
Salmon in the Russian Far East: Distribution, abundance and status Salmonid Specialist Group
Outline • Pacific Salmon Conservation Assessment, PSCA • Key threats to salmon in the Russian Far East • IUCN World Conservation Union Assessments of Extinction Risk (species and populations)
IUCN’s mission and role • IUCN is committed to reversing declining biodiversity trend by 2010 • Red List tracks status of species using a variety of criteria • IUCN Salmonid Specialist Group
General approach • Reach consensus on units for listing following IUCN guidelines (global population and subpopulations) • Assemble relevant data and apply IUCN criteria • Estimate risk of extinction, add to IUCN Red List • Progress to date: • Sakhalin Taimen (added 2006) • Sockeye salmon (submitted 2007) • Chinook salmon (planned early 2008) • Steelhead/coho/masu/chum/pink (by IUCN Barcelona Congress, Fall 2008)
Range and Status:Sakhalin taimen - 2006 RL - Critically Endangered
Range and Status: Sockeye salmon 2008 RL
Key threats for sockeye salmon • Practice of mixed-stock fishing • Poor marine survival rates • Global climate change, possibly linked to increased incidence of disease • Effect of enhancement is recognized, but magnitude of effect remains uncertain • In many specific cases, causes of decline are unknown
RFE and Sustainable Salmon Fisheries • Region of high salmon biodiversity with generally intact habitat, limited hatchery influence • Appropriate fishing technology (set nets) • Three key things to consider: • Identify and describe salmon biodiversity • Develop a means to track trends (abundance and productivity) • Institute market incentives that controls fishing pressure and protects habitat