Freshwater fishes from the International Sakhalin Island Project (ISIP), 2002
Pamela Woods
University of Washington

The International Sakhalin Island Project is a continuation of the Okhotsk Regional Biotic Survey, which has included six previous expeditions to the Kuril Islands and two to Sakhalin Island. The aim of this collaboration among Russian, Japanese, and American scientists is to take inventory of the flora and fauna of these areas for which little baseline data is available. A description of this year’s expedition to Sakhalin Island and results for the collection of freshwater fishes are presented. Various habitats are described with corresponding species found within them. Total species composition encountered this year is compared to species from the previous 2001 ISIP expedition, those found in the Kuril Islands, and previous records.

The Ragfish, Icosteus aenigmaticus Lockington 1880, a neutrally buoyant, deep-sea cruiser that feeds on jellyfish (gelativory)
Gus Thiesfeld
Humboldt State University

Based on preliminary investigations of two juvenile, and two adult ragfish, there is evidence supporting a primarily deep-sea existence. Further, the ragfish gut morphology appears specialized for a gelativorous diet (jellyfishes, salps, and/or ctenophores).

The skates of Alaska (Family Rajidae): a progress report
*Duane E. Stevenson and Gerald R. Hoff
NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Skates of the genera Raja and Bathyraja constitute a significant proportion of the groundfish assemblages of the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, and Bering Sea. Although these fishes are important components of both shallow and deepwater marine ecosystems in these regions, their populations have been inaccurately represented by fisheries monitoring programs because of difficulties in obtaining accurate species identifications. As a result of collaborative efforts among many taxonomists and fisheries biologists, recent RACE (Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division, NMFS) bottom trawl surveys reflect great improvements in the reliability of skate identifications. A data set compiled from the catch records of RACE bottom trawl surveys from 1999-2002, including the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, Eastern Bering Sea shelf, and Eastern Bering Sea slope gives a comprehensive overview of the skate fauna of Alaska. This data set includes a total of 13 recognized species of skates (3 species of Raja and 10 species of Bathyraja) and three potentially undescribed forms, all of which are documented by photographs and represented by voucher specimens destined to be deposited at the University of Washington Fish Collection. These forms are presented and their diagnostic characters, geographic distributions, and bathymetric distributions are discussed.

Recent changes at the University of Washington Fish Collection
Katherine Pearson
University of Washington Fish Collection

In the last year, the UW Fish Collection has joined the bio-informatics bandwagon by connecting with fish collections from all over the world in an online searchable database called FishNet (http://habanero.nhm.ukans.edu/fishnet/), part of the Species Analyst project (http://tsadev.speciesanalyst.net/). All connected collections are searchable from one web interface, and records are downloadable into a variety of formats. In addition to these external connections with other institutions, we have made big changes within the collection, with new software for managing the collection internally (BioLink), and a new search engine which allows access to our collection database from our website (http://www.uwfishcollection.org). Three new computers and a new server are helping to ensure that the UW Fish Collection stays current with the rapidly progressing field of collection management and allows us to provide global access to our valuable collections.

The distribution and reproduction of Careproctus jordani, with comments on the status of C. pycnosoma
*James Wilder Orr and Morgan Scott Busby
NMFS/Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Specimens of Careproctus jordani were collected in the Aleutians Islands during recent resource assessment surveys conducted by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. The species ranges at depths of 210-495 m from Seguam Pass in the eastern Aleutians to the Kuril Islands and south to Sagami Bay, Japan, where the holotype was collected. Our specimens represent the first documented records of the species in Alaska. Eggs containing embryos of C. jordani were also collected from the vicinity of Seguam Pass, where they had been laid in masses surrounding limbs of the octocoral Primnoa sp. The egg masses were about 40 mm along the deposition axis and one contained 267 large eggs, up to 6.8 mm diameter in the largest dimension. We retain C. jordani in Careproctus and discuss our rationale for not recognizing the recently erected monotypic genus Allocareproctus. Based on our examination of holotypes, C. pycnosoma appears to be a valid species and not synonymous with C. jordani.

Charles H. Gilbert’s Alaskan fishes: a sampler and update
Catherine W. Mecklenburg
Associate Specialist, University of California Santa Barbara, Marine Science Institute
Field Associate, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

The book Fishes of Alaska (Mecklenburg et al. 2002) contains accounts of 601 species. About a fourth (142) of the species bear C. H. Gilbert’s name as sole, first, or second author. He described many of them on the basis of material collected outside Alaska, but 38% (54) were based on specimens collected in Alaska. Nearly all of Gilbert’s Alaskan type material was collected by only two expeditions of the U.S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross (in 1890 and 1906). That this large number of species remains as valid today is a testimony to Gilbert’s keen powers of observation and detailed knowledge of the West Coast ichthyofauna. Compared to species described by other ichthyologists of the time, relatively few of Gilbert’s have since been shown to be junior synonyms. This presentation will expand on those statements, show examples of Gilbert’s Alaskan fishes, and summarize (the few) taxonomic problems involving them, as a tribute to Gilbert for my introduction to the Gilbert Ichthyological Society.

