New Research - more than enough Chinook for SRKW

[searun]

FisheryEffectsSRKW_FINAL_Jan28_2019[2].pdf

WA State released a new study outlining caloric requirements to support SRKW, against available Chinook prey already in the Puget Sound. Researchers determined some rather interesting findings:

Estimating available prey for SRKWs In analyzing the daily dietary needs of SRKWs relative to prey abundance, NMFS (2018) indicated that there are significantly more Chinook available in Puget Sound than what is needed to sustain the SRKW population now.

 The estimated ratios of Chinook abundance relative to SRKW prey needs indicates that there were 11-22 times the amount of Chinook food energy available in Puget Sound in 2014 (Table 15, NMFS 2018).

 In some years (e.g., 2012) the range drops as low as about nine times the amount needed during the July-September timeframe, but has also been as high as 16 times the amount needed in other years (e.g., 2010) for the same period.

 

[Cuba Libre]

Thanks Pat.

 

[RODNREEL]

Thank you for the info.

 

[halimark]

Dam now who do I believe, Washingtons States scientists or Mr Suzuki???????? I stand by my thoughts, Starving Killer Whales will NOT swim past schools of salmon to only eat Chinook. Truly believe something else is happening. Thanks for the info.

HM

 

[searun]

Someone asked if I could post up the internet link to the report, so here it is. This report certainly casts some questions on the theories around starvation & SRKW recovery.

I think that the international prey availability workshop led by Dr. Andrew Trites sheds more light on what is likely going on...after considering a variety of issues and weighing which solutions would result in the best approach to achieving quickest recovery they landed on physical and acoustic disturbances which impede the ability of SRKW to find and acquire their prey as a key issue. Similarly, recent research indicating that there is a 2 year pattern linked to pink salmon abundance years where SRKW birth/mortality rates follow a similar pattern...that suggests possibly that the large numbers of pinks impede echolocation and feeding success. Ergo, natural abundance of pink salmon, or vessel disturbances are more likely to be significant inhibitors to SRKW successfully finding their prey - even when there is more prey available than they require.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02039/