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Assessing Avian Predation on Juvenile Salmonids using Passive Integrated Transponder Tag Recoveries and Mark–Recapture Methods
Author(s) -
Frechette Danielle,
Osterback AnnMarie K.,
Hayes Sean A.,
Bond Morgan H.,
Moore Jonathan W.,
Shaffer Scott A.,
Harvey James T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1080/02755947.2012.728171
Subject(s) - predation , fishery , juvenile , oncorhynchus , population , biology , abundance (ecology) , mark and recapture , predator , endangered species , limiting , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , habitat , mechanical engineering , demography , sociology , engineering
Many populations of coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch and steelhead O. mykiss are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Until recently, the role of avian predation in limiting recovery of coho salmon and steelhead in central California coastal watersheds has been overlooked. We used recoveries of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags from Año Nuevo Island (ANI), a breeding site for several species of piscivorous seabirds, to estimate predation rates on juvenile salmonids and identify susceptible life stages and species responsible for predation. A total of 34,485 PIT tags were deployed in coho salmon and steelhead in six watersheds in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. Tags were deposited on ANI by predators after ingestion of tagged fish. Because tags were not removed from the island and were detected on multiple sampling occasions, we were able to use mark–recapture models to generate a corrected minimum predation estimate. We used POPAN, a variation of the Jolly–Seber model, to generate an estimate of gross population abundance, which accounted for tags deposited on the island but not detected during surveys. Detections of 196 tags from surveys conducted between autumn 2006 and spring 2009 were incorporated into the model, producing a gross population estimate of 242 tags (SE = 9.8). Addition of tags detected between autumn 2009 and 2010 to the abundance estimate from POPAN produced a new minimum estimate of 362 tags on ANI. Western gulls Larus occidentalis probably were the primary predator depositing tags on ANI. Minimum predation estimates ranged from 0.1% (Soquel Creek) to 4.6% (Waddell Creek) of outmigrating coho salmon and steelhead smolts. Predation was potentially greater given still unquantified deposition of tags off‐colony and destruction of tags during digestive processes of predators. Finally, avian predators targeted estuary‐reared fish, which contributed disproportionately to adult populations, further impacting imperiled salmon populations. Received August 4, 2011; accepted August 27, 2012