Submission
Comox Valley Nature is hosting an online lecture by Dr. Carrie Holt, entitled “Genetic risks of hatchery enhancement for Pacific salmon.”
This lecture takes place on Sunday, Feb. 21, 7–9 p.m.
“Under Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy, the conservation of wild salmon and their habitat is the highest priority in the management of Pacific salmon,” said Holt, in an introductory press release. “Hatchery production is used as a conservation tool for wild populations by DFO’s Salmon Enhancement Program and can increase the availability of fish for harvest, but is a risk factor to wild genetic diversity. These risks require management and mitigation to safeguard Pacific salmon biodiversity.
“In this presentation, I will describe these genetic risks and outline a proposed approach for classifying populations that reflects the adaptive state of the population based on proportions of natural- and hatchery-origin fish. I will further explore approaches for minimizing genetic risks of enhancement to wild populations. Except for populations near extirpation, limiting hatchery size by scaling the hatchery program to natural production is an effective way to reduce these risks.”
Holt is a research scientist with Fisheries and Ocean Canada at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo.
To register for this webinar, click here.