Population-specific consumption of Pacific herring by juvenile and sub-adult Chinook salmon in Puget Sound

Investigators: Josh Chamberlin (NOAA), Lorenz Hauser (U. of Washington)

Pacific herring caught in Puget Sound. Photo credit Megsie Siple.

A previous SSMSP study suggested that juvenile Chinook salmon growth rates were enhanced with the inclusion of Pacific herring in the diet. In addition, herring are a primary resource for resident Chinook salmon. Puget Sound is home to over 20 sub-populations of herring, each of which varies in abundance; however, little is known about population-specific predator-prey dynamics. Understanding which local herring sub-populations are most important to Chinook salmon feeding will inform targeted recovery strategies for both herring and Chinook.