What’s it all about? - Polarization response in damselfishes - the plot thickens
Craig Hawryshyn¹ and *William McFarland^2
1-University of Victoria; authors include several members of Craig’s laboratory
²-Friday Harbor Laboratory & School Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Washington

It was suggested several years ago that the potential to detect polarized light if present in salmonid and several other fishes might function in navigation. Physiological results that revealed a response to the e-vector orientation of linearly polarized light were first demonstrated in goldfish (Waterman et al 1975; Hawryshyn and McFarland 1987) and later in salmonid parr (see Hawryshyn 1992). Although the eco-behavioral function is uncertain, trout parr can be trained to orient to a polarized stimulus. The sensory mechanism underlying a response to polarized light is postulated to involve the micro-orientation of cones, but remains a contentious puzzle. Here we report the physiological response of three species of Damselfishes to linear polarized light--the function of which lies deep within the realm of speculation.

The case of the missing fishes: Leonard Peter Schultz (1901-1986) at the College of Fisheries, University of Washington
Jean R. Dunn
University of Washington

Leonard Peter Schultz (1901-1986) was the first ichthyologist hired by the then College of Fisheries, University of Washington (UW), joining the faculty in the fall of 1928. Schultz, who earned an M.S. degree in 1926 at the University of Michigan studying under Carl Leavitt Hubbs (1894-1979), began to earnestly collect fishes and to develop a teaching and research collection. He taught ichthyology and other courses and simultaneously completed his Ph.D. degree in the Department of Zoology (UW) in 1932. Schultz left the UW at the end of 1936 to join the U.S. National Museum as an assistant curator. Prior to his departure he surreptitiously shipped about 520 lots containing nearly 6900 fishes to that museum for deposit. The Director of the then School of Fisheries, William Francis Thompson (1888-1965), wrote Schultz in February 1937, "it is apparent that the collection is in many respects reduced so far as to embarrass the teaching during the coming quarter." In this talk I discuss the events surrounding these "missing fishes" and the resolution of this matter acceptable to both parties.

Of sardine tins, codfish boxes, and canned salmon: 140 years of culinary art in the United States
Mark R. Jennings
Rana Resources

For the past 140 years, commercial fisheries products have been sold to the public under a wide variety of labels and preservative methods. In the following presentation, I will provide examples of some of the more common labels and containers of fisheries products in the United States. Many of these historical labels represent aspects of an industry that is no longer commercially viable. These labels also provide us with a view of the underappreciated talent of anonymous artists and printers who so faithfully attempted to capture the interest of potential buyers in an ever changing market of tastes and varied fisheries resources.

Phylogenetic relationships within Campostoma (Ostariophysi:Cyprinidae) based on mtDNA Cytochrome B sequence data
*Phillip M. Harris¹ and Richard L. Mayden^2
1-The University of Alabama
²-Saint Louis University

Phylogenetic relationships among the four species of Campostoma were investigated employing mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data. The genus is monophyletic with two major clades. One clade includes a C. pauciradii resolved as a monophyletic grouping and C. oligolepis east of the Mississippi River, plus C. a. anomalum from the New River and C. a. michauxi. The second clade includes C. ornatum as a monophyletic assemblage embedded within a large C. anomalum clade; within which some relationships are unresolved. However, the subspecies C. a. anomalum and C. a. pullum may eventually be resolved as diagnosable natural assemblages. These findings provide some interesting biogeographic hypotheses in the evolution of this genus.

Underwater videography: a tool for studying fish in their habitats
Jamie Glasgow
Washington Trout

Fisheries research, advocacy, and restoration project data needs often include in situ species identification, enumeration, and the assessment of presence/absence, behavior, habitat preference, and health/condition. Traditionally, these data have been collected using electro-fishing or snorkeling, but both techniques have limited effectiveness when used in particular field applications. During the past two years, Washington Trout has been refining a third alternative, underwater videography, to facilitate the collection of in situ fisheries data. Underwater videography is a technologically advanced tool to document fish within their habitats. It permits passive documentation without injury to fish, and provides access to complex and shallow water (lateral) and deep complex habitats that cannot be effectively or safely surveyed using traditional techniques. While low water temperatures and high flows may compromise the accuracy of traditional electro-fishing and snorkel surveys, the use of underwater videography allows a safe and comfortable survey, regardless of time or season, resulting in more extensive, accurate, and thorough surveys. The ability to document and repeatedly and accurately re-present underwater observations allows thorough analyses and review of field observations in the laboratory to support accurate identification of species composition, age-class, and relative abundance. Recently, Washington Trout has applied underwater videography in several of its projects – examples of the techniques and results will be provided at the 2002 GIS.

