Terry Beacham

Address
Research Scientist
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Pacific Biological Station
Nanaimo, BC
Canada V9T 6N7

Phone: 250-756-7149

Fax: 250-756-7053

Email: Terry.Beacham@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Research area(s):

  • Genetic research
  • Groundfish
  • Invertebrates
  • Pacific salmon

Area of Expertise:

Since 1980, Dr. Beacham has worked at the Pacific Biological Station where he has conducted research on variation in development, growth, morphology, stock identification, biochemical genetics, quantitive genetics, molecular genetics, maturity, ecology, and population dynamics of Pacific salmon, as well as other Pacific marine fish, invertebrates, and Atlantic marine species.

His main research is associated with determination of fish population structure through the analysis of DNA variation, and then applying this variation to provide advice on practical resource management issues. In the laboratory, they have analyzed microsatellite and major histocompatability complex variation to describe population structure of salmonids. They then use the observed population structure to identify stock composition of samples taken from mixed-stock fisheries. Stock compositions are provided both during the fishing season when managers rely on the results to open and close specific fisheries, and after fisheries to reconstruct catches and abundance of specific stocks or populations. They also use the information to evaluate the genetic distinctiveness of specific populations to provide advice on enhancement strategies, as well as applications to endangered populations. The genetic information is also used to aid in definition of management units for salmonids. Previous research areas at the Pacific Biological Station have included quantitative genetic analysis of salmonid growth and disease resistance, salmonid developmental biology, salmon morphology, and the use of allozymes to characterize salmonid population structure, with associated stock identification applications. Earlier research areas centred on Atlantic groundfish biology and microtine rodent population dynamics.

Projects include examination of stock composition of immature sockeye salmon in the central Bering Sea, examination of population structure of pink salmon in British Columbia, comparison of microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms for stock identification of Chinook salmon in British Columbia, and population structure and stock identification of coho salmon in British Columbia.

Select Presentation(s) / Publication(s):

Nekouei, Omid & Vanderstichel, Raphael & Ming, Tobi & Kaukinen, Karia & Thakur, Krishna & Tabata, Amy & Laurin, Emilie & Tucker, Strahan & Beacham, Terry & Miller, Kristi. (2018). Detection and Assessment of the Distribution of Infectious Agents in Juvenile Fraser River Sockeye Salmon, Canada, in 2012 and 2013. Frontiers in Microbiology. 9. 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03221.

Houde, Aimee Lee & Schulze, Angela & Kaukinen, Karia & Strohm, Jeffrey & Patterson, David & Beacham, Terry & P. Farrell, Anthony & G. Hinch, Scott & Miller, Kristi. (2018). Transcriptional shifts during juvenile Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) life stage changes in freshwater and early marine environments. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics. 29. 10.1016/j.cbd.2018.10.002.

Beacham, Terry & Wallace, Colin & Jonsen, Kim & McIntosh, Brenda & Candy, John & Willis, David & Lynch, Cheryl & Moore, Jean-Sébastien & Bernatchez, Louis & E. Withler, Ruth. (2018). Comparison of coded-wire tagging with parentage-based tagging and genetic stock identification in a large-scale coho salmon fisheries application in British Columbia, Canada. Evolutionary Applications. 10.1111/eva.12711.

Beacham, Terry & Araujo, H & Tucker, Strahan & Trudel, Marc. (2018). Validity of inferring size-selective mortality and a critical size limit in Pacific salmon from scale circulus spacing. PLoS ONE. 13. 10.1371/journal.pone.0199418.

Freshwater, Cameron & Trudel, Marc & Beacham, Terry & Grant, SCH & Johnson, Stewart & Neville, CEM & Tucker, Strahan & Juanes, Francis. (2017). Effects of density during freshwater and early marine rearing on juvenile sockeye salmon size, growth, and migration. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 579. 10.3354/meps12279.

Beacham, Terry & E. Withler, Ruth. (2017). Population structure of sea-type and lake-type sockeye salmon and kokanee in the Fraser River and Columbia River drainages. PLOS ONE. 12. e0183713. 10.1371/journal.pone.0183713.

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