Dispersal, behavior, and life history of Dolly Varden in Arctic Alaska
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Project Description
In Arctic Alaska, the Dolly Varden char is highly valued as a subsistence fish; however, little is known about several aspects of its oceanic dispersal, behavior, and life history. This multidisciplinary, collaborative project has revealed several previously undescribed facets of the biology and ecology of Dolly Varden, including rates of interdrainage exchange, as well as freshwater overwinter survival and marine summer survival. Of particularly note, while in the Arctic Ocean, Dolly Varden frequently occupy offshore waters up to several hundred kilometers from land, while largely remaining surface oriented. Such knowledge aids in understanding potential impacts of human activities such as hydrocarbon development, and environmental change in the Arctic.
Project Funding
Coastal Marine Institute, Rasmuson Fisheries Research Center, Alaska Department of
Fish and Game, Red Dog Mine, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Subsistence
Management
Start Date: 0000-00-00
End Date: 0000-00-00
Research Team
Andrew "Andy" Seitz
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor
Specialties:
- Fish behavior
- Fish migration
- Behavioral ecology
- Electronic tagging
Brendan Scanlon
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Randy Brown
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Colin Gallagher
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Michael Courtney
CFOS Research Staff
Audun Rikardsen
The Arctic University of Norway