1994 Fish and Wildlife Program

	1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program
	Council document 94-55

Fish and wildlife Fish and Wildlife Program

< Section 7 table of contents

7.4 Pursue New Production Initiatives

7.4A Identify, Evaluate and Implement New Production Initiatives

7.4A.1 Use the Coordinated Habitat and Production process identified in Section 7.0 to identify, evaluate and implement new production initiatives. Such initiatives may include measures to address the needs of weak stocks, such as scientifically sound supplementation, restoration of eliminated populations, demonstrations of captive brood stock technology, cryopreservation, portable and low-capital techniques, acclimation, conversion of existing artificial production facilities and other approaches. Initiatives may also include actions to provide harvest opportunities in tributaries or other areas and to facilitate rebuilding of weak stocks.

7.4A.2 Should the Council determine that additional hatchery propagation facilities are required to compensate for fish losses caused by the hydropower system, Bonneville shall provide funds to design, construct, operate and maintain such facilities.

7.4B Develop Master Plans

7.4B.1 Because of the need to address potential conflicts among increased production, mixed-stock harvest, gene conservation, consistency with other plans and other objectives, the Council calls for detailed master plans where there is not a National Environmental Policy Act document that provides enough information to evaluate new artificial production projects. Below, the Council provides a suggested list of master plan elements. This list is intended to offer guidance, not to impose requirements. Not all of these elements may be relevant in all projects, and some unlisted elements may be important. In general, however, the following elements should be considered in the course of master planning:

project goals;
measurable and time-limited objectives;
factors limiting production of the target species;
expected project benefits (e.g., gene conservation, preservation of biological diversity, fishery enhancement and/or new information);
alternatives for resolving the resource problem;
rationale for the proposed project;
how the proposed production project will maintain or sustain increases in production;
the historical and current status of anadromous and resident fish in the subbasin;
the current (and planned) management of anadromous and resident fish in the subbasin;
consistency of proposed project with Council policies, National Marine Fisheries Service recovery plans, other fishery management plans, watershed plans and activities;
potential impact of other recovery activities on project outcome;
production objectives, methods and strategies;
brood stock selection and acquisition strategies;
rationale for the number and life-history stage of the fish to be stocked, particularly as they relate to the carrying capacity of the target stream and potential impact on other species;
production profiles and release strategies;
production policies and procedures;
production management structure and process;
related harvest plans;
constraints and uncertainties, including genetic and ecological risk assessments and cumulative impacts;
monitoring and evaluation plans, including a genetics monitoring program;
conceptual design of the proposed production and monitoring facilities, including an assessment of the availability and utility of existing facilities; and
cost estimates for various components, such as fish culture, facility design and construction, monitoring and evaluation, and operation and maintenance.

7.4C Emergency Cases

7.4C.1 The Council recognizes that more immediate actions may be required for emergency cases, such as badly damaged populations with decreasing escapements. Documentation of the emergency nature of any such case and proposals for immediate production actions should be brought to the Council, which then will work with relevant parties to evaluate and initiate the necessary actions.

7.4C.2 At an early date, develop guidelines for determining when emergency actions, such as using captive brood stock or other emergency propagation, live trapping and transplantation technologies, should be used to aid in recovery of listed or potentially listed salmon and steelhead populations.

7.4D Captive Brood Stocks

Captive brood stock programs have the potential to rapidly increase adult fish numbers, while retaining genetic diversity of severely depleted wild or naturally spawning stocks of salmon. The captive brood stock concept differs from that used in conventional hatcheries in that fish of wild origin are maintained for a single generation in captivity. Their offspring are released to supplement wild and naturally spawning populations.

Implementation of captive brood stock programs may be the most effective means of accelerating recovery of severely depleted stocks. High survival from egg to adult and maintenance in captivity for no more than a single generation should ensure that genetic integrity and adaptability to native habitats are preserved. Even in a situation where barriers to survival were relaxed to the point that the population could double each generation, it is projected to take more than nine generations for a run to rebuild to the same number of spawners as could be provided by a captive brood stock program in one generation. Furthermore, stable egg supplies provided by a captive brood stock program should be a catalyst for habitat restoration and help ensure stock recovery.

Researchers have been developing basic captive brood stock methodologies for a number of years. Nevertheless, considerable technical information is required prior to implementation of large-scale captive brood stock programs.

7.4D.1 A scoping study identifying captive brood stock research needs is nearing completion. Upon completion of the scoping study, fund development of captive brood stock technology and implementation of captive brood stock programs to aid in recovery of severely depleted stocks of salmonids in the Columbia River Basin. Programs should be consistent with the products and conclusions of the genetics and natural production framework provided elsewhere in this section. Critical investigations that need to be funded concurrently include:

review of the state of the art of captive brood stock management technology;
development of genetically sound methods of sourcing and breeding brood stock to ensure genetic stability and gamete quality;
modeling of genetic consequences of captive brood stock programs;
development of captive brood stock culture systems that minimize loss of fish;
development and testing of a model brood stock program;
evaluation and comparison of fish husbandry techniques;
evaluation of fish health problems;
investigation of reproductive and non-reproductive physiology; and
evaluation of fitness of captive brood progeny for supplementation.

