This report summarizes
activities by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW)
Lower Snake River Hatchery Evaluation Program from April 16, 2001
to April 15, 2003. Fall chinook salmon broodstock were obtained from
the Lyons Ferry Hatchery (LFH) ladder and fish trapped and transported
to LFH from Lower Granite (LGR) Dam. Only codedwire tagged (CWT),
blank wire tagged (BWT), or ventral fin clipped salmon were collected
at LGR Dam and transported to the hatchery.
The total number
of fall chinook processed at spawning in 2001 was 5,977 fish (2,281
adults and jacks trapped at LFH and 3,696 adults and jacks trapped
at LGR). Realizing there were more fish trapped than needed for broodstock,
727 of the fish on hand (52 fish trapped at LFH and 675 fish trapped
at LGR Dam) were returned to the Snake River. Similar to 2002, the
total number of fish processed during the season was 4,517 fish (2,728
adults and jacks trapped at LFH and 2,789 adults and jacks trapped
at LGR Dam). Anticipating a large run it was decided to reduce the
numbers of fish on hand to allow for sampling throughout the run.
Because of this, 992 fish (501 trapped at LFH and 491 trapped at LGR
Dam) were hauled back to the Snake River in 2002.
Fall chinook were
spawned at LFH from October 23 to November 27, 2001 and from October
23 to November 25, 2002. Peak of spawning was November 13 and 14 in
2001 and November 12 and 13 in 2002. Coded-wire tags were removed
from hatchery fish and read to determine the fish’s origin prior
to mixing of gametes, unless they were Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE)
tagged fish. Left red VIE fish that were used in broodstock were sub-sampled
for CWT composition. Matings consisted of single female/single male
lots with a backup male in 2001 while in 2002 backup males were not
used. Only salmon verified to be of LFH/Snake River origin were used
for broodstock.
To determine the
composition of the run at LGR Dam as well as the run to LFH we read
59%- 100% of the VIE-CWT, CWT only, and AD-CWT groups. In 2001, any
hatchery strays or unmarked fish were considered strays and removed
from the population. This changed in 2002 when unmarked/untagged fish
were released back into the Snake River. NOAA Fisheries allowed the
return of these fish to the Snake River to continue their upward migration,
based upon the assumption that these fish were primarily from upstream
releases of unmarked LFH/Snake River hatchery origin fish. As in 2001,
any stray fish were removed from the population since they were not
needed elsewhere.
Sex, age, and
mean length information was compiled for LFH/Snake River origin fall
chinook salmon adults and jacks. These returns continued to be dominated
by younger age class males. Females dominated the older age class
of returning LFH/Snake River origin salmon because few males return
at age-5 or older.
In 2001 and 2002,
egg take from LFH/Snake River origin broodstock, prior to any transfers,
was 4,734,234 and 4,910,467 green eggs, respectively. As a precaution,
144,530 and 44,900 green eggs from LFH/Snake River origin females
which tested ELISA positive for Bacterial Kidney Disease were destroyed
prior to eye-up in 2001 and 2002. This left 4,589,704 and 4,865,567
green eggs available for production in 2001 and 2002. Green egg to
eye-up loss was estimated at 3.5% and 3.1% for the two years, excluding
the eggs that were destroyed because of high ELISA titers.
In 2001 we transferred
200,064 eyed eggs (2001 brood) to Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) for the
Idaho Power Company mitigation agreement. The estimated number of
LFH/Snake River origin fry ponded was 4,103,521 fish (2001 brood).
In 2002 we shipped 616,000 green eggs (2002 brood) to Nez Perce Tribal
Hatchery (NPTH) to help supplement their new hatchery. In addition,
we transferred 7,000 green eggs to USFWS for research. After eye-up
we transferred 230,000 eggs to IDFG, and another 336,967 fish to ODFW
as part of the Idaho Power Company mitigation agreement. Also in 2002
5,100-eyed eggs (2002 brood) were transferred to Battelle Northwest
Laboratories for research purposes. An estimated 3,481,685 fish (2002
brood) LFH/Snake River origin fry were ponded.
In 2001, to maximize
survival of subyearlings released during a low flow/no spill year,
LFH production subyearlings originally slated for onstation releases
were barged to below Bonneville Dam. On June 1, 2001, we released
199,976 subyearling (2000 brood) fall chinook salmon from the barge.
These fish were 100% adipose clipped (marked) and coded-wire tagged.
We released another 3,994 fish on July 3 directly into the Snake River
at LFH. These fish were refused for NPT research because of size.
An additional 1,732,167 subyearlings (2000 brood) were released by
the NPT in 2001; one group at Captain John, two from Big Canyon, and
one from Pittsburg Landing acclimation facilities. As part of Idaho
Power Company’s mitigation for fish loss associated with the
construction of Hells Canyon Dam, another 115,220 subyearling (2000
brood) fall chinook were released below Hells Canyon Dam.
In 2002, all
of the yearling fall chinook salmon (2000 brood) released from LFH
and the acclimation sites were adipose clipped (marked), coded-wire
tagged, and elastomer tagged. During April 1-11, LFH volitionally
released 432,511 yearling (2000 brood) fall chinook salmon from the
hatchery. The NPT released 479,360 fall chinook yearlings (2001 brood)
on April 10, 2002 from acclimation facilities upstream of LGR Dam.
