salmon
October 18, 2023
DNA shows where Washington culvert replacements helped spawning salmon
A project led by the UW used genetic sleuthing to study how salmon were affected by two major culvert replacements near the city of Bellingham. One project, a major upgrade under Interstate-5, had a big impact, while the other old culvert may have been less of a barrier to fish. Authors from the UW and NOAA are studying the use of eDNA in future environmental impact reporting.
June 29, 2022
‘Safety in numbers’ tactic keeps Pacific salmon safe from predators
A new University of Washington study that leverages historical data has found unique support for a “safety in numbers” hypothesis by showing that Pacific salmon in larger groups have lower risk of being eaten by predators. But for some salmon species, schooling comes at the cost of competition for food, and those fish may trade safety for a meal.
December 23, 2020
Bait and switch: Mislabeled salmon, shrimp have biggest environmental toll
A study co-authored by UW’s Sunny Jardine finds that farmed Atlantic salmon, often labeled and sold as Pacific salmon or rainbow trout, is the second-most-consumed mislabeled seafood product in the U.S. Although not the most frequently mislabeled seafood, salmon’s popularity means it has one of the biggest environmental impacts.
June 4, 2019
Early lives of Alaska sockeye salmon accelerating with climate change
An ample buffet of freshwater food, brought on by climate change, is altering the life history of one of the world’s most important salmon species.
May 23, 2019
Hot spots in rivers that nurture young salmon ‘flicker on and off’ in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region
Chemical signatures imprinted on tiny stones that form inside the ears of fish show that two of Alaska’s most productive salmon populations, and the fisheries they support, depend on the entire watershed.
December 18, 2018
Salmon may lose the ability to smell danger as carbon emissions rise
New research shows that the powerful sense of smell Pacific salmon rely on for migration, finding food and avoiding predators might be in trouble as carbon emissions continue to be absorbed by our ocean.
February 27, 2018
Largest Chinook salmon disappearing from West Coast
The largest and oldest Chinook salmon — fish also known as “kings” and prized for their exceptional size — have mostly disappeared along the West Coast, according to a new study led by the University of Washington.
June 29, 2017
Study shows high pregnancy failure in southern resident killer whales; links to nutritional stress and low salmon abundance
A multi-year survey of the nutritional, physiological and reproductive health of endangered southern resident killer whales suggests that up to two-thirds of pregnancies failed in this population from 2007 to 2014. The study links this orca population’s low reproductive success to stress brought on by low or variable abundance of their most nutrient-rich prey, Chinook salmon.
September 15, 2015
Young chum salmon may get biggest nutrition boost from Elliott Bay restored beaches
University of Washington researchers have found the types of organisms in Seattle’s Elliott Bay change depending on the shoreline nearby, either armored or restored beaches. Young chum salmon adjusted their diets based on these changes.
May 15, 2015
Chemical tags in ear bones track Alaska’s Bristol Bay salmon
A chemical signature recorded on the ear bones of Chinook salmon from Alaska’s Bristol Bay region could tell scientists and resource managers where they are born and how they spend their first year of life.
February 18, 2015
Fearless birds and shrinking salmon: Is urbanization pushing Earth’s evolution to a tipping point?
We’ve long known that humans and our cities affect the ecosystem and even drive some evolutionary change. What’s new is that these evolutionary changes are happening more quickly than previously thought, and have potential impacts not in the distant future — but now.
October 30, 2014
Trout trick-or-treat: fish gobble furry animals with four feet
Freshwater fish with bellies full of shrews – one trout a few years back was found to have eaten 19 – aren’t as random as scientists have thought.
January 14, 2013
Salmon runs boom, go bust over centuries
Salmon runs are notoriously variable: strong one year, and weak the next. New research shows that the same may be true from one century to the next.
November 28, 2012
Hungry salmon a problem for restoration efforts
Food webs needed by young salmon in the Columbia River basin are likely compromised in places, something that should be considered when prioritizing expensive restoration activities.
August 21, 2012
66th field season underway in world’s longest-running effort to monitor salmon
The UW’s Alaska Salmon Program, now in its 66th field season, focuses not just on fisheries management, but on ecology and evolution as well, and has just won a top fisheries prize.
August 2, 2012
Bears, scavengers count on all-you-can-eat salmon buffet lasting for months
Salmon conservation shouldn’t narrowly focus on managing flows in streams and rivers or on preserving only places that currently have strong salmon runs. Instead, watersheds need a good mix of steep, cold-running streams and slower, meandering streams of warmer water to keep options open for salmon adapted to reproduce better in one setting than the…
July 2, 2012
News Digest: Alumni Association inaugurates award for veterans, physicists anticipate ‘God particle’ announcement, Honor: Marla Salmon, Got Maps? 2012 print maps available
UW Alumni Association inaugurates distinguished veteran award || Physicists meet Tuesday night in anticipation of “God particle” announcement || Marla Salmon garners fellowships || Got Maps?
June 6, 2012
Too few salmon is far worse than too many boats for killer whales – with slide show
Not having enough Chinook salmon to eat stresses out southern resident killer whales more than having boatloads of whale watchers nearby, according to hormone levels of whales summering in the Salish Sea. In lean times, however, the stress normally associated with boats becomes more pronounced, further underscoring the importance of having enough prey.
December 7, 2011
How Salmonella forms evil twins to evade the bodys defenses
To swim or not to swim? The biological control that makes this choice for genetically identical Salmonella impacts the bacteria’s ability to cause infection.
September 14, 2011
Salmon and other fish predators rely on ‘no guts, no glory survival tactic
The phrase “no guts, no glory” doesnt just apply to athletes who are striving to excel. Salmon and other fish predators take the adage literally.
July 22, 2011
New target found for nitric oxide's attack on Salmonella bacteria
Nitric oxide, which is naturally produced in the nose and gut, disrupts the energy sources of many types of bacteria. Learning how it does this may lead to new antimicrobials or ways to promote the body’s own defenses against infection.
February 23, 2011
Salmon-safe: UW recognized for protecting water quality, salmon habitat
The UWs Seattle campus has won certification as salmon-safe. The certification, created by the Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability, recognizes the UWs efforts to protect water quality and salmon habitat.
November 8, 2010
UW losing 60-year tradition of salmon returning to campus
The decades-long tradition of salmon returning to campus each fall is ending because of new directions in fisheries research and budget cuts.
November 4, 2010
UW losing 60-year tradition of salmon returning to campus
New directions in fisheries research, along with budget cuts, led the UW’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences faculty to decide to discontinue the research salmon run created some 60 years ago at the campus.
