Ozernaya rivers are analyzed, and the latest methods of forecasting the abundance of these stocks and the fluctuations in the abundance of some secondary populations of Asian sockeye are examined. The author also looks at the future of natural and artificial reproduc- tion of the species. The book also includes reference information. This English version of book “Asian Sockeye Salmon” is intended for students, fishery biolo- gists and scientists of the Pacific Rim countries, using the valuable resource – Salmon. Tables – 165, Illustrations – 134, Bibliography – 612 + 55 titles. УДК 338.24:330.15 ББК 28.693.32 This book approved for publication by the decision of Scientific Board of Kamchatka Research Institute of Fisheries & Oceanography (protocol No. 20, 26 July 2010), Petropavlvosk-Kamchatsky. On front side of the cover: the spawning sockeye salmon in Azabach Lake (14 July 2010, Photo by Kentaro Morita (Hokkaido Na- tional Fisheries Research Institute, Japan). On back side of the cover: the location of principal stocks of sockeye salmon in Asia (Bugaev, Kirichenko, 2008): 1 – Okhota R., 2 – Kukhtuy R., 3 – Ola R., 4 – Palana R. (Palaskoye L.), 5 – Tigil R., 6 – Khairyuzova R., 7 – Icha R., 8 – Oblukovina R., 9 – Krutogorova R., 10 – Vorovskaya R., 11 – Kol R., 12 – Kikhchik R., 13 – Utka R., 14 – Bolshaya R. (Nachikinskoye L.), 15 – Opala R., 16 – Ozernaya R. (Kuril L.), 17 – Kambalnaya R. (Kambalnoye L.), 18 – Listvenichnaya R. (Listvenichnoye L.), 19 – Paratunka R. (Dalneye L., Blizhneye L.), 20 – Avacha R., 21 – Zhupanova R., 22 – Tikhaya R., 23 – Kronotskaya R. (Kronotskoye L.), 24 – Kamchatka R. (Azabash L., Dvukhy- urtochnoye L., Nerpichye L.), 25 – Stolbovaya R., 26 – Khailyulya R., 27 – Rusakova R., 28 – Ivashka R., 29 – Dranka R., 30 – Karaga R., 31 – Tymlat R., 32 – Kichiga R., 33 – Vyvenka R., 34 – Avyavayam R., 35 – Kultushnaya R. (Ilir-Gythyn L.), 36 – Pakhacha R.(Potat- Gythyn L., Khai-Gythyn L.), 37 – Impuka R., 38 – Apuka R. (Vatyt-Gythyn L.), 39 – Ananapylgen R. (Anana Lagoon L.), 40 – Severnaya R., 41 – Tamanvayam R., 42 – Machevna R., 43 – Ilpiveem R., 44 – Ukalayat R., 45 – Khatyrka R., 46 – Meynypilgyn R. (Vaamochka L., Pekulneiskoye L.), 47 – Velkilveem R. (Kaipylgen L.), 48 – Orianda Lagoon, 49 – Amaam Lagoon, 50 – Tumanskaya R. (Mainitz L.), 51 – Seutakan R. (Seutakan L.), 52 – Achchen R. (Achchen L.), 53 – Sarannaya R. (Sarannoye L.), 54 – Gavanka R., 55 – Ladyginka R., 56 – Bettobu R., 57 – Zerkalnaya R., 58 – Sopochnaya R. (Sopochnoye L.), 59 – Urumpet R. (Krasivoye L.), 60 – Shikotzu R. (Shikotzu L.), 61 – Abira R. © Bugaev V. F., 2011 © KamchatNIRO, 2011 © Pasific Biological Station ISBN 978-5-9610-0159-4 (Nanaimo, B. C. Canada), 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface to English version ...............................................................................................................................................................................4 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Section 1. Distribution and life cycle of the sockeye .......................................................................................................................................6 Section 2. Species structure in the sockeye ....................................................................................................................................................9 Section 3. Research history of the Asian sockeye .........................................................................................................................................10 Section 4. Material and methods ...................................................................................................................................................................15 Section 5. Anadromous migration .................................................................................................................................................................21 Section 6. Characteristics of the breeding grounds and spawning periods ...................................................................................................25 Section 7. Foraging waters ............................................................................................................................................................................33 Section 8. Freshwater period of the largest Asian stocks of sockeye (Kamchatka and Ozernaya rivers) 8.1. Spatial distribution of the sockeye populations of the Kamchatka R. ..................................................................................44 8.2. Spatial distribution of the sockeye populations of the Ozernaya R. .....................................................................................52 8.3. Seasonal rhythms of growth ...................................................................................................................................................54 8.3.1. Linear growth of underyearling and yearling sockeye in the watersheds of the Kamchatka R. and Kuril L. (Ozernaya R.) ..........................................................................................................................................54 8.3.2. Formation of the first annulus on the scales in juvenile sockeye of the Kamchatka R. ..............................................59 8.3.3. Compensatory growth in sockeye smolts of the Kamchatka R. ..................................................................................66 8.3.4. Seasonal rhythms of growth in young sockeye of Azabach L. (Kamchatka R.) and Kuril L. (Ozernaya R.) .............71 8.4. Downstream migration and qualitative characteristics of sockeye smolts migrating from Azabach L. and Kuril L. (Ozernaya R.) ..........................................................................................................................................79 8.5. Feeding characteristics of juvenile sockeye in the Kamchatka R. watershed. Food competitors and predators 8.5.1. Spatial distribution of the threespine stickleback population in the Kamchatka R. watershed ...................................86 8.5.2. Feeding habits of underyearling sockeye in the Kamchatka R. watershed ..................................................................90 8.5.3. Food relationships of fish foraging in the Azabach L. watershed ................................................................................97 8.5.4. Predators of the sockeye in the Azabach L. watershed ..............................................................................................107 8.6. Feeding habits of juvenile sockeye in Kuril L. ...................................................................................................................108 8.7. Interannual variability in the growth of the sockeye, depending on the feeding and temperature conditions at the foraging grounds (structural analysis of fish scales) ................................................................................ 112 8.7.1. Correlation between body size and scale structure in juvenile sockeye .................................................................... 113 8.7.2. Growth of juvenile sockeye in Azabach L. (Kamchatka R.) ..................................................................................... 115 8.7.3. Growth of juvenile sockeye in Kuril L. (Ozernaya R.) ..............................................................................................123 8.8. Interannual variability of Diphyllobothrium sp. infestation in sockeye of the Kamchatka R. ...........................................132