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Author Topic: Yellow Pinks  (Read 6150 times)

VAGAbond

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Yellow Pinks
« on: October 03, 2013, 12:58:06 PM »
A couple of years ago Ms. Morton got all worked up about bright yellow salmon and wondered about a new disease.  I wasn't sure if I had seen yellow salmon or not.   Some get kind of yellow and rotten and I hadn't paid much attention to the details.    This year I have seen quite a few bright yellow Pinks in the Vedder/Chilliwack.  Apart from the bright yellow colour, they didn't look too far gone normal spawning deterioration.   All seemed to be having trouble with motor control as they were moving but uncoordinated.  Often they would be drifting down river as they seemed to have lost the ability to coordinate their swimming.

Can anybody provide information on what is wrong with these fish?  Is this a known disease?
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Dave

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2013, 03:51:04 PM »
Yellow pinks are very common in Fraser River tributaries and have been since I started working with these fish about 40 years ago. The fact there are hundreds of thousands of pinks now in this system with a few yellow ones is not surprising to me.  Interesting you mention this as today Buck, KP and I were in the upper Chilliwack River today looking at spawning gravel augmentation recently done by DFO ... while there we stopped by the Chwk R hatchery and saw a yellowish chinook in a tote.
Most likely this jaundice is liver related and a function of these fish being at the end of their lives.  Morton would like to blame this feature on salmon farms but I suggest this phenomenon has been around longer than salmon farms on this coast. 
 
KP has seen more dead pinks than most anyone I know - perhaps he will respond with more information.
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chris gadsden

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2013, 04:07:57 PM »
Alex has been on the Vedder this week testing these fish while I was away hunting. Fish farms are a suspect.
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Dave

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2013, 04:25:31 PM »
Quote from: chris gadsden on October 03, 2013, 04:07:57 PM
Fish farms are a suspect.
But of course ;)
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shuswapsteve

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2013, 09:32:13 PM »
Quote from: chris gadsden on October 03, 2013, 04:07:57 PM
Alex has been on the Vedder this week testing these fish while I was away hunting. Fish farms are a suspect.

I was actually going to blame it on gallons of Crown Royal being dumped into the Fraser resulting in damaged livers in Pinks.

Well, she will have lots and lots to choose from this season as Pinks are coming into the Vedder and even Sweltzer as thick as ever.  Pinks are even in the North Thompson, South Thompson, Quesnel, Seton-Anderson and Chilko.  Pinks are indeed suffering this season.
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KP

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2013, 05:12:03 AM »
Chris, go shoot another grouse.  This is why I NEVER listen to individuals about things like yellow pinks.  The propagandists on the anti side. first need to know what they are talking about.  Leave the yellow fish alone.  As Dave said,  they are at the end of there run.  Things are shutting down in all spawning fish.  I have seen many yellow pinks.  Long before fish farms were started.  Just had a thought though.  Maybe I can blame my diabetes on fish farms!  They are saddling a dead horse on this one.
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KP

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2013, 05:13:23 AM »
Stevie,  just don't pick on my cappies.  That's good medicine.
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chris gadsden

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2013, 01:30:07 PM »
Quote from: KP on October 04, 2013, 05:12:03 AM
Chris, go shoot another grouse.  This is why I NEVER listen to individuals about things like yellow pinks.  The propagandists on the anti side. first need to know what they are talking about.  Leave the yellow fish alone.  As Dave said,  they are at the end of there run.  Things are shutting down in all spawning fish.  I have seen many yellow pinks.  Long before fish farms were started.  Just had a thought though.  Maybe I can blame my diabetes on fish farms!  They are saddling a dead horse on this one.
Even though away hunting wanting to just keep you boys having something to talk about at the long table, especially Dave.. ;D ;D Heading to see the Master at his lake, top fish 11 pounds. Thanks for helping out at the cleanup, did not get a chance too and also to Pete. No deer today just found a ladies purse full of credit cards, 2 packs of cigs, unopened , I phone etc.. Heading to the RCMP with it shortly. Big hijack here :-[.
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VAGAbond

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Re: Yellow Pinks
« Reply #8 on: October 24, 2013, 12:22:54 PM »
Recent update from Alex on yellow Pinks in the Fraser:  http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/

There is a good summary of fish diseases and parasites complied by Alaska:

  http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/species/disease/pdfs/fish_disease_book.pdf


No mention of bright yellow salmon in the Alaskan publication so whatever it is, it might be new.
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