Project Information

Title: Field Examination of Oil-Related Embryo Mortalities that Persist in Pink Salmon Populations in PWS 98191-A1

Project Year and Number: 1998: 98191-A1

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 1999: 99191-A-CLO, 1997: 97191-A, 1997: 97191-A2, 1997: 97191-A1, 1996: 96191-B, 1996: 96191-A, 1996: 96191-A1, 1995: 95191-A, 1995: 95191, 1995: 95191-B, 1995: 95191-A1, 1995: 95191-A2, 1994: 94191-1, 1994: 94191-2, 1993: 93003, 1992: FS02, 1991: FS02, 1990: FS02, 1989: FS02

Principal Investigator (PI): Andrew Craig

Managing Agency: ADFG

Assisting Personnel: Brian Bue, David Evans, Mark Willette

Research Location: Prince William Sound

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Pink Salmon

Abstract: Elevated embryo mortalities were detected in populations of pink salmon inhabiting oiled streams following the oil spill. These increased rates of mortality persisted annually through the 1993 field season, suggesting that genetic damage may have occurred as a result of exposure to oil during early developmental life-stages. The consequences of this putative genetic damage include physiological dysfunction of individuals and reduced reproductive capacity of populations. The 1994, 1995, and 1996 field results show no statistical difference in embryo mortality between oil-contaminated and reference streams. In FY 98, this project will continue to monitor the recovery of pink salmon embryos in the field. If there is again no difference in embryo mortality between oil-contaminated and reference streams, this project will be closed out in FY 99.


Proposal: Not Available

Reports:
Final Report: View (4,840 KB)

Publications from this Project: None Available