Scientific Reports of theHokkaido Salmon Hatchery
No. 49: 55-59. March 1995

RESEARCH NOTE
Reproductive Characteristics of Mature Female Chum Salmon(Oncorhynchus keta) in the Pinacheva River, Kamchatka
Yuhmasa Ishida*', Kazumasa Ohkuma*2,Victor F. B ~ g a e v *and~ Victor A. T~chilin"~*' National Research Institute of Far Seas Fishenes, Fisheries Agency of Japan,
5-7-1 Orido, Shimizu, Shizuoku 424, Japan
Research Division, Hokkaido Salmon Hatchery, Fisheries Agency of Japan,
2-2 Nukunoshinur, Toyohira-ku. Sapporo 062, Japan*j Kamchatka Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, I8 Naberezhnaya,
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka 683602, Russia* Ketkino Salmon HatchelTv, 13/3 Pro.ypekt Rybakov, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky,
Kamchaiku 683024, Russia

Abstruct. Reproductive characteristics were examined for mature female chum salmon (Oncorhynchus ketu) collected in the Pinacheva River, Kamchatka, in August 1994. Age 0.4 fish (71.7%) werethe most abundant age group, followed by age 0.3 (20.8%) and age 0.5 (7.5%) fish. Average fork lengths
and body weights were: 61.1 cm and 2.8 kg for age 0.3 fish, 61.4 cm and 2.8 kg for age 0.4 fish, and 65.5
cm and 3.5 kg for age 0.5 fish, respectively. Absolute fecundity (AFC) and relative fecundity (RFC)
showed a significant positive relationship with fork length (FL): AFC = 8.16 X FL-3,006 and~

RFC=O.O81 X FL-17.33. Egg diameter ranged from 7.10-8.75 (mean 7.88) mm. The relationship between
fork length and egg diameter was not statistically significant.

Introduction

Materials and Methods

The Ketkino Salmon Hatchery was constructed onthe Pinacheva River, a tributary of the Avacha River,Kamchatka, as a joint venture between Russia andJapan in 1993. Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)
are the main species produced at this hatchery.
Natural spawners collected in the Pinacheva River
were used to produce the first hatchery generation,
because there was no return from hatchery-producedsalmon. To monitor changes in reproductive characteristics of chum salmon produced by hatchery operations, it is very important to clarify original characteristics of chum salmon produced under natural conditions. This report describes the preliminary results of
the Japan-Russia cooperative study on reproductive
characteristics (age composition, body size, and fecundity) of chum salmon from the natural populationfrom the Pinacheva River. The results are comparedwith those characteristics of chum salmon from otherstocks in Russia and North America.

A total of 53 female chum salmon were obtained
from the Pinacheva River on August 11, 1994 (Fig. I).
The peak runs occurred here in July and August. For
each female, fork length and body weight were measured, the total weight of eggs was measured, and thenits subsample was taken and put into a plastic bag.
After weighing the subsample, the plastic bag wasfilled with water, and the eggs were hardened forabout one hour. Absolute fecundity was determinedby counting the number of eggs in a subsample andextrapolating to the whole gonad. To estimate egg
diameter, the length of 20 eggs placed on a plastic
measuring ruler was measured in millimeters. Scales
were also taken from each fish for subsequent age
determination.

Contribution A No. 352 from the Hokkaido Salmon Hatchery- 55

Results
Age 0.4 fish (n = 38,71.7%) were the most abundant age group, followed by age 0.3 (n = 11, 20.8%)
and age 0.5 (n = 4, 7.5%) fish. Average fork lengths(FL) and body weights were: 61.1 cm and 2.8 kg forage 0.3 fish, 61.5 cm and 2.8 kg for age 0.4 fish, andS l f . 6-f&W%? SCI. REP. HOKKAIDO SALMON HATCHERY. NO. 49.1995

Egg diameter (ED) ranged from 7.10-8.75 (mean7.88) mm. There was no significant relationshipbetween FL and ED (Fig. 2C). However, AFC andED showed a significant negative relationship: ED =-0.0003 X AFC +8.57 (r = -0.46, P < O.Ol)(Fig. 2D).

