Cc. Krueger et al., Stock origins of Dolly Varden collected from Beaufort Sea coastal sites ofArctic Alaska and Canada, T AM FISH S, 128(1), 1999, pp. 49-57
Anadromous northern Dolly Varden Salvelinus malma support a summer subsiste
nce fishery in Beaufort Sea coastal waters. These same waters coincide with
areas of oil and gas exploration and development. The purpose of this stud
y was to assess variation in stock origins of Dolly Varden collected from s
ites along 400 km of Beaufort Sea coast. Mixed-stock analyses (MSA) of allo
zyme data were used to compare collections from four sites (Endicott near P
rudhoe Bay, Mikkelsen Bay, and Kaktovik in Alaska and Phillips Bay in Canad
a) and to assess variation in stock contributions among summer months and b
etween 1987 and 1988. The MSA estimates for individual stocks were summed i
nto estimates for three stock groups: western stocks from the area near Sag
avarnirktok River and Prudhoe Bay (SAG), Arctic National Wildlife Refuge st
ocks (Arctic Refuge), and Canadian stocks. The MSA of Endicott samples take
n in 1987 and 1988 did not differ among months in terms of contributions fr
om local SAG stocks (range, 71-95%). Contributions from nonlocal (>100 km d
istant) Canadian and Arctic Refuge stocks were not different from zero in 1
987, but contributions from Canadian stocks were so in July (17%) and Augus
t (20%) but not in September of 1988. Thus, stock contributions to Endicott
collections were different between 1987 and 1988. Samples from the Kaktovi
k area in 1988 were different between months in terms of contributions from
nonlocal SAG stocks (July, 7%; August, 27%). Significant contributions to
these samples were made both months by Canadian (25% and 17%) and local Arc
tic Refuge stocks (68% and 56%). Among the four coastal sites, local stocks
typically contributed most to collections; however, every site had collect
ions that contained significant contributions from nonlocal stocks. The MSA
estimates clearly revealed the movement of Dolly Varden between U.S. and C
anada coastal waters. If local stocks are affected by oil and gas developme
nt activities, distant subsistence fisheries along the coast could also be
affected.