On June 24, 2002,
LFH released 194,582 subyearling (2001 brood) fall chinook salmon
from the hatchery. These fish were 100% adipose clipped and coded-wire
tagged. There were two additional groups of late subyearlings released
by WDFW, both of which were unmarked/untagged at release. The first
group (29,059 fish) was released into the Snake River above LGR Dam
at Chief Timothy Park on October 16, 2002. These fish were originally
slated for NOAA research, but they were too small to PIT tag. The
second group (24,573 fish) was released December 2, 2002 into the
Snake River at Roosters Landing, also above LGR Dam. These were excess
fish on hand at LFH after all the yearling groups were tagged. An
additional 2,398,079 subyearlings (2001 brood) were released by the
NPT; two groups at Captain John, two from Big Canyon, and one from
Pittsburg acclimation facilities. As part of Idaho Power Company’s
Hells Canyon mitigation agreement, another 171,120 subyearling (2001
brood) fall chinook were released below Hells Canyon Dam. In 2003,
from April 1-9, LFH volitionally released 518,436 yearling (2001 brood)
fall chinook salmon from the hatchery. The NPT released a total of
437,633 fall chinook yearlings (2001 brood) March 30, 2003 from acclimation
facilities upstream of LGR Dam.
Surveys were conducted
to count fall chinook redds in the Tucannon River. In 2001 and 2002,
we observed 65 and 183 redds and sampled 35 and 74 carcasses, respectively.
The estimated escapement to the Tucannon River was 195 and 549 fall
chinook in 2001 and 2002.
In 2001, we estimate
47.3% of the adults were LFH/Snake River hatchery origin, 35.3% were
natural origin, and 17.4% were out-of-basin strays. Jacks in 2001
were composed of 60.7% LFH/Snake River hatchery origin fish, with
39.3% unassigned origin due to small sample size. In 2002, we estimate
38.0% of the adults were out-of basin strays, 31.2% were LFH/Snake
River hatchery origin, 11.4% were natural origin, and 19.4% were of
unknown hatchery origin. Jacks were composed of 26.7% LFH/Snake River
hatchery origin fish, 23.3% out-of-basin strays, 23.3% unassigned
hatchery origin fish, and 26.7% unassigned wild or hatchery origin
fish.
We were unable
to account for 19.2% (4,822 fish) and 6.0% (1,335 fish) of fall chinook
escapement past Ice Harbor (IHR) Dam in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
These estimates are calculated as the difference between the number
of fish crossing IHR Dam and the numbers of fish entering LFH, spawning
in the Tucannon River, and counted at LGR Dam.
Since 1990 WDFW
adopted a broodstock collection protocol that allowed removal of strays
from broodstock to maintain similarity to the Snake River natural
origin fall chinook. In 1993 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
began requiring the removal of strays at LGR Dam. The goal was to
keep strays below 5% of the total run above LGR Dam. During 2001 and
2002 the stray rate above LGR was 1.9% and 1.2%, well under the level
suggested by NOAA. Out-ofbasin strays were mainly (84.5%) from releases
in the Umatilla River. Also included in the stray estimate were fish
released from Klickitat Hatchery as well as Priest Rapids Hatchery.
The final location
of wire tagged LFH/Snake River hatchery origin fish was summarized
for the 2001 and 2002 return years. In 2001 yearling releases had
approximately 43% of their adult detections in the Snake River, 20%
in the Columbia River, and 37% in ocean fisheries. Adult detections
in 2001 from subyearling releases indicated 75% were located on the
Snake River, 10% were in the Columbia River, and the remaining 15%
in ocean fisheries. Adults from yearlings returning in 2002 had approximately
46% of their detections in the Snake River, 15% in the Columbia River,
and 39% in ocean fisheries, while subyearling returned adults were
located strongly to the Snake River (67%), 9% to the Columbia River,
and the balance of 24% to ocean fisheries.
We estimate that
9,361 fall chinook adults and 4,756 jacks of LFH/Snake River hatchery
origin returned to the Snake River in 2001; 77% of the 18,300 which
are required for mitigation. In 2002 we estimate that 11,355 fall
chinook adults and 5,157 jacks of Lyons Ferry origin returned to the
Snake River, 90% of the 18,300 fish required for mitigation. Jacks
comprised 33.7% of the return of LFH/Snake River hatchery origin fish
in 2001, compared to 9.1% wild origin jacks.
In 2002, jacks
comprised 31.2% of the return of LFH/Snake River hatchery origin fish
while jacks were 41.6% of the return of wild origin fish. These estimates
are based on a preliminary Lower Granite Dam run reconstruction and
will change when the final run reconstruction is completed.
Recommendations
for the future include:
1) focus on
reducing jack return rate by examining the size, time, and type
of release that may be causing excess jacks;
2) pursue additional
funding to build additional raceways or rearing ponds at LFH to
address fish density and fish health concerns;
3) propose outlets
for additional fish produced at LFH like a direct stream release
of subyearlings paired with the release of subyearlings out of Captain
John acclimation facility to compare survival between release strategies
or encourage IDFG and Idaho Power Company to aggressively develop
Oxbow Hatchery for future chinook releases;
4) summarize
adult returns for LFH origin fall chinook beginning with the 1990
brood released at LFH and include in a future report;
5) complete
a cooperative report with fall chinook co-managers in the Snake
River basin to determine the effectiveness of programs at meeting
LSRCP goals and assess the success of each release site by looking
at smolt-to-adult survivals and age/sex of returns; and
6) summarize
ATPase and cortisol data that has been collected over the years
and include it in an upcoming report.