Fish. Water. Which part don’t you get?
Doug Markle
Oregon State University

I review the 2001 Klamath Basin water decision and comment on the Biological Opinion and the National Academy of Science review of that opinion.

Towards a risk/benefit analysis for salmon supplementation
Robin S. Waples and *Jonathan Drake
NMFS, Northwest Fisheries Science Center

The term "supplementation" generally refers to the use of artificial propagation for conservation and/or enhancement of natural salmon populations. This document presents a framework for a comprehensive risk/benefit analysis for salmon supplementation that, ideally, should be conducted before a supplementation program is initiated. Most of the factors considered here are also applicable to marine stock enhancement programs. Key points that emerge include the following:
-It is important to clearly articulate the nature and goals of the proposed program, because many of the risks and potential benefits depend heavily on these factors.
-Risks of using supplementation may outweigh its potential benefits, even for populations that face significant demographic and/or genetic risk.
-A variety of strategies can be used to reduce risks, but most risks cannot be eliminated entirely. Furthermore, some risks are inversely correlated, such that efforts to reduce one risk simultaneously increase others.
-Two factors argue strongly for a cautious approach to supplementation: 1) Long-term effects of fish culture on natural populations are largely unknown, and it remains to be determined whether supplementation can lead to permanent increases in abundance of natural populations. 2) Once started, a supplementation program may be difficult or impossible to terminate, even if available information suggests it is doing more harm than good.
-When supplementation is used, it should be regarded as experimental and carried out within an adaptive management framework.
-In general, methods that are less invasive than artificial propagation should be used whenever possible. If supplementation is used, it should be integrated with other recovery measures to provide maximum benefit.

Reproductive success in naturally reproducing pink salmon
*B.R. Dickerson, M. F. Willson, P. Bentzen, and T. P. Quinn
University of Washington

Reproductive success of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus spp., is influenced by the complex interactions of many factors. In the past the different factors contributing to reproductive success have been looked at individually and reproductive success has usually been estimated through indirect means such as observed male courtship success or fecundity or even more indirect indices such as body size. To address reproductive success directly pink salmon in a small creek in SE Alaska from the 1997-2000 spawning seasons were tagged, measured and observed. Reproductive success was defined as number of adult offspring returning to spawn; parentage determined with DNA fingerprinting using microsatellites. Males with higher scores of dominance, longer instream life span and earlier arrival timing on the spawning grounds had significantly more offspring, although the importance of dominance is overshadowed by entry timing. Female relationships were less clear with apparent stabilizing selection occurring on arrival timing and length with a mid value of both being the most productive and no detectable relationship with egg size, instream longevity, or fecundity and offspring number. The importance of factors such as size and shape on reproductive success may be blurred under the complex interactions and shifting selection of the spawning grounds.

Short-Wavelength Spectral Absorbance Changes in Hexagrammids--Why?
*Lyle L. Britt¹ and William N. McFarland^2
1-NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center and University of Washington
²-Friday Harbor Laboratory & School Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Washington

While using the technique of microspectrophotometry (MSP) to describe the visual pigments of hexagrammids, such as the lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus), kelp greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus), and white-spotted greenling (Hexagrammos stelleri), we have observed that the short-wavelength (UV-Violet, 355nm-420nm) sensitive cones shift in spectral absorption (lambda max) to a higher wavelength (Blue, 460nm). This shift does not appear to be due to chromophore replacement and likely involves a change in the opsin. The change is progressive, with cells encountered which appear to contain a "pigment mixture" during the intermediate stages of the pigment shift. Thus, this pigment shift is fundamentally different from that observed in salmonid fishes whereby short-wavelength cone cells degenerate. This visual shift also appears to coincide with other developmental and behavioral life history changes.

