Queen Charlotte Strait Research Articles

Early ocean survival and marine movements of hatchery and wild steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) determined by an acoustic array: Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia

Early ocean movements, residency, and survival of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were examinedin Queen Charlotte Strait, a large (20 � 100 km 2 ) marine area separating Vancouver Islandfrom the mainland . The results provide the first detailed data on the ocean biology of hatchery and wild steelhead smolts. Initial ocean movements were not strongly directed, with most smolts swimming in the range of 0.2–0.5 body length (BL) s � 1 . The majority (78%) vacatedQueen Charlotte Strait within 1 week of release in freshwater. Relative marine survival of hatchery smolts surgically implanted1 month prior to release was id entical to that of wildsmolts implantedon the d ay of release; survival of hatchery smolts transported to the study site, implanted, and released all on the same day was significantly lower. The results suggest that the early marine survival of hatchery andwildsmolts may be fundamentally similar, but that the cumulative stress of transportation andsurgery may red uce post-surgery survival. Hatchery smolts movedat higher average swimming speeds than wild smolts, but the difference was not statistically significant. Early marine survival within the study region appears to be relatively high (X55%), contradicting assumptions that the early marine phase is the critical periodfor d etermining salmon recruitment. r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in British Columbia, Canada, and Washington State, USA, reveal a combination of local and global polychlorinated biphenyl, dioxin, and furan signals

The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) can serve as a useful indicator of food web contamination by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) because of its high trophic level, wide distribution in temperate coastal waters of the Northern Hemisphere, and relative ease of capture. In 1996 through 1997, we live-captured 60 harbor seal pups from three regions, spanning remote (Queen Charlotte Strait, BC, Canada), moderately industrialized (Strait of Georgia, BC, Canada), and heavily industrialized (Puget Sound, WA, USA) marine basins straddling the Canada-United States border. Biopsy samples of blubber were taken and analyzed for congener-specific polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) by using high-resolution gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Harbor seals in Puget Sound were heavily contaminated with PCBs, whereas seals from the Strait of Georgia had relatively high concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs. Pattern evaluation and principal components analysis suggested that proximity to sources influenced the mixture to which seals were exposed, with those inhabiting more remote areas being exposed to lighter PCB congeners (those with lower Henry's law constant and K(ow)) that disperse more readily through atmospheric and other processes. Total toxic equivalents to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin for the PCBs, PCDDs, and PCDFs suggest that Puget Sound seals are at greatest risk for adverse health effects, and that PCBs represent the class of dioxinlike contaminants of greatest concern at all sites.

Three-Dimensional Model Simulations of Tides and Buoyancy Currents along the West Coast of Vancouver Island

A three-dimensional finite element model is used to calculate the barotropic tides and seasonal buoyancy flows off the western and northern coasts of Vancouver Island. The model buoyancy currents and the harmonics of eight tidal constituents are compared with those from previous models, and those from tide gauge and current meter observations. The rms differences between observed and calculated sea level tidal amplitudes are within 2.3 cm for all constituents, whereas the rms differences between observed and calculated phases are, with the exception of Q1, within 3.58. The model currents are more accurate than those from previous models. Of particular interest are the diurnal continental shelf waves. It is shown that these waves are generated through the conservation of potental vorticity arising when the strong diurnal tidal currents in Juan de Fuca Strait encounter the abrupt topography near the entrance to the strait. These waves do not appear to propagate beyond Brooks Peninsula, a large promontory cutting across the continental shelf. A power budget analysis reveals that the reason for this is not the blocking effect of the peninsula but rather there is little energy left in the waves when they reach that point. This energy loss is primarily through frictional dissipation in a series of trapped eddies along the shelf break. The location of these eddies varies with the forcing frequency and appears to be related to the spacing of canyons. It is also demonstrated that the strong diurnal currents observed over the shallow banks in Queen Charlotte Sound to the north of Brooks Peninsula do not arise from the oscillatory diurnal flows in Queen Charlotte Strait. Unlike the case for Juan de Fuca Strait, the region offshore of Queen Charlotte Strait does not support diurnal coastally trapped waves. Seasonal changes in the wavelengths of the Vancouver Island shelf waves are shown to arise through an advective interaction (Doppler shift) with the buoyancy-driven Vancouver Island coastal current and the wind-driven shelf break current.