7.4D.2 Fund captive brood stock demonstration projects identified under the coordinated habitat and production process.

7.4E Cryopreservation

Cryopreservation (preservation of fish gametes by freezing) has the potential of allowing ?banking? of genetic stocks for future use, especially when the population is severely depleted and its habitat has been damaged or destroyed.

7.4E.1 In June 1995, report to the Council on research needed to improve cryopreservation technology and develop applications for helping to restore and preserve depleted populations.

7.4E.2 Fund needed research and demonstrations of cryopreservation identified in the coordinated habitat and production process.

7.4F Portable Facilities for Adult Salmon Collection and Holding, and for Juvenile Salmon Acclimation

As weak stocks or populations of salmon and steelhead are identified and assessed, supplementation will be one option to consider to help rebuild these stocks. Decentralized facilities to permit the capture and holding of brood stocks and facilities to acclimate the juvenile fish before release could be useful in this effort. The use of local brood stocks is fundamental to maintaining genetic diversity. The use of acclimation and release facilities prior to release is important to increase juvenile fish survival and ability to imprint on the release stream, and thereby reduce to natural levels their straying into other watersheds. The portability of these facilities should allow them to be used flexibly.

The demonstration project should involve only existing hatchery programs or fish populations that are currently being supplemented.

7.4F.1 Fund the planning, design, construction and operation of a demonstration project for the development of portable adult collection and holding facilities and juvenile acclimation and release facilities. The project should build on the earlier work funded by Bonneville^[1] and other relevant information and experience. The project should be initiated in 1991, with facilities in place in 1992. Report on this measure annually as part of report on measure 7.4O.1.

7.4F.2 Fund additional demonstration projects identified in the coordinated habitat and production process.

7.4G Ringold Hatchery Site Enhancement and Water Development

The Washington Department of Fisheries and Wildlife currently has a water right for 100 cubic feet per second from springs located adjacent to the Ringold Hatchery site. Of this amount, the agencies are only able to capture and use about 36 cubic feet per second. The agencies cannot make the full water right permanent unless facilities for capturing, transporting and using the water are improved. This right has been permitted, which means the state has the legal right to take water, but a certificate of appropriation is not issued until the water is actually being used. The temporary permit will be revoked and the water right lost in 1991, if action is not initiated to use the water.

7.4G.1 Insofar as needed to secure a 100 cubic feet per second water right for the Ringold hatchery facility, fund planning, design and construction of the necessary facilities to capture up to 100 cubic feet per second of water and deliver it to the area of the hatchery site.

7.4G.2 Fund planning, design and construction of the facilities determined to be necessary to improve existing production. Report to the Council for approval before proceeding with construction.

7.4H Reintroduction of Anadromous Fish in the Upper Cowlitz River Basin

In 1991, Bonneville entered into an agreement with Public Utility District No. 1 of Lewis County to purchase the electricity output from the Cowlitz Falls Project. The project is located above Mayfield and Mossyrock dams on the Cowlitz River, which currently block passage of anadromous fish into the upper Cowlitz Basin. In a settlement agreement for Bonneville's acquisition of the project, Bonneville agreed to fund smolt collection and transportation facilities at Cowlitz Falls to facilitate the reintroduction of anadromous fish above Mossyrock Dam. Bonneville is coordinating a technical advisory group, composed of state and federal fish agencies, Tacoma and Lewis County utilities and environmental groups, to establish objectives for fish in the upper Cowlitz watershed. One of the objectives includes reintroduction of anadromous fish. The members of the working group are guiding development of project plans and their implementation. The Council notes with approval the cooperative effort to plan reintroduction of anadromous fish in the upper Cowlitz and the agreement on production objectives. The Council expects these agreed-upon objectives to be incorporated in the system planning identified in the coordinated habitat and production process for the Cowlitz Subbasin.

In December 1991, the Washington Department of Fisheries announced its change in policy on the reintroduction of a limited number of adult anadromous fish to the upper watershed. The Fisheries Department felt the risk from disease was minimal for spring chinook. The Department indicated an intent to withhold a decision on fall chinook until more data was in hand and indicated that winter run steelhead were also suitable for reintroduction. As a direct result of this change, reintroduction of salmon and steelhead to the Cowlitz tributaries above Mayfield Dam has already begun.

7.4H.1 All precautions should be taken to ensure the sound application of biological principles during reintroduction of anadromous fish in the upper Cowlitz Basin.