The hunt for Atheresthes stomias (arrowtooth flounder) eggs and early larvae: What we learned about spawning arrowtooth flounder in the Gulf of Alaska in winter 2001 and 2002
Ann C. Matarese, Morgan S. Busby, and *Debbie M. Blood
NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) occur from the Bering Sea to central California. Despite their large biomass, arrowtooth flounder have had limited commercial value due to their soft flesh. However, recent advances in food processing may stimulate expanded exploitation. Arrowtooth flounder is one of the species composing the diet of Steller sea lions, whose declining populations in Alaska are currently the subject of intense research. Potential exploitation of arrowtooth flounder, as well as their being a source of prey for Steller sea lions, has intensified an interest in describing their spawning and early life history features to enable further studies of their recruitment processes. A study was undertaken in 2001 to trawl for arrowtooth flounder adults in the Gulf of Alaska to obtain information on adult spawning population location, depth distribution, and maturity, and to fertilize eggs for incubation. Trawls were conducted at 200, 400, and 600 m depth over the continental slope southwest of Kodiak Island. Although the 400 m trawls contained the most even proportion of males and females, few were mature. A single batch of eggs from one female and three males were trawled from a depth of 400 m (4.5° C) was reared to hatching but larvae did not survive long enough to develop pigment that matched with plankton-caught larvae tentatively identified as arrowtooth flounder. That study was repeated in 2002 to obtain and incubate eggs at 4.5° C and at 1.5° C above and below that temperature (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0° C) for the purpose of documenting development and the effects of temperature. Eggs were staged according to development of morphological hallmarks; these stages were used to produce a regression model describing the relation between time to each stage of development and temperature. Results of the 2001 cruise are compared with this year’s results, including depth distribution, sex ratio at depth, and male/female length frequencies and maturities. New preliminary information on gonadal somatic index and egg development at three temperatures is presented.

Spatial and temporal patterns in summer ichthyoplankton assemblages on the eastern Bering Sea shelf from 1995-2000
Janet T. Duffy-Anderson, *Morgan S. Busby, and Kathy L. Mier
NMFS, Alaska Fisheries Science Center

The eastern Bering Sea is a highly productive ecosystem that supports a vast array of fishes, seabirds, and marine mammals. The region has been the focus of a variety of biological and ecological investigations at all trophic levels, though studies of its ichthyoplankton assemblages are relatively few. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center, in cooperation with scientists at the Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, Japan, has conducted surveys from 1995 to the present to monitor physical and biological conditions on the eastern Bering Sea shelf. A grid of stations east of the Pribilof Islands has been occupied annually at the same time each year (July), providing a unique platform for examining spatial and temporal trends in larval and juvenile fish assemblages during summer. During these surveys, collections of fishes were made with a Modified Beam Trawl, and abiotic data were collected concurrently using CTDs. We analyzed available data from this series of cruises (1995-2000) using several multivariate techniques. A cluster analysis on Bray-Curtis similarity coefficients was used to group species and stations according to similar abundance/occurrence. Cross-validation techniques were used to verify these groupings, one of which was nonmetric multidimensional scaling. The original data within each unique species/stations cluster were then examined and related to environmental variables that were available using regression techniques. We now present new information on the spatial and temporal patterns in larval fish assemblage structure on the eastern Bering Sea shelf. In addition, we relate our observations to predominant ichthyoplankton assemblages in the eastern Bering Sea.

Phylogenetic relationships of species in the sunfish genus Lepomis (Perciformes: Centrarchidae) based on mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data
*Phillip M. Harris¹, Kevin J. Roe², and Richard L. Mayden^2
1-The University of Alabama
²-Saint Louis University

The sunfish genus Lepomis (Centrarchidae) consists of 12 species and is endemic to North America. These fishes constitute a major component of fish communities in most eastern North American warm-water ecosystems and are highly prized in recreational fisheries. Sunfishes have also served as model organisms in many ecological and evolutionary studies. Relationships of species of Lepomis are investigated using phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences. Lepomis (if Chaenobryttus is included) was recovered as monophyletic, relative to other centrarchid taxa. Within Lepomis, most species were recovered as monophyletic, despite many reports on the proclivity of sunfishes to hybridize. The warmouth (recognized as Chaenobryttus gulosus by Wainwright and Lauder, 1992 and other recent lists) was embedded within Lepomis, being sister to a clade of L. symmetricus and L. cyanellus. Lepomis auritus was sister to a clade containing L. microlophis, L. miniatus and L. punctatus. Lepomis marginatus was recovered as a paraphyletic grade sister to a monophyletic L. megalotis. Lepomis macrochirus was recovered as polyphyletic, with one specimen from Florida sister to a monophyletic L. humilus; remaining L. macrochirus were monophyletic and sister to the L. humilus clade. Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of recovered clades within Lepomis will be discussed.