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1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program |
| Council document 94-55 | |
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7.5 Specific Actions to Assist Weak Stocks
7.5A Snake River Sockeye Salmon
In the summer of 1991, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the Bonneville Power Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service and others initiated an emergency program to conserve and rebuild Snake River sockeye. The Council endorses this effort, but regards this program as a highly experimental measure that should be implemented with appropriate safeguards.
Bonneville, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Forest Service and Others
7.5A.1 Fund the program to protect and rebuild Snake River sockeye. Include the following features in the program:
- Continue captive brood stock programs derived from four separate parental stocks.
- Locate and equip hatcheries needed to house projected numbers of captive brood stocks.
- Maintain captive brood stocks through a second generation, where necessary and found to be genetically acceptable, to ensure sufficient releases into target lakes.
- Divide smolts captured for rearing in this program among two or more lots. Each lot should have a separate water supply, alarm system and other protective measures.
- Release brood stock progeny generally into the lake of origin, at density levels within conservative carrying capacity limits consistent with long-term monitoring and evaluation needs.
- Designate Genetic Protocol and Fish Culture/Health work groups to provide continuing advice throughout the recovery effort. These groups address aspects such as rearing and mating techniques, research and reintroduction protocols and monitoring needs.
- Undertake long-term monitoring and evaluation of the captive brood stock program production as the basis for program improvements, and decisions concerning its continuation.
- Control recreational activities in critical spawning and rearing areas.
- Remove or modify barriers to migration.
- Conduct lake fertilization experiments.
- Provide an annual report on the practices and performance of the program for review by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Council.
7.5A.2 Regularly update the Governors of the Northwest states, the Northwest Congressional delegation, the Council and other concerned parties on the progress of this program.
Bonneville and Fishery Managers
7.5A.3 Fund and develop for Council review a feasibility study for reintroduction of sockeye salmon into appropriate production areas. These studies should consider reintroduction in all historical production areas such as Wallowa and Warm lakes. It should develop a protocol for fostering natural production in lakes selected for sockeye restoration. This study should also consider creating anadromous populations by managing kokanee, such as those found in Pelton Reservoir, in a manner that allows access to the ocean. This study should be coordinated with the Regional Assessment of Supplementation Project, appropriate specialists in genetics, and the coordinated implementation, monitoring and evaluation approach. It should also be consistent with the National Marine Fisheries Service's recovery plan for sockeye in the Snake River.
7.5B Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon
Fishery Managers
7.5B.1 As quickly as possible and in consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service, develop an experimental design for implementing, monitoring and evaluating supplementation of and, if appropriate, a captive brood stock program for, Snake River fall chinook. Submit to Council for approval by February 1, 1995. The proposed work should be coordinated with Sections 7.3B -- Final Planning and Implementation of Proposed Additional High Priority Supplementation Projects and 7.5C: Emergency Cases.
Bonneville
7.5B.2 Upon approval by the Council and in consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service, implement supplementation and/or captive brood stock programs developed by the fishery managers.
7.5B.3 Continue to fund basic life history studies for Snake River fall chinook. This study should identify the range, limiting factors, effects of flow, temperature, spawning and rearing habitat, and migratory behavior.
Fishery Managers
7.5B.4 As rapidly as possible, complete genetic guidelines for using supplementation, captive brood stocks and captive rearing for rebuilding weak populations.
7.5C Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon
Natural production of coho salmon in the lower Columbia River has declined to extremely low levels. Fewer than 25,000 spawn naturally in scattered tributaries of the lower river. In 1990, a petition was filed with the National Marine Fisheries Service for protection of the population under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. On June 7, 1991, the National Marine Fisheries Service declined to list the population after its review of available data failed to identify a population segment in the lower Columbia River genetically distinct from coastal populations. However, the service expressed a willingness to evaluate additional data.
Naturally reproducing coho in the lower Columbia River represent an important resource that can be protected and rebuilt. The values of doing so include maintaining genetic diversity, reducing the almost exclusive dependence on hatchery production and preserving recovery opportunities. In implementing the following measures, Bonneville funding should be limited to the extent to which coho populations have been affected by hydropower, or to particular instances in which off-site recovery measures would be appropriate mitigation for hydropower impacts.
Oregon and Washington
7.5C.1 Explore adopting management goals to rebuild naturally reproducing populations of lower river coho to self-sustaining levels.
7.5C.2 Continue research to determine genetic distinctions between lower river coho and coastal populations. Submit products of the research to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
7.5C.3 Incorporate recommendations of the Regional Assessment of Supplementation Project and the Council's genetics team in developing management directions.