Pinacheva River

Discussionb

Changes in reproductive characteristics due to natural and artificial factors are important characteristics
to monitor in salmon populations (Kaeriyama andUrawa, 1992; Quinn and Bloomberg, 1992). Recentchanges in age composition and body size of chumsalmon have been reported for Asian chum salmonand North American salmonids (Ricker, 1981;
Kaeriyama, 1989; Ishida et al., 1993). Although thepresent results are based on a small number of femalechum salmon, the high proportion of age 0.4 fish fromthe Pinacheva River is consistent with those in otherstocks of the Kamchatka and Bolshaya Rivers (Ishidaet al., 1993).
Mean fecundities of chum salmon are known torange from 1,800-4,297 eggs per female in Asia andfrom 2,107-3,962 eggs per female in North America(Salo, 1991). Also, in Asia, northern chum salmon
stocks generally have a hgher RFC than do southernstocks (Kulikova, 1972). The fecundities estimated in
the present study are lower than those previously
reported. These differences are partly due to theuncertainty in data collection in previous studies
including partial spawning before eggs were removed.
As pointed out by Salo (1991), individual measurements may be comparable, but it is not certain whether
the samples are representative for the reported geographical regions and rivers of origin (Salo, 1991).
For ED, however, the present results are consistent
with those of previous studies (Salo, 1991).
In conclusion, the following methods should beincorporated into future research under the Japan-.

n r 4- AvachaBay [Fig. 1. Location of chum salmon sampled in August 1994.
Arrows indicate the sampling location. Closed circle indicates the location of the Ketkino Salmon Hatchery.

65.5 cm and 3.5 kg for age 0.5 fish, respectively(Table 1).
Absolute fecundity (AFC) ranged from 1,0072,860 (mean 2,016) eggs per female (Appendix Table1). Excluding one fish (No. 44) which had a relatively
small number of eggs due to partial spawning, there
was a significant positive relationship between FL and
AFC: AFC = 8.16X FL-3,006 (r = 0.55, P <O.Ol)(Fig. 2A). Relative fecundity (RFC) ranged from14.9-45.8 (mean 32.6) eggskm and also had a significant positive relationship with FL: RFC=0.081 X FL17.33 (r = 0.37, P < O.Ol)(Fig. 2B).

Table 1. Average fork length, absolute fecundity, relative fecundity, and egg diameter o f mature female chum salmon of three age groups
from the Pinacheva River in Kamchatka on August 11, 1994

Age

sample size

0.3
04

fecundity

Egg diameter(kg)

Absolutefecundity(No. eggs)(No. eggs/FL)

(mm)

61.1

2.8

2,161

35.3

1.13

61.4

2.8

1,939

31.4

7.88

Fork length

Body weight(n,cm)
1138

Relative

0.5

465.5

3.5

2,449'

38.0'

8.22

Total

53

61.6

2.92,016*

32.6"

7.88

"Excluding one fish (No. 44) (see Appendix Table 1).

- 56 -ISHIDA ET AL. - REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF KAMCHATKAN CHUM SALMON

IO.00

fe 40 .

e30.E3-20-.3kj

u.

.

.

88 7.00nN
I0 1
SO09.00

r

sso

600

6S07006.00
0750

Fork Length in mmI000

ZOO03000

4000Fecundity

Fig. 2. Relationships of fork length to absolute fecundity (A), relative fecundity (B), egg diameter (C), and relationship of absolute fecundity to egg diameter (D) Open square indicates data point excluded for analysis.

Russia Science and Technology Cooperative Plan forFisheries: 1) collection of representative samples that
accounts for spawning season and body size of fishsampled, 2 ) accurate estimation of fecundity that
accounts for partial spawning before measurements,and 3 ) accurate estimation of egg diameter using thevolumetric method.

