Historical and Current Hatchery Programs and Management of Chum Salmon in Hokkaido, Northern Japan

Abstract

The hatchery program for chum salmon in Hokkaido, northern Japan, constitutes one of the largest salmon hatchery programs in the world. The hatchery program has been conducted for over 120 years, and returns of chum salmon rapidly increased during the last quarter of the 20th century. Since the 1990s, chum salmon returns to Hokkaido have remained at a historically high level, although different fluctuation trends have been observed among regions within Hokkaido. Although such intensive hatchery programs have been conducted for more than 25 generations, there has been no evidence indicating any decline of genetic diversity. The hatchery program for chum salmon in Hokkaido is successful in increasing commercial catches and will likely be the main management tool in future. However, information on naturally spawning chum salmon in Hokkaido remains scarce. Assessment of naturally spawning populations recently commenced, and it has been revealed that naturally spawning chum salmon populations remain in many rivers in Hokkaido. For future management, monitoring chum salmon of both hatchery and natural origin is important, and a novel strategy that accounts for the enhancement of commercial stocks and the coexistence of hatchery programs and wild populations should be established in Japan.