Bonneville and Fishery Managers
7.5C.4 Survey subbasin plans submitted as part of the Integrated System Plan to determine limiting factors for naturally reproducing coho populations.
7.5C.5 Fund a survey of land management regulations affecting coho habitat. Include reviews of state forest practices, regulations and federal land management plans affecting coho habitat. Develop recommendations for revisions to support rebuilding objectives.
7.5C.6 Fund a review of current production and harvest management practices for impacts on naturally reproducing coho populations, including competition from release of juveniles, disease and predation. Solicit recommendations for revisions of management practices to support rebuilding efforts.
7.5D Columbia River Chum Salmon
Chum salmon are listed in the Integrated System Plan as a stock of high concern. Counts from the spawning grounds have dropped from more than 700 per mile in the early 1950s to a low of fewer than 100 per mile in recent times. Catches of this species exceeded 700,000 per year in the 1920s, but catches have exceeded 2,000 fish only twice since 1960.
Chum once spawned in many tributaries of the Columbia Basin, including some above Bonneville Dam. They are now found only in the Grays, Elochoman and Lewis subbasins, and Hardy and Hamilton creeks. Habitat degradation, passage barriers and harvest have all contributed to reductions in this species. In implementing the following measures, Bonneville funding should be limited to the extent to which chum populations have been affected by hydropower, or to particular instances in which off-site recovery measures would be appropriate mitigation for hydropower impacts.
Oregon and Washington
7.5D.1 Identify naturally reproducing populations of chum salmon and adopt management goals to rebuild those populations to self-sustaining levels.
7.5D.2 Incorporate recommendations of the Regional Assessment of Supplementation Project and the Council's genetics team in developing management directions.
Bonneville and Fishery Managers
7.5D.3 Survey subbasin plans submitted as part of the Integrated System Plan to determine limiting factors for naturally reproducing chum salmon populations.
7.5D.4 Fund a survey of land management regulations affecting chum salmon habitat. Include reviews of state forest practices, regulations and federal land management plans affecting chum salmon habitat. Develop recommendations for revisions to support rebuilding objectives.
7.5D.5 Fund a review of current production and harvest management practices for impacts on naturally reproducing chum salmon populations. Solicit recommendations for revisions of management practices to support rebuilding efforts.
7.5E Columbia River Sea-Run Cutthroat Trout
Sea-run cutthroat trout are found in all tributaries below and several tributaries above Bonneville Dam. No good measure of run strength exists. Likewise, little is known about early life history survival, ocean survival, catch, or escapement of Columbia Basin sea-run cutthroat trout populations. It is known that these populations have declined over time. Experts believe that habitat degradation and interactions with hatchery salmon and steelhead have caused this decline. Regardless, sport angling for sea-run cutthroat trout is an important fishery, and much support for rebuilding these populations is evident. In implementing the following measures, Bonneville funding should be limited to the extent to which sea-run cutthroat trout populations have been affected by hydropower, or to particular instances in which offsite recovery measures would be appropriate mitigation for hydropower impacts.
Oregon and Washington
7.5E.1 Identify naturally reproducing populations of sea-run cutthroat trout and adopt management goals to rebuild those populations to self-sustaining levels.
7.5E.2 Incorporate recommendations of the Regional Assessment of Supplementation Project and the Council's genetics team in developing management directions.
Bonneville and Fishery Managers
7.5E.3 Survey subbasin plans submitted as part of the Integrated System Plan to determine limiting factors for naturally reproducing sea-run cutthroat trout populations.
7.5E.4 Fund a survey of land management regulations affecting sea-run cutthroat trout habitat. Include reviews of state forest practices, regulations and federal land management plans affecting sea-run cutthroat trout habitat. Develop recommendations for revisions to support rebuilding objectives.
7.5E.5 Fund a review of current production and harvest management practices for impacts on naturally reproducing sea-run cutthroat trout populations. Solicit recommendations for revisions of management practices to support rebuilding efforts.
7.5F Pacific Lamprey
Pacific lamprey are anadromous fish historically present in the Columbia and Snake rivers. Lamprey are a traditional food source for Columbia Basin Indians and remain culturally important. The Council has not previously called for measures to address lamprey populations. The tribes have noted that lamprey populations appear to be declining.
Bonneville, Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation
7.5F.1 Fund a unified data collection and analysis project to provide a status report to the Council on Pacific lamprey populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers. As part of the report, identify research needs for passage, habitat, and life history as well as alternative actions for addressing lamprey populations. Submit report to the Council by the end of June 1995. Upon approval by the Council, fund actions recommended in the report.