Acknowledgments
We thank Dr. Mikhail M. Selifonov, Director of
the Kamchatka Research Institute of Fisheries andOceanography, who supported and facilitated thiscooperative research in Kamchatka, and Dr. Hiroshi
Mayama and Dr. Masahide Kaeriyama 'of theHokkaido Salmon Hatchery, who made useful advices
for this research. Thanks are also due to Ms. Kate
Myers of the Fisheries Research Institute, Universityof Washington, Dr. David W. Welch of the PacificBiological Station, Canadian Department of Fisheriesand Oceans, and Dr. Kazuya Nagasawa of theNational Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, fortheir useful comments on the manuscript.

References
Ishida, Y., S. Ito, M. Kaeriyama, S. Mclnnell, and K.
Nagasawa (1993): Recent changes in age and sizeof chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) in the North
Pacific Ocean and possible causes. Can. J. Fish.
Aquat. Sci., 50,290-295.
Kaeriyama, M. (1989): Aspects of salmon ranching inJapan. Physiology and Ecology Japan, Special
Volume 1,625-638.
Kaeriyama, M., and S. Urawa (1992): Future researchby the Hokkaido Salmon Hatchery for the proper
maintenance of Japanese salmonid stocks. In
Proceedings of the International Workshop onFuture Salmon Research in the North Pacific Ocean(edited by Y. Ishida, K. Nagasawa, D. W. Welch,
K. W. Myers, and A. P. Shershnev). National
Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Shimizu,Shizuoka 424, Japan. pp. 57-62.
Kulikova, N. I. (1972): Variability and speciation inthe chum salmon [Oncorhynchus keta (Walb.)]. J.
Zchthyol., 12, 185-197.
Ricker, W. E . (1981): Changes in the average size andaverage age of Pacific salmon. Can. J. Fish. Aquat.

- 57 -珊報 SCl ． wP． HOKMIDOSALMONHATCHERY， NO． 49 ， l995

Sci.,3S, 1636‑1656

1994 年 8 月にカムチャツカのピナチェノ Wl で採集したサケ成熟雌の再生産特性を調査した．0 ． 4 歳角、 (7l ． l%)がもっとも多く， 0． 3 歳魚、 (20 ． 8% 〃と0． 5 歳如、 (7 ． 5%)がこれに続いた．平均 尾叉長と体重は， 0 二歳魚で61 lCm ， 2 8kg ， 0 4 歳魚で6l 4Cm ， 2 8kg ， 0 5 歳年、で65 5Cm ， 3 5kg であった・ 卒卵数 (AFC) は l， 007‑
2， 860 (平均2， 016) 粒， 尾叉長当たりの学卵数はl4 ． 9‑45 ． 8 (平均32 ． 6) *力cm であった． AFc と RFC は 尾叉長(FL) と有意な正の相関関係 (AFC 二 8． l6X 几 3， 006 ，RFC 二 0． 081XFL‑17． 33) を示した．卵径は7． l0‑ 8． 75(平均7 ． 88) mm であった．尾叉長と卵径の間には有意

Quinn, T. P., and S. B100mberg (1992): Fecundity 0f
ChIno0kSalmonLoHCorAy
れ Cん M$ ぬ肋りねC肋 )，なOm
the Waitaki and Rakaia Rivers, New Zealand. New
左 dd"dJ． M7． F e朴． 人臼 ．， 九 ， 429‑434
Sal0, E. 0. (1991): Life history 0f chum salmonketa). /n Pacific Salmon Life(Oncorhynchus「History (edited byC. Gro0t

and・L. Margolis)

University 0f British COlumbia Press, Vancouver,BC.PP.231‑309

離カムチヤツヵの ピナチォ/SJIl
におけるサケ成熟雌の""石田行止・大熊 ‑正・・・・な関係は認めらt なかった．
オ・V ． F ． ブガエフ・ V ． A トチーリン

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