Review of BASIS Salmon Food Habits Studies

• Main Authors: Nancy D. Davis, Anatoly V. Volkov, Er Ya. Efimkin, Natalia A. Kuznetsova, Janet L. Armstrong, Osamu Sakai
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: sockeye; chum; pink; Chinook; food habits; Bering Sea; Sockeye
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.182.9705; http://www.npafc.org/new/publications/Bulletin/Bulletin%20No.%205/NPAFC_Bull_5_197-208%28Davis%29.pdf

Abstract: The BASIS food habits studies of sockeye, chum, pink, and Chinook salmon conducted in 2002–2006 were summarized. These studies identified important ( ≥ 10 % of prey composition by weight) prey taxa of salmon. Salmon diet composition differed between the western region, where diets contained more zooplankton, and the eastern region, where diets contained more ichthyoplankton and nekton. Salmon feeding conditions, growth, and survival in the eastern region were more favorable in relatively warm years, as compared to cool years. However, warmer conditions may not be favorable for all salmon species, such as chum salmon. These studies significantly increased the available information on salmon food habits during the fall in the western, central, and eastern regions. Salmon diet composition shifted from zooplankton to fish and squid, or to larger sizes of fish prey, with increasing salmon body size, age, or maturity. Continued monitoring of salmon food habits will contribute to understanding how future climate changes will affect salmon populations in the Bering Sea.