Nine years of sea lice and pink salmon population dynamics in the Broughton Archipelago

• Main Author: Stephanie J. Peacock
• Other Authors: Mark Lewis, Marty Krkosek
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Salmon; aquaculture; Pink salmon
• Online Access: https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/338d66d7-8589-49d2-8a71-d52ecaf17a62; https://doi.org/10.7939/R3WH2DM4T

The abundance of sea lice on farmed salmon and wild juvenile salmon in the Broughton Archipelago has fluctuated significantly both among and within years. Years when sea lice have reached epizootic levels are associated with increased mortality and depressed productivity of wild salmon populations. In contrast, years when the abundance of sea lice is relatively low are associated with improved productivity of wild populations to levels similar in unexposed populations. In this talk, we compare these trends in sea lice and salmon population dynamics with trends in management practices of salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago. Of particular interest is the effect of co-ordinated area management, which utilizes parasiticide treatment as well as strategic harvest and stocking schedules, in order to protect wild juvenile salmon from sea lice.