Project Information

Title: Herring Disease Program 24120111-E

Project Year and Number: 2024: 24120111-E

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2023: 23120111-E , 2022: 22120111-E , 2021: 21120111-E, 2020: 20120111-E, 2019: 19120111-E, 2018: 18120111-E, 2017: 17120111-E, 2016: 16120111-K, 2015: 15120111-K, 2014: 14120111-K, 2013: 13120111-K, 2012: 12120111-K

Principal Investigator (PI): Paul Hershberger (USGS), Maureen Purcell (USGS)

Managing Agency: USGS

Assisting Personnel: None

Research Location: Prince William Sound

Restoration Category: Monitoring, Research

Injured Resources Addressed: Pacific Herring

Abstract:

The Herring Disease Program (HDP) involves a combination of field observations, controlled laboratory experiments, novel tool development, and mathematical models to better understand, forecast, and mitigate disease impacts to Prince William Sound (PWS) herring populations. Field surveillances will involve annual assessments of the primary herring pathogens occurring in PWS, including viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), Ichthyophonus, and erythrocytic necrosis virus (ENV). Additional field studies will investigate how other Gulf of Alaska and PWS fishes impact the ecology of these pathogens for Pacific herring. In vivo laboratory experiments will be based on the successful production of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) Pacific herring and will be directed towards understanding basic epizootiological principles of these diseases. A large laboratory focus will involve evaluating possible Ichthyophonus transmission routes to Pacific herring, including the possible involvement of egg consumption on transmission. Novel disease forecasting tools will be developed and further optimized, including the plaque neutralization test to detect VHSV neutralizing antibodies and the possible application of RTqPCR on gill tissues to assess VHSV exposure history in Pacific herring. Finally, disease models will be developed to evaluate the relative importance of disease cofactors and evaluate roles of VHSV antibodies and herd immunity in disease potential. The HDP is either fully integrated, or sharing sampling platforms, with other proposed Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council projects including Genetic and physiological mechanisms of virus and oil interactions in Pacific herring (Whitehead), Herring / Pink Salmon interactions (Rand et al.), Modeling and stock assessment of Prince William Sound herring (Branch), PWS Herring Assessment (Morella), and Pacific Herring Connectivity Between PWS and Kayak Island (Cypher).

This project was approved for the FY22-FY26 funding cycle. Please see project 22120111-E for the original proposal. The FY23 proposal amendment request is posted below.

In FY23, the project proposal was amended to include investigating the association of Ichthyophonus with walleye pollock eggs and attempt to transmit the parasite to herring by feeding with wild pollock eggs. Samples will be collected by project 23160111-F during FY24 and FY25. This work was previously approved by the Council for project 22220203 which was terminated by ADF&G.


Proposal: View (543 KB)

Reports: None Available

Publications from this Project: None Available

Resolutions: