evolution2016

Hatchery Rearing: Natural Selection Vs. Fecundity Selection One Chinook Salmon’s Point of View As a femifish—who, mind you, has not once felt in need of any bicycle—I find myself personally involved with the captive breeding debate. I have al-ways been a proponent of great minds like Globefish Steinem and Bell Fishhooks; I have always supported the idea that a fishes body is hers, and that she alone should possess control over it. Contrary to popular opinion, I have never doubted that I do, in fact, have a backbone. But with age comes wisdom, as well as a deeper responsibility towards my own school of fish—a broader purpose, perhaps. It is here that I am catapulted into deciphering the semantics of my own own personal dilemma on the subject of hatchery rearing. Humans, sure. They think captive breeding programs are great. They “love” salmon. Grilled, seared, baked, breaded—you name it. Ten years ago when sushi really started to take off, did you hear me complain? This hatchery rearing, however, is a different story. Humans really think that these programs increase the Chinook preservation—and honestly, with that I can get down (for a fish who swims upstream). Scientists are using these programs to supplement populations that are declining, and to help our little fry grow up into strong anadromous fish with tons of Omega-3s. However, we need to figure out a middle ground, on which scientists can help us maintain our population sizes, without discouraging maladaptive traits. You see, the genetic implications are what worry me about captive breeding programs. Not only are our eggs being taken from us involuntarily, but this is actually starting to throw off the equilibrium of our unique Chi-nook traits. Scientists are conducting studies about how fecundity selection is promoting unnaturally small salmon eggs, when in the wild, natural selec-tion favors large eggs. The “catch” is that unintentional selection in captivity can lead to rapid-changes in our critical life-history traits, thus reducing the success of reintroducing such salmon back into nature.

As a femifish—who, mind you, has not once felt in need of any bicycle—I find myself personally involved with the captive breeding debate. I have always been a proponent of great minds like Globefish Steinem and Bell Fishhooks; I have always supported the idea that a fishes body is hers, and that she alone should possess control over it. Contrary to popular opinion, I have never doubted that I do, in fact, have a backbone. But with age comes wisdom, as well as a deeper responsibility towards one's own school of fish—a broader purpose, perhaps.