Juvenile sockeye salmon in kelp forest.

Coho salmon smolts in net pin.

The Genetics Program at Auke Bay Laboratories conducts stock composition research on a variety of species. Stock composition research uses current DNA technology to develop genetic markers for various stock identification projects of Pacific salmon such as determining the stock origins of the salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea groundfish fishery and in interception fisheries in southeast Alaska waters. This technology is also being used to investigate the genetic stock structure of marine forage fish species such as capelin, eulachon, and sandlance. These keystone species in Alaskan ecosystems are usually managed as large homogeneous populations due to the lack of knowledge about their genetic population structure. This program addresses research needs outlined in the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Groundfish Fishery Management Plans for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI). DNA markers are also used to identify juvenile rockfish species collected in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea to study their ocean distribution and ecology.

Current and past stock composition projects include:
Chinook Coastwide DNA Baseline
Chinook SE Alaska DNA Baseline
Chum Coastwide DNA Baseline
Chum Bycatch Stock ID
Juvenile Chum Migration
Northern Boundary Sockeye
Forage Fish Population Structure
Juvenile Rockfish Species ID

Contact:
Jeff Guyon, Ph.D.
Auke Bay Laboratories
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute
17109 Pt Lena Loop Rd
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 789–6079
Jeff.Guyon@noaa.gov