Dispersal, behavior, and life history of Dolly Varden in Arctic Alaska

Project Description

In Arctic Alaska, the Dolly Varden char is highly valued as a subsistence fish; however, little is known about several aspects of its oceanic dispersal, behavior, and life history. This multidisciplinary, collaborative project has revealed several previously undescribed facets of the biology and ecology of Dolly Varden, including rates of interdrainage exchange, as well as freshwater overwinter survival and marine summer survival. Of particularly note, while in the Arctic Ocean, Dolly Varden frequently occupy offshore waters up to several hundred kilometers from land, while largely remaining surface oriented. Such knowledge aids in understanding potential impacts of human activities such as hydrocarbon development, and environmental change in the Arctic.

Project Funding

Coastal Marine Institute, Rasmuson Fisheries Research Center, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Red Dog Mine, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Subsistence Management
Start Date: 0000-00-00
End Date: 0000-00-00

 

Research Team

Andrew "Andy" Seitz

Andrew "Andy" Seitz

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor


Specialties
:

  • Fish behavior
  • Fish migration
  • Behavioral ecology
  • Electronic tagging

Full Profile
Co-Principal Investigators

Brendan Scanlon
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
brendan.scanlon@alaska.gov

Randy Brown
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Colin Gallagher
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

 

Research Staff

Michael Courtney 
CFOS Research Staff

Audun Rikardsen
The Arctic University of Norway
audun.rikardsen@uit.no