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1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program |
| Council document 94-55 | |
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7.2 Improve Existing Hatchery Production
Because opportunities to achieve significant salmon production increases through improving natural habitats are limited, additional salmon increases may have to be achieved through artificial production by creating artificial spawning and rearing environments such as hatcheries. The dilemma is that artificial production can have negative effects on wild and naturally spawning salmon populations. For example, young hatchery-produced fish may compete with wild and naturally produced juveniles for food and habitat. Or, returning hatchery-bred adults may interbreed with naturally spawning fish, altering gene pools. In the past, artificial production programs have had detrimental effects on wild gene pools and biodiversity.
In developing these production measures, the Council has identified measures that are consistent with the goal of doubling the number of salmon and steelhead in the basin while maintaining existing levels of biodiversity. This means understanding and documenting the life cycle of wild and naturally spawning fish populations at the stream level so that broader management decisions, while not necessarily made at the stream level, are better informed. It means improving the operations of artificial production facilities, so that impacts of hatchery fish on wild and naturally spawning populations are minimized and the quality of hatchery fish is improved. It means making investments and other adjustments to provide harvest opportunities in tributaries or other areas and to facilitate rebuilding of weak populations. It includes scientifically supported programs to supplement weak wild and naturally spawning fish populations with hatchery fish. It also means proceeding with extreme caution to avoid damaging remaining wild and naturally spawning populations, and fully implementing adaptive management with a systematic monitoring and evaluation strategy.
Populations whose numbers have been greatly depleted as a result of human activities pose a special dilemma. All parties agree that restoring the freshwater habitats and migration corridors of Columbia River Basin salmon is key to recovering depleted populations. There is concern, however, that implementation of passage improvement, habitat protection and restoration measures that have been proposed to date will not be sufficient to recover depleted populations in a timely manner. As a result of this concern, artificial propagation has been identified as an important tool to further aid depleted populations. However, there has been much debate in the region concerning the proper role of artificial propagation.
Some oppose or are skeptical of using artificial propagation to assist depleted populations. This is because of the risk that artificial propagation could change the identity of depleted isolated populations or reduce their ability to recover by altering their ability to survive over the long term in their natural environment.
Others recommend the proper use of some form of artificial propagation (such as supplementation) to aid in recovery of depleted populations. Proponents of this view say that numerous small populations are being lost due to continuing damage and lack of corrective action, with the result that basinwide population diversity is declining. They fear that these populations have already lost the ability to recover on their own because severe reductions in population size have already reduced the genetic diversity important for recovery. In addition, these populations may not be well adapted to survival in the face of dramatic human-caused changes in the basin's environment. Thus, proponents of artificial propagation recommend rapidly increasing the sizes of these small populations to prevent their extinction and loss of genetic diversity by properly using some form of artificial propagation.
The process of devising the best strategies for restoration of depleted populations of threatened and endangered species will require rigorous integration of genetics, evolutionary biology, demography and ecology in addition to the best cooperative efforts of resource managers. Scientific resolution is unlikely to provide one ?generic? answer, but rather two or more different answers appropriate for different existing conditions of populations in the basin.
Because the Council recognizes that there are legitimate biological concerns associated with measures to protect and restore depleted anadromous fish populations, it calls for the undertaking of multiple actions on a site-specific basis.
For salmon, the Council envisions a strategy that considers all available options to develop an effective approach to salmon restoration, and monitors and evaluates the results of these actions in an adaptive management approach. The appropriate combination of actions for a specific population should be determined by the site-specific circumstances of that population. The following options should be considered:
- Take actions to protect and rebuild the freshwater habitat of weak wild and naturally spawning populations. This would include combinations of a variety of techniques: restoring healthy stream/river habitats used for spawning, rearing and overwintering; improving mainstem passage and migration corridor condition; reducing losses of downstream migrants owing to irrigation diversions; restoring water quality; and restoring overall watershed and riparian system condition. Fish harvest rates also should be reduced to support rebuilding.
- Take actions to rebuild populations of weak wild and naturally spawning fish as quickly as possible. This would include combinations of a variety of techniques such as: the proper use of artificial propagation to prevent extinction and further loss of genetic diversity; prevention or minimization of detrimental genetic and ecological impacts to wild and naturally spawning populations from all human actions affecting the river and its watershed, including hatchery programs; and management of fish harvests to support rebuilding.
- Fully implement adaptive management for the purposes of carrying out restorative actions. Adaptive management is an approach to complex natural resource problems where prompt corrective action is needed despite incomplete knowledge of the resource. Adaptive management relies on a systematic monitoring and evaluation strategy.
- Develop a procedure for conducting a population vulnerability analysis to determine the status of various populations and facilitate the selection of various options for restoring the population.
