Invading and range-expanding pink salmon inform management actions for marine species on the move

Abstract

Species redistributions, whether resulting from invasions or range expansions, pose similar challenges for conservation and management. Redistribution impacts on host ecosystems and species combine with those from climate change, which are already acute at northern latitudes. Using pink salmon Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, which are native to the Pacific Ocean, we employ knowledge exchange to inform decision-making in non-native marine areas: they are expanding their range to the Arctic Ocean and are invasive in the Atlantic Ocean. The predicted future marine distribution of pink salmon focuses effort on where and when pink salmon are present and informs on potential interactions with native species. Management actions taken in the Atlantic Ocean to reduce invasive pink salmon are resource-intensive, but removed salmon could be a food resource. Addressing identified gaps regarding the invasion potential of pink salmon, interactions among pink salmon and other species, and current mitigation efforts would support forward-thinking management decisions given predictions of continued environmental change. We also highlight steps that can be taken immediately to coordinate actions and better inform responses. Managed for production in the Pacific and as an invasion in the Atlantic, pink salmon provide a tangible approach to informed decision-making through collaboration for marine species on the move.