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of the Harmful Diatoms Chaetoceros concavicornis and Chaetoceros convolutus along the British Columbia Coast

The harmful phytoplankters Chaetoceros concavicornis and Chaetoceros convolutus are normal components of the phytoplankton assemblage along the British Columbia coast. During 1988, these diatoms occurred at their highest concentrations in the spring and fall from the Strait of Georgia to Queen Charlotte Strait. North of Queen Charlotte Strait, the maximal concentrations appeared to be delayed until summer. The greatest concentrations occurred in the waters of the Strait of Georgia and its contiguous bays and inlets, especially Jervis Inlet, where concentrations of C. concavicornis and C. convolutus which could be harmful to salmon occurred during the spring and fall of 1988. Lesser concentrations occurred in coastal seawaters north of the Strait of Georgia. These phytoplankters were absent, or were present in only minor concentrations, in inlets with low-salinity waters such as Holberg Inlet and Indian Arm. Harmful Chaetoceros cells were restricted to seawaters greater than approximately 17‰ salinity. Vertically and horizontally well-mixed waters, such as those of Johnstone Strait, also appeared to restrict the presence of these cells. The greatest concentrations of these diatoms occurred during the spring and fall in relatively stratified coastal seawater with salinities between 26 and 34‰.

Evolutionary Implications of Genic Variation among Insular Populations of Peromyscus maniculatus and Peromyscus oreas

A survey of electrophoretic variation in proteins encoded by 24 gene loci revealed differences in allele frequencies (principally at ADH, ES-1, and GOT-1) between two karyotypically characterized species of deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus and P. oreas ) from Vancouver Island and smaller islands in the Queen Charlotte Strait and Strait of Georgia. The large number of alleles common to the two taxa and the absence of fixed allelic differences are consistent with a hypothesis of recent common ancestry. In addition, random variance in allele frequencies among small-island populations of both species is indicative of interspecific divergence accelerated by stochastic processes. Nevertheless, genetic consequences of geographic isolation (low genic variability and high interpopulational differentiation) are more pronounced in P. oreas than in P. maniculatus , and this is attributed to differences in potential for gene flow. Patterns of geographic variation evident in morphological analyses, summarized in the recognition of P. maniculatus austerus and three subspecies of P. oreas ( P. o. oreas, P. o. interdictus , and P. o. isolatus ) from Pacific regions of British Columbia and Washington, may stem from genetic factors related to peripheral isolation of P. oreas from P. maniculatus and interspecific differences in dispersal abilities.

Surplus production model analysis of crab ( Cancer magister Dana) fisheries of British Columbia, Canada

Equilibrium and non-equilibrium surplus production models are used to analyse 12 Dungeness crab ( Cancer magister Dana) fisheries in British Columbia, Canada. The analysis places the 12 crab fisheries into two categories. Category 1 fisheries have sufficient information to provide reliable parameter estimates of maximum sustainable yield ( MSY) and sustained effort level ({itE opt) with Schaefer's model. Included are Queen Charlotte Strait, Tofino, Fraser River Mouth, Chatham Sound, Boundary Bay, Burrard Inlet and Sooke Harbor. Current fishing effort is excessive, in relation to estimated E opt, in Queen Charlotte Strait, Tofino, Fraser River Mouth, Chatham Sound, and Sooke Harbor. This points to the need of reducing days fished in these areas to E opt. For Burrard Inlet, more drastic conservation measures are required to rebuild the stock. Category 2 fisheries contain insufficient information to obtain reliable estimates of MSY and E opt, however, ( CPUE opt) is estimated. Included are Sidney-Esquimalt, Gulf Islands, English Bay, Hecate Strait and Nanaimo. Current catch per unit effort ( CPUE) is at or near estimated CPUE opt in Sidney-Esquimalt, Gulf Islands, and Nanaimo. Thus, current fishing levels (except for Nanaimo) can be maintained in these areas. For English Bay and Hecate Strait drastic conservation measures are required to rebuild the stocks.

Recent Trends in the Abundance of Harbour Seals,Phoca vitulina, in British Columbia

Aerial censuses of harbour seals (Phoca vituiina) were conducted in the Strait of Georgia (1966–88), the lower Skeena River (1977–87), off the southwest coast of Vancouver island (1976–87), off the northeast coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands (1986), in Jervis Inlet (1987), and at the entrance to Queen Charlotte Strait (1988). The estimated number of seals in the Strait of Georgia, the primary study area, increased from 2170 in 1973 to 15 810 in 1988; the number in the lower Skeena River from 520 in 1977 to 1590 in 1987; and the number off south western Vancouver Island from 210 in 1976 to 1130 in 1987. The trends indicated that populations throughout British Columbia had been increasing at a rate of about 12.5% ∙yr−1since 1973. Based on the density of seals in the areas surveyed, and the relative distribution of bounty and commercial kills, the total post-pupping population in British Columbia was estimated to have numbered 75 000–88 000 in 1988, compared with 9000–10 500 when the species was protected in 1970. Despite the recent increases, which probably reflect the recovery from historic kills, there was no evidence of density-dependent changes in the population growth rate.