7.2A Hatchery Policies, Coordination and Operations
Nearly 100 artificial production facilities produce 170 million to 200 million smolts annually in the Columbia River Basin. Approximately 75 percent of Columbia River Basin salmon and steelhead adults are produced in hatcheries. The purpose of these facilities is to mitigate for losses of salmon and steelhead production resulting from dams and other developments. The facilities are operated by different entities, each with its own guidelines for selection, maintenance and spawning of brood stock, mating, rearing and release of juveniles. The Council concluded that regional standards and procedures for hatchery operations should be developed that are consistent with the goal of rebuilding weak wild and naturally spawning stocks. To help develop tools to reduce the impacts of hatchery production on wild and naturally spawning stocks, the Council convened a group of nationally recognized geneticists. These geneticists have been asked to bring the best current scientific knowledge to salmon and steelhead production issues. A number of products have resulted from this effort and are being reviewed at the technical and policy levels in the region.
Bonneville
7.2A.1 Fund fishery managers and other experts as needed to develop by October 31, 1995, in consultation with appropriate specialists in genetics, basinwide guidelines to minimize genetic and ecological impacts of hatchery fish on wild and naturally spawning stocks. In the development of the guidelines, apply the best available scientific knowledge, and include: 1) approaches to basinwide coordination of hatchery production to reduce impacts of hatchery stocks on wild and naturally spawning fish; and 2) monitoring and evaluation of hatchery and wild and naturally spawning stock interactions. Submit a report to the Council for public review by March 1, 1996.
7.2A.2 Fund the design of an impact assessment to examine the effects of Columbia River Basin hatcheries (individually and collectively) on wild and naturally spawning fish. The impact assessment would use the best available scientific knowledge and state-of-the-art assessment procedures. Coordinate with measure 7.1F.2, complete the design, and report to the Council by December 1995.
7.2A.3 Continue to fund the activities of the Integrated Hatchery Operations Team and the Implementation Plan for Integrating Regional Hatchery Policies.
Council
7.2A.4 Continue to convene and fund a team of scientific experts that will be available to Bonneville, the Council, the fishery managers and the Integrated Hatchery Operations Team to help scope the hatchery impact assessment (see section 7.1F) and review basinwide hatchery operating policies and guidelines. The team will be available to consult with Bonneville, the Council and the fishery managers or the implementation of new artificial production activities. It also will review ongoing artificial production, in light of the basinwide hatchery operating guidelines. The products and activities of the team will be made available for public review.
Fishery Managers
7.2A.5 The Integrated Hatchery Operations Team should consist of representatives from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, National Marine Fisheries Service, and associate members. It should coordinate with production planning activities described in this section. Duties of the group are described below.
Integrated Hatchery Operations Team
7.2A.6 Continue to update regionally integrated policies for management and operation of all existing and future hatcheries in the Columbia Basin as required. These policies should be monitored for consistency with the goal of increasing sustained production while maintaining genetic resources in the Columbia River Basin.
The policies should continue to include the following elements:
- Fish health policy: Hatchery practices and operations should preclude the introduction and/or spread of any fish disease within the Columbia Basin, and maximize the health of fish released from hatcheries.
- Genetic policy: Hatchery facilities and programs should avoid adverse genetic effects on wild, natural and hatchery fish populations and enhance the sustained quality of production from hatcheries.
- Ecological interactions policy: Hatchery facilities and programs should avoid adverse interactions between wild, natural and hatchery fish populations, including predation, displacement or competition for habitat. They should maximize post-release survival of hatchery fish by increasing similarity of hatchery fish to wild and naturally spawning fish, and by balancing the numbers of fish released and release strategies with the capacity of the natural environment.
- Hatchery performance standards policy: The purpose, goals and objectives of each hatchery should be evaluated in light of the general hatchery policies stated above. Performance standards should be developed for each hatchery, in addition to those provided in this program, including expectations for harvest, maintenance of genetic integrity (including life history, effective population size, morphology and other important traits), fish health and ecological interactions. Criteria and plans for monitoring and evaluating achievement of the performance standards should be developed.
- Regional hatchery coordination policy: Columbia River Basin production facilities should operate under a regional coordination program, including hatchery programs and operations, harvest and research. The objectives of the coordination program should be to facilitate implementation of the regional hatchery policies, incorporate harvest and research considerations in hatchery planning, increase information exchange, coordinate operations to minimize impacts on wild and naturally spawning populations, and foster sharing of facilities to increase their effectiveness.
7.2A.7 Submit to the Council a plan for implementing the policies by December 1994. As part of implementing the regional hatchery coordination policy, identify measures for better coordinating basinwide hatchery management that ensure coordinated planning and learning while encouraging creative, site-specific approaches to improving operations. Upon Council approval of the plan, fishery managers may request Council approval of Bonneville funding for implementing specific parts of the policies.
7.2A.8 Review the formal audit report findings. Submit recommended actions to the appropriate operating and funding entities. Annually report findings to the Council.
7.2A.9 Continue to review and update audit criteria and obtain independent scientific review for the criteria and revise them as necessary. Report to the Council on this and the following measures annually in January.
7.2A.10 Update hatchery operating plans annually for anadromous fish production facilities in the basin.