7.4I Umatilla Production Facilities

The fish and wildlife agencies and tribes have constructed and are operating acclimation ponds on the Umatilla Reservation. Smolts would be transported to these ponds from hatchery facilities for imprinting before release into the upper Umatilla River. Returning adults would provide an improved fishery for the Umatilla tribes and other fishers.

7.4I.1 Fund the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation of Oregon to operate and maintain the Bonifer and Minthorn juvenile release and adult collection and holding facilities on the reservation. Also fund the operation and maintenance of the Umatilla Hatchery to demonstrate the use of oxygen supplementation hatchery techniques, and to produce summer steelhead and chinook salmon smolts for release in the Umatilla River.

7.4I.2 Fund the construction and operation of planned juvenile release and adult collection and holding facilities for outplanting in the upper Umatilla River to enhance natural and hatchery production.

7.4J John Day Acclimation Facilities

In an effort to restore the level of adult bright fall chinook returns that were lost due to construction of John Day Dam, the Bonneville and Spring Creek fish hatcheries were expanded. Smolts from the hatcheries are released above John Day Dam. To achieve maximum smolt survival, it is believed to be necessary to hold the fish to relieve stress caused by transportation and to imprint the smolts. Council approval of permanent facilities will be based on the demonstrated effectiveness of the temporary facilities.

7.4J.1 Develop a plan for designing, constructing and evaluating temporary acclimation ponds. The primary purpose of the temporary acclimation ponds will be to assess the effectiveness of using acclimation ponds to improve survival of fish released in upriver habitat. If suitable release sites are not identified above McNary Dam, then sites in the John Day Pool should be considered. The plan will provide the following:

A proposal for temporary acclimation sites;
Design elements that are necessary to test the effectiveness of the concept of acclimation ponds. The plan may include different technologies in different locations;
Brood stock and release guidelines for the proposed facilities to ensure that releases: 1) do not adversely affect the genetic integrity of stocks potentially affected by the hatchery releases; 2) are compatible with the fish naturally inhabiting the release locations; 3) are disease-free; and 4) are coordinated with other management and enhancement activities in the basin;
Monitoring and evaluation studies to assess the effectiveness of the facilities, including a comparison of the survival of juveniles released without benefit of acclimation with those benefiting from acclimation; and,
Cost estimates and a schedule for design, construction and evaluation.

7.4J.2 Upon approval by the Council of the acclimation pond plan, fund design, construction and evaluation of the temporary facilities.

7.4J.3 Upon approval by the Council, fund the design, construction, operation and maintenance of permanent John Day acclimation ponds. These ponds will be used to imprint fall chinook.

7.4J.4 Evaluate options for using K-Basins on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation for the artificial propagation of fall chinook salmon, coho salmon, and sturgeon. Submit evaluation including recommendations to the Council by December 31, 1995.

7.4J.5 Fund evaluation called for in 7.4J.4. Upon Council approval, fund recommendations for use of K-Basins for artificial propagation.

7.4K Yakama Production Facilities

Much is still unknown about the impact of hatchery-produced fish on wild populations. The design and management of this hatchery will allow fish and wildlife agencies and tribes to learn more about these impacts and to identify the best methods for carrying out hatchery production and supplementation of natural production. The Outlet Creek site, because of its water supply and available acreage, was identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a 1979 feasibility study, The Yakama Fish Hatchery, funded by Bonneville as the best location for a hatchery on the Yakama Indian Reservation. The Council believes it is important to proceed with this project as soon as possible because of the importance of the added production to be provided by the facility, the potential learning benefits of the facility, and the long lead time required for planning, design and construction of the facility.

7.4K.1 Fund design, construction, operation and maintenance of a hatchery to enhance the fishery for the Yakama Indian Nation as well as other harvesters. The hatchery will be a central outplanting facility, used to raise juvenile fish for release in the Yakima Basin and elsewhere in the Columbia River Basin. The purpose of the hatchery will be to supplement natural runs. Nothing in this measure is intended to imply that this will be the only outplanting facility for the Yakima Basin or the Columbia River Basin.

Upon Council approval of the master plan, fund the detailed design, engineering and construction of the hatchery and associated facilities.
Fund management of operation and maintenance of the hatchery. Before making annual budget requests for operation and maintenance, the hatchery manager will develop a status report on the previous year's operations. The status report will include a production plan for the coming year and an analysis showing how the plan is consistent with salmon and steelhead management activities throughout the basin.
Fund biological monitoring and evaluation studies identified in the master plan. The results of the studies will be used to improve management at the Yakama central outplanting facility and at similar facilities elsewhere in the basin.