Morphological variation and taxonomy of chromosomally differentiated Peromyscus from the Pacific Northwest

Analysis of 28 morphological characters supports the existence of two karyotypically defined species of Peromyscus on Vancouver Island and islands in the Queen Charlotte Strait and the Strait of Georgia. Morphology of insular and mainland populations from Washington and British Columbia is congruent with karyotypic data indicating that only the smaller, low fundamental number deer mice should be retained with Peromyscus maniculatus, and that the larger, high fundamental number forms should be referred to Peromyscus areas. Accordingly, P. maniculatus ranges throughout Vancouver Island, is the only deer mouse inhabiting the islands of the Strait of Georgia, and occurs on some of the more northern small islands. Insular forms of P. areas occur on northern and western Vancouver Island and on the islands in the Queen Charlotte Strait. The existence of two species in this geographic area indicates the need for a revision of the subspecific taxonomy. From the patterns of morphological variation among the examined populations of karyotypically characterized individuals, we offer hypotheses that should be tested in the development of formal intraspecific taxonomic decisions.

An Account of a Voyage to the North West Coast of America in 1785 and 1786 by Alexander Walker

Reviews 163 believe) that Walker met Carson in Independence in 1826 and thereafter “took an avuncular interest” in him. Gilbert defends Walker for having ordered his men to fire upon the Digger Indians in 1833, when these Indians had never seen guns before. Thirty-nine of them were killed. All the trappers believed in and acted upon the principle of retaliation, but only Walker acted on the principle of “the preventive strike” and most people then and now find this principle hard to justify. It is not true that Lucien Fontenelle committed suicide at Fort Laramie in 1838 while drunk, nor that Gantt and Blackwell went broke in 1831, and it is distressing to find these old mistakes repeated here, as well as to find Marcellin St. Vrain’s name changed to Marcellus. The author located Bent’s Old Fort “near the present Kansas-Colorado line” (p. 10) and “on the head­ waters of the Arkansas River” (p. 156). Neither is anywhere close to the correct location. Tecumseh did not go “down to his final defeat in Michigan” nor did this “shatter his coalition” (p. 53), which had been shattered by the battle of Tippecanoe. St. Clair’s defeat occurred on the Wabash River, not the Maumee, and the battle lasted three or four hours instead of two days (p. 35). General Pope did not command the Union Army at the battle of Antietam (p. 242). These errors arise from dragging in material that has no connection with the life of Joseph Walker. Readers will find almost everything that is known about Walker between the covers of this book and a good deal more besides. It is all presented in a readable but rather tendentious style. Readers should be alert for special pleading and overstatement. HARVEY L. CARTER, Colorado College An Account of a Voyage to the North West Coast of America in 1785 and 1786. By Alexander Walker. Edited by Robin Fisher and J. M. Bumsted. (Vancouver/Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, and Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1983. 319 pages, $24.95.) In 1785 Ensign Alexander Walker, in service with the East India Com­ pany, accompanied the fur-trading expedition of C. J. S. Strange, “Senior Merchant of the Madras Establishment.” The expedition spent most of its time in the Nootka Sound region of the central west coast of Vancouver Island and made some exploration of the Queen Charlotte Strait area. Walker’s “Account” is his reconstruction of the observations he made of the Indians, the geography, and the flora and fauna of the regions visited. His original manuscript was lost but Walker had made extensive notes and sketches, and when he retired from government service in 1812 he pre­ pared his account for publication. Until now it remained, unpublished, among his papers. The fact that his account was not written until almost twenty years after the expedition is fortunate. Walker was an intelligent observer and his immediate observations were enhanced by what he later 164 Western American Literature learned in observing and writing about the “Hindoos” and by the other com­ parative culture studies which he read. His is the first account of the North­ west Indians composed in the context of early nineteenth-century studies of the culture of India. Thus his account is not simply a narrative of a voyage, although Walker does recount the voyage the ship made in a chapter written “for those who might be interested in such things.” The purpose of the account is to describe the land and its resources and its people and to make proposals for trade. In separate chapters he describes geography and climate, the trees, shrubs, plants, birds, animals and fish of each region; the language and customs of the peoples; other explorations; the problems of trading. In style and content it is an example of that combination of scientific curiosity and practicality that one often finds in the writings of late eighteenth-century citizens of the world. The detail and the accuracy of his observations are amazing. At the same time the narratives are the observations of a man limited by ideas about the nature of savagery and civilization, however advanced, and by the time he had...

Factors influencing the distribution of Egregia menziesii (Phaeophyta, Laminariales) in British Columbia, Canada

Egregia menziesii (Turner) Areschoug is a common component of the algal flora along the west coast of Vancouver Island, Queen Charlotte Strait, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca but is absent from the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia, Canada. This distribution pattern was found to be correlated with temperature and salinity in that E. menziesii is not present in areas where there are seasonal periods of low salinity and high temperature. To test this correlation, field transplants of sporophytes and laboratory experiments with sporophytes and culture work were carried out. The results suggest that the distribution of E. menziesii is limited by specific combinations of salinity and temperature; it requires high salinities and temperatures less than 15 °C for its survival.