7.2A.11 Report to the Council annually, beginning in January 1995. Describe new hatchery policies and how operations at existing and planned hatcheries are being changed to implement them and any new information leading to revision of policies and operations. New information should include results of the hatchery impact assessment (Section 7.2A.2), the hatchery survival trends analysis (Section 7.2B.2) and the carrying capacity evaluation (Section 7.1A), when available. Finally, describe the extent of achievement of performance standards, and recommend future improvements and needed research. The annual report will be made available for review by all relevant parties.
7.2B Hatchery Evaluation
Bonneville
7.2B.1 Beginning in 1995, fund ongoing independent audits of hatchery performance in consultation with the Integrated Hatchery Operations Team. Such audits should be conducted at least every three years and more frequently, if possible and warranted. Include recommendations for improving performance and for modifying or terminating hatchery programs based on audit criteria. Results of the audits should be presented to the Council beginning in January 1996.
7.2B.2 Fund a comprehensive analysis of existing data on basinwide trends in hatchery fish survival. The analysis should identify trends over time and by hatchery or geographic area, and correlate hatchery fish survival with natural factors, hatchery operations and other fish or river management actions. The results of the analysis should be reported to the Integrated Hatchery Operations Team by January 1996.
7.2C Creative Partnerships in Hatchery Production
Bonneville
7.2C.1 By June 15, 1995, fund an analysis of opportunities for alternative hatchery institutional arrangements and ways to implement them. By December 31, 1995, develop and report to the Council on the potential for artificial production programs in which alternative institutional arrangements between implementors and managers are used.
7.2C.2 The Council does not take a position on funding for the construction of any other hatcheries or the operation and maintenance of existing hatcheries
7.2D Improved Propagation at Existing Facilities
Numerous biological and environmental factors are known to affect the quality of juvenile fish released from hatcheries. The term ?husbandry? refers to the proper control of these factors. In the hatchery, the factors affecting juveniles include nutrition, rearing density, water temperature, physiological state of smoltification, dissolved oxygen and nitrogen, ambient sound levels and type of rearing pond or raceway. For returning adults, size, location and time of release are primary factors affecting their migrant patterns.
The traditional spring outmigration period for most wild juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin is in April and May. Historically, hatchery release strategies emulated wild fish outmigration in terms of the timing and size of juvenile fish released from hatcheries. But environmental conditions in the river and estuary have changed markedly due to hydroelectric development. New rearing strategies are required to match the release time of hatchery salmon and steelhead to the changed conditions of the river and estuary. Downstream migrations must be programmed to coincide with the most favorable conditions of food availability, predator abundance, river and ocean temperatures, flows and other influencing factors.
A number of complex changes occur in salmon and steelhead that allow them to convert from freshwater residents to saltwater residents. Several biochemical, physiological, morphological and behavioral processes are involved. A greater understanding of these processes is required to improve smolt survival after their release from hatchery facilities.
Due to the high density of fish in hatcheries, rearing ponds and transportation systems, infectious diseases and parasites also are a major concern. Sensitive, accurate and rapid diagnosis would help operators detect the presence of a disease and permit timely treatment.
Bonneville
7.2D.1 Fund research, development and demonstration of improved husbandry practices at hatcheries, which will lead to increased production and improved fish survival to adulthood. Also fund tests of new techniques at Columbia River Basin artificial propagation facilities.
7.2D.2 Immediately fund an evaluation to determine whether the high levels of sound at hatcheries has an adverse effect on survival of hatchery fish after they are released. Develop cost-share programs to fund necessary improvements at hatcheries if sound is found to adversely affect survival. Submit findings and recommendations to the Council regarding the relationship of sound to survival by December 31, 1996.
7.2D.3 Fund research, development and testing of hatchery rearing operations and release strategies aimed at improving the efficiency of hatcheries and increasing the survival of artificially propagated fish to adulthood. This research, development and testing should incorporate effective husbandry practices from Section 7.2D.1.
7.2D.4 Fund development of programs and methods to improve fish health protection in hatchery facilities. The development and related research of methods should include:
- prevention of the introduction of diseases into the Columbia River Basin;
- prevention of the spread of detected fish pathogens;
- improvement of breeding and rearing practices;
- minimization of the impact of fish diseases on wild and cultured stocks; and
- improvement in detection, diagnosis and control of fish diseases and parasites.
7.2D.5 Upon approval by the Council, provide funds to develop a sensitive, reliable index for predicting smolt quality and readiness to migrate. The index shall be validated by conducting a test using a selected species and selected hatcheries. Proposals for further action may be submitted to the Council upon completion of the test.
Bonneville
7.2D.6 Consult with the Integrated Hatchery Operations Team regarding needed research projects to improve fish health in both hatchery and naturally reared populations.
Integrated Hatchery Operations Team
7.2D.7 Develop a comprehensive fish health research agenda taking into consideration information provided, for example, by the Pacific Northwest Fish Health Protection Committee, the independent audits authorized in Section 7.2B.1, results from monitoring and evaluation studies, and asking various entities that operate hatcheries and/or use hatchery fish to mitigate for production deficiencies.