Project Leader:    
Kristi Miller

Lead Institutions:    
Fisheries & Oceans Canada, University of British Columbia

Research Funding Program:    
Applied Genomics Innovation Program

The long-term viability of the wild salmon industry in British Columbia, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, has been threatened recently by extreme variability in annual returns and declines in abundance. Critical to maintaining and sustaining the salmon fishing industry under the present climate change scenario is the need for scientific information on the physiological adaptability of salmon stocks to shifting environmental conditions.  

This project will help fill this need by characterizing biomarkers to assess the overall health and condition of migrating fish stocks.

Salmon are challenged by environmental changes in salt and fresh water habitats, with climate change expected to increase the frequency of environmental extremes.  The phases of salmon growth and development with the most variability and vulnerability are the transition from fresh water to salt water by juvenile salmon (smolts), and the return of adult salmon to fresh water to spawn.  These two stages require high levels of genetic and phenotypic adaptability that can be assessed using functional genomics technologies.  

The genomic data sets generated from this research will be used to:

1. Resolve the spatio-temporal patterns of change that occur in the fresh to salt water transition of smolts,
2. Quantify physiological factors controlling survivorship during migration,
3. Determine the physiological basis for genetic adaptability to high water temperatures, and
4. Develop biomarkers to assess the condition of migrating fish.