Central Valley Flood Protection Board: Update on the San Joaquin…

Maven's Notebook – Historically, the San Joaquin River has supported large chinook salmon populations. However, since the Bureau of Reclamation’s Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River became fully operational in the 1940s, much of the river’s water has been diverted from the river for agricultural uses.  This has resulted in about 60 miles of the river bed going dry in most years and the Read More…

Freshwater giants are dying

Up News Info – Some of the most amazing creatures on Earth hide in rivers and lakes: giant catfish weighing more than 600 pounds, stripes the length of the Volkswagen Beetles, trout six feet long that can swallow an entire mouse. There are about 200 species of the so-called freshwater megafauna, but compared to their terrestrial and marine counterparts, scientists study them little and Read More…

Researchers tap salmon DNA to decode marine mysteries

Canada's National Observer – Looking back, Christoph Deeg admits he didn’t know what he was getting into when he accepted a job on a high-seas expedition in the dead of winter on the RV Professor Kaganovskiy. At the time, the 33-year-old biologist and genomics specialist was fresh off completing his PhD, and he jumped at the chance to join 20 other scientists from five Pacific Rim Read More…

WWF praises Global Salmon Initiative

The Fish Site – The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) has 14 members, representing 50 percent of global salmon aquaculture tonnage. Established in 2013, it drove rapid uptake of Aquaculture Stewardship Council certified salmon throughout the industry, resulting in around 40 percent of the industry being certified today, including 60 percent of GSI member production. According to WWF: “GSI Read More…

To Conserve Marine Species, Make Protected Areas Mobile

E & E News – Take a good look at the oceans today—there’s a strong chance they won’t look the same in a few decades, scientists say. As water temperatures rise around the world, some marine animals are already migrating to other areas in response. Habitats are shifting and evolving. Some species are disappearing, and others are moving in to take their place. The ecological Read More…

Lao dam impact on dolphin migration highlighted

Khmer Times – Sub-national officials and communities in the province are concerned about the impact of Laos’ Don Sahong hydropower dam on the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin population in the downstream Mekong River. According to Reuters, the dam began operations and connected its power grid to the Kingdom earlier this month to curb electricity outages. On Wednesday provincial Read More…

Fish stocks now threatened by bushfire run-off

Brisbane Times – Stocks of prawns, snapper, whiting and flathead around the coasts of south-east Australia are now threatened by ash and other bushfire debris making its way from the Victorian and NSW fire grounds to estuaries and coastlines. Conservationists have grave fears for the aquatic life of the Gippsland Lakes, just months before the Victorian government was due to turn the Read More…

WWF hails ‘sustainability example’ of salmon farmers

Fish Farmer – THE World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has recognised the positive impact on sustainability made by the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI), a group which represents 50 per cent of the world’s farmed salmon production. In an article, published on the WWF website, the WWF acknowledges how the salmon producers’ model of pre-competitive collaboration has helped transform the industry Read More…

The Mekong Delta, where life revolves around rivers

The Canberra Times – It's early on a Saturday morning and the sun is only just starting to rise when I wake in my room beside the Hua River, in the Mekong Delta. But in this region of southwestern Vietnam, this is no time for a lazy sleep-in. I need to be on a boat to the area's largest floating market by 7am, or risk missing the peak of trading activity and having fresh local Read More…

Fishing derbies support salmon science

The Journal – For a third year, salmon researchers from the Lopez Island-based nonprofit Kwiaht will be staffing winter Blackmouth fishing derbies to help clean fish, collect gut contents, and learn more about the diet and health of these iconic resident Chinook salmon. “Smaller and fewer Blackmouth salmon is a concern for Southern Resident Killer Whales as well as our fishing Read More…