Scientists from several fish and wildlife agencies have launched a rapid research and response effort to tackle a deficiency of thiamine, or Vitamin B1, recently found to be increasing juvenile mortality among chinook salmon in California’s Central Valley.
Wild Upper Columbia spring chinook are “pretty far from de-listing,” said Dan Rawding, Columbia River Salmon Recovery Coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a presentation at this month’s Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting.
Historically, spring-run and fall-run chinook salmon have been considered as separate subspecies, races, ecotypes, or even as separate species of fish. A new genetic analysis, however, shows that the timing of migration in chinook salmon is determined entirely by differences in one short stretch of DNA in their genomes.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule Thursday that removes Endangered Species Act protection for all gray wolves in the lower 48 states except for a small population of Mexican gray wolves in Arizona and New Mexico. There are now roughly 6,000 wolves in the lower 48 states.
NOAA’s winter forecast for the U.S. favors warmer, drier conditions across the southern tier of the U.S., and cooler, wetter conditions in the North, thanks in part to an ongoing La Nina.
In response to detection of IHN virus, Idaho Fish and Game hatchery staff at Magic Valley Fish Hatchery last week removed approximately 96,000 juvenile B-run steelhead from production. The IHN virus is not uncommon in southern Idaho fish, but the strain of the virus detected in the fish at the Magic Valley Hatchery is not known to be native to the area.
Idaho fisheries managers expect to open the fish trap at Hells Canyon Dam on Nov. 2 and will hopefully have enough fish available for the Boise River.
