Modeling foodweb dynamics and growth of juvenile Pacific salmon in the coastal marine ecosystems of BC

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Pacific salmon are an important fisheries resource for Canada, with significant links to both regional and national economies, and social and cultural heritage of BC's coastal communities and First Nations. In recent decades the productivity of Pacific salmon has been declining, with several stocks all but disappearing. Although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear, there is a growing sense that such declines may be linked to large-scale changes in ocean conditions and the resultant variability in temperature, nutrients, the quantity and quality of zooplankton, forage fish and predator assemblages. Currently there are significant uncertainties in the prediction and forecast of annual adult salmon returns, which can lead to significant loss of business and negative socio-economic consequences for coastal communities. Our proposal to understand and