A new study from Simon Fraser University paints an alarming picture of the decline in Skeena sockeye populations over the last hundred years.
Research published Tuesday in Conservation Letters indicates that recent returns of sockeye to the Skeena River are 75 percent lower than in historical times.
The study authors employed genetic tools to analyze a collection of fish scales that had been in storage for a century.
They found that declines in fish population patterns were much greater than those based on modern abundance data, which only extends back to 1960.
Researchers say populations of larger-bodied fish have dropped the most in abundance, likely due to size-selective commercial fisheries.
Lead author and SFU PhD candidate Michael Price says the research will help inform status evaluations and rebuilding plans for affected sockeye.