7.4L Northeast Oregon Production Facilities

The primary objective for these facilities is similar to that stated for the Yakama and Nez Perce outplanting facilities. The fish and wildlife agencies and tribes expect these facilities to provide for outplanting of about 2.3 million to 3 million spring chinook juveniles in the five Oregon rivers identified in the measure. The Council maintains that the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes should play the lead role in developing the master plan for the northeastern Oregon hatchery. It also maintains that the facility need not necessarily be limited to spring chinook, as originally proposed, if other stocks would benefit from hatchery supplementation. While the focus may be on spring chinook stocks, the fish agencies and tribes may wish to consider appropriate supplementation of other stocks. Monitoring and evaluation studies should be coordinated with supplementation research and related management and with propagation activities.

The Hood River Production Program component of Northeast Oregon Production Facilities was disaggregated from the other basins and a master plan was submitted to the Council in 1992.

7.4L.1 Fund planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and evaluation of artificial production facilities to raise chinook salmon and steelhead for enhancement in the Hood, Umatilla, Walla Walla, Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers and elsewhere. The artificial production facilities will be used to supplement natural production in these rivers.

Prior to design of the facilities, fund development of a master plan for the outplanting facilities, coordinated with the Integrated System Plan. The master plan should address the elements shown in Measure 7.4B.1 or substitute environmental analyses prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Upon approval by the Council of the master plan, fund the detailed design, engineering and construction of the hatchery and associated facilities.
Fund operation and maintenance of the hatchery. Before making annual budget requests for operation and maintenance, the facility manager will develop a status report on the previous year's operations. The status report will include a production plan for the coming year and an analysis that shows how the plan is consistent with salmon and steelhead management activities throughout the basin.
Fund biological monitoring and evaluation studies identified in the master plan. The results of the studies will be used to improve supplementation programs elsewhere in the basin.

7.4L.2 Fund the Hood River Production Project elements identified in the Council's letter of April 16, 1992, accepting and commenting on the master plan. Final design and additional work elements should begin immediately, and construction should begin contingent on a finding of ?no significant impact? by Bonneville in the National Environmental Policy Act environmental analysis.

7.4M Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery

The Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho includes more than 300 miles of rivers and streams with suitable habitat. Upon demonstration that low-cost, small-scale salmon and steelhead propagation facilities are practicable and upon approval of the plans by the Council, construction, operation and maintenance of low-cost, small-scale salmon and steelhead propagation facilities will be funded on the Nez Perce Reservation. The Nez Perce Tribe submitted a master plan to the Council that is consistent with measure 7.4B.1.

7.4M.1 Upon approval by the Council of final design, construction plans, production schedules and biological monitoring and evaluation plans pursuant to measure 7.4M.3, fund the construction, operation and maintenance of those facilities.

7.4M.2 Fund project elements identified in the Council's letter of April 15, 1992, accepting and commenting on the master plan. Final design and additional work elements should begin immediately, and construction should begin contingent on a finding of no significant impact by Bonneville in the National Environmental Policy Act environmental analysis.

7.4M.3 Complete the environmental analysis required by the National Environmental Policy Act as quickly as possible so that the Nez Perce Tribe and the Council can come to conclusion on the scope of the supplementation program, facilities needed and the adequacy of the monitoring and evaluation program.

7.4N Pelton Dam Fish Ladder

7.4N.1 Fund propagation of salmon and/or steelhead smolts in the 2.8-mile long fish ladder located at Pelton Dam on the Deschutes River in Oregon. This production will be in addition to the fish propagation activities being conducted there by Portland General Electric to mitigate the effects of Pelton and Round Butte dams and will not affect the mitigation responsibilities of that company. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon developed a master plan which the Council accepted prior to Bonneville funding of design and construction. The master plan was consistent with Section 7.4B.1.

7.4N.2 Fund project elements identified in the Council's letter of April 15, 1992. Final design and additional work elements should begin immediately, and construction should begin contingent on a finding of ?no significant impact? by Bonneville in the National Environmental Policy Act environmental analysis.

7.4O Small-Scale Production Projects

The major advantages of low-capital propagation are: 1) it requires a smaller water supply, and 2) it is readily adaptable to individual drainages, enabling the conservation of gene pools. The Council encourages community involvement in projects of this nature.

7.4O.1 Immediately, provide funds to develop and test low-cost, small-scale salmon and steelhead propagation facilities adaptable to Columbia River Basin locales. Include investigation of artificial spawning channels, on-site streamside incubators, acclimation ponds and other related technologies. Coordinate this work with portable acclimation facility demonstration projects in measure 7.4F. Report to the Council on this measure annually by June 30. As feasible approaches to low-cost, small-scale facilities are identified, take the steps necessary to use as many of these low-cost, small-scale facilities as required. In implementing this measure, put particular emphasis on implementing aspects of the updated subbasin plans including immediate needs for acclimation facilities.

^[1] Bonneville Power Administration. Compendium of Low-Cost Pacific Salmon and Steelhead Trout Production Facilities and Practices in the Pacific Northwest. October 1984.

< back | ^ top | next >

1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program