Acoustic telemetry yields stock membership clues for Coho Salmon harvested in coastal fisheries.

This article focuses on using acoustic telemetry to estimate the stock composition of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) harvested in the commercial fisheries of the Norton Sound district, Alaska, particularly in the Shaktoolik and Unalakleet subdistricts. By tagging 578 Coho Salmon over two seasons (2020 and 2021) and tracking their movements to natal spawning streams, researchers identified distinct natal and transitory stocks contributing to commercial catches. The study found that while the Unalakleet subdistrict catch was predominantly composed of Unalakleet stock salmon (over 85%), the Shaktoolik subdistrict harvest included a substantial proportion of Unalakleet stock (over 50%) alongside Shaktoolik stock, indicating significant stock mixing. These findings highlight the complexity of managing mixed-stock fisheries and suggest that spatial and temporal characteristics revealed by acoustic telemetry can improve stock-specific harvest assessments and inform sustainable fishery management in regions lacking clear genetic or chemical stock markers.