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The International sampling program: Continent of origin and biological characteristics of Atlantic salmon collected at West Greenland in 2017
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2019
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[PDF-1.23 MB]
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Description:An Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) mixed-stock fishery operating from August through October exists off the western coast of Greenland and primarily harvests 1 sea-winter (1SW) North American and European origin salmon destined to return to natal waters as 2 sea-winter (2SW) spawning adults. To collect data on the biological characteristics and origin of the harvest necessary for international stock assessment efforts, parties to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization’s (NASCO) West Greenland Commission agreed to participate in an international sampling program for the 2017 fishery. The sampling program was coordinated by the USA (NOAA Fisheries Service) and involved 7 samplers from 5 countries, deployed among 4 communities (Sisimiut, Maniitsoq, Paamiut, and Qaqortoq) located on the west coast of Greenland. Reported landings in 2017 were 28.0 metric tons (t). Data on length, weight, freshwater and marine age from scale samples, and continent and region of origin from genetic analysis of tissue samples were collected. Since 2002 (with the exception of 2006, 2011, and 2015) unreported landings were identified by comparing the reported landings to the weight of the sampled harvest for each community. Unreported landings were detected in 2017 although the discrepancy was small (277 kg). In total, 1,596 salmon were observed by the sampling teams (approximately 20% by weight of the reported landings), and 1,370 of these were sampled for biological characteristics. No samples were collected from factory landed fish because factory landings were not allowed in 2017. As seen since the mid-1990s, a high proportion of the harvested stock was of North American origin (74%) with the balance European origin (26%). Primary contributors to the sampled fish were the Labrador, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Gaspé Peninsula reporting groups (~67%) for North American origin individuals and the United Kingdom/Ireland reporting group(~23%) for European origin individuals. No individuals were identified as having originated from the Kapisillit reporting group, which represents Greenland’s only self-sustaining Atlantic salmon population. North American origin fish were primarily freshwater age 2 or 3 years (31% and 69% respectively). European origin fish were primarily freshwater age 2 (73%). Overall, 93% of the sampled fish were 1SW salmon. The mean length of North American 1SW salmon was 66.6 cm, and the mean whole weight was 3.42 kg; the mean length of European 1SW salmon was 64.8 cm, and the mean whole weight was 3.31 kg. Approximately 6,100 North American (20.9 t) and 2,200European salmon (7.2 t) were harvested, not taking into account any unreported catch. The sampling program was successful in adequately sampling the Greenland catch, both temporally and spatially, and provided essential input data to international stock assessment efforts that provide stock status and catch options for subsequent fishery management.
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Rights Information:Public Domain
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