2005 Research
Marting Krkosek, PhD Student, Centre for Mathematical Biology, University of Alberta
Martin Krkosek and Mark Lewis at the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of
Alberta and John Volpe at the School for Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria are
continuing their studies of sea lice transmission from farm salmon to wild juvenile pink salmon in
the Broughton Archipelago BC. They are collecting high resolution spatial data of sea lice
abundances on juvenile pink salmon as they migrate past salmon farms on their way out to sea.
These field studies are coupled to mathematical models of disease transmission that are used to
analyze the field data and estimate the magnitude and spatial extent of sea lice transmission from
farm to wild salmon. The models can also track the subsequent population dynamics of lice. New
this year are observational studies of infected fish collected from these areas. These studies
should provide inference on the mortality of juvenile pink salmon due to sea lice parasitism.