Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

The proposed budget is consistent with program expectations for FY 2006 funding renewal, but is insufficient to meet current program needs. Personnel and operating (fuel) costs have gone up across the board. And the ISS program has experienced cost increases in other areas as well. The per-sample cost to analyze genetic samples for reproductive contribution in the Pahsimeroi River has increased dramatically. In response to the ISRP Issue 10 Review, we have also undertaken additional carcass collection surveys, which requires additional personnel time and travel expenses. We estimate that an increase of 10% will be needed in operating and personnel to maintain current program activities; increasing our budget total to $1,089,000 Capital outlay needs have also recently evolved or have been put off for several years. The number of CWT scanners in the program is inadequate to effectively monitor the return of tagged fish, and housing for ISS personnel at hatchery facilities is no longer assured, which may require the purchase of additional travel trailers or contributing to dormitory expansions. Because of the uncertainty involved with living space, no capital cost estimates are available at this time. Additionally, in their Issue 10 Programmatic Review the ISRP recommended that the ISS program scope be increased substantially to include a genetic evaluation of the relative reproductive contribution of natural, ISS supplementation, and general production hatchery strays in ISS streams. A proposal was developed to complete this work and submitted; however, funding was not approved. When a realistic per-sample cost is applied to this proposal, approximately $353,000 will be required annually to support this analysis in the Pahsimeroi and upper Salmon rivers. To do this ISRP recommended analysis in all ISS streams where this analysis is feasible will require approximately $600,000 annually (Note that this amount is to be distributed between IDFG and NPT cooperators (project number 1989-098-02) in proportions that have not been determined yet.

Accomplishments since the last review

2002 The last groups of adults were collected for ISS broodstocks. Broodstock creation was extended through 2002 to increase the number of streams receiving “full” treatment levels. 2002 Continued supplementation of treatment streams and monitoring of control streams, continued monitoring of juvenile survival and abundance, and monitoring of adult returns. 2003 Published a response to the ISRP Issue 10 Programmatic Review entitled Evaluation and Statistical Review of Idaho Supplementation Studies. The report was authored by ISS cooperators and an independent statistician. 2003 Published Idaho Supplementation Studies Annual Progress Report for calendar years 1997 – 2001. 2003 Continued supplementation of treatment streams and monitoring of control streams, continued monitoring of juvenile survival and abundance, and monitoring of adult returns. 2003 Released the last ISS pre-smolt supplementation groups into treatment streams. These juvenile groups were produced from adult collections in 2002. 2004 Continued supplementation of treatment streams and monitoring of control streams, continued monitoring of juvenile survival and abundance, and monitoring of adult returns. 2004 Released the last ISS smolt supplementation groups into treatment streams. These juvenile groups were produced from adult collections in 2002. 2005 Produced a joint annual report that covers all program activities relative to brood year 2002 Chinook salmon. This report was authored by and covers activities performed by all four ISS cooperating agencies. 2005 Produced a joint annual report covering the interim period between the calendar year 1997 – 2001 report and the brood year 2002 report. This report covers activities for this time period performed by the IDFG and SBT. 2005 Published another response to the ISRP 10 Programmatic Review entitled An Updated Study Design and Statistical Analysis of Idaho Supplementation Studies.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

2006 Produce a joint annual report that covers all program activities relative to brood year 2003 Chinook salmon. This report to be authored by and cover activities performed by all four ISS cooperating agencies. 2006 A special annual report for the FCRPS Biological Opinion Annual Progress Report. 2006 Cooperate with BPA environmental personnel to ensure continued ESA compliance documentation are being completed. 2006 Attend relevant meetings, workshops, training as required to coordinate program activities. Coordinate activities and share project information through participation in professional meetings and meetings with other supplementation programs. 2006 Continued (adult) supplementation of treatment streams and monitoring of control streams, continued monitoring of juvenile survival and abundance, and monitoring of adult returns. 2006 Collect tissue samples for DNA analysis from all adult Chinook salmon passed upstream of weirs. DNA samples will be used to quantify production and productivity estimates for wild/natural and supplementation adults. We will begin the ISRP recommended parentage analysis if the necessary funding is obtained. 2006 Collect tissue samples for DNA analysis from juvenile Chinook salmon emigrating from above the Pahsimeroi and Sawtooth hatchery weirs. Juvenile DNA will be analyzed for various parental analysis and reproductive contribution of natural and supplementation adults. We will begin the ISRP recommended parentage analysis if the necessary funding is obtained.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

Salmon Subbasin: Strategy 1A2 Page 20 “Determine (SARs).” The ISS program PIT tags Chinook for its own use and for Projects 199602000 and 199005500. Strategy 2A2 Page 24 “Continue ongoing programs where intervention has already occurred and support the refinement of genetic techniques.” The ISS project continues to monitor the effects hatchery supplementation on rebuilding and introgression in small populations. Strategy 3A1 Page 25 “Use new and existing projects (ISS and GPM) to further the knowledge of egg to smolt survival.” The ISS project is named as a primary contributor of this data. Strategy 3A2 Page 25 “Determine juvenile or smolt per female measures.” The ISS program directly estimates both the number of spawners and progeny. Strategy 3C1 Page 25 “Quantify adult and juvenile abundance information.” The ISS program does this through screw traps, weirs, and carcass collection. Strategy 3C2 Page 25 “Determine SARs for Chinook.” See 1A2 above. Strategy 3C3 Page 25 “Determine population productivity.” The program directly estimates productivity in the Salmon basin (e.g., redds/spawner, juveniles/adult and adult/adult). Strategy 3C4 Page 25 “Measure reproductive success of hatchery salmon.” The ISS program has an ongoing project measuring reproductive contribution of natural, supplementation and hatchery strays. Clearwater Subbasin: Strategy 1A1 Page 14 “Examine mortality associated with differential migration timing.” The ISS program PIT tags wild Chinook in the basin that directly contribute to these analyses. Strategy 3C2 Page 19 “Develop knowledge of hatchery/wild interactions.” ISS continues to monitor production and productivity in streams with and without direct hatchery influence. Strategy 3D4 Page 21 “Continue existing natural production strategies.” The ISS project continues to monitor the effectiveness of hatchery supplementation to rebuild natural populations.

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

Salmon Subbasin: While the Technical Team stated that prioritization was not feasible (Page 154) their identification of research needs (Tables 12&13) and performance measures to evaluate success (Table 15) are in fact de facto identification of high priority RM&E needs. Table 13. The ISS program measures all the identified Performance Measures for Research Needs 1 & 3 and all but juvenile rearing distribution for Research Needs 4 & 5. Table 15. The ISS program also contributes to Key Performance Measures identified with the following Objectives: 1A, 1B, 2A, 4C, 7A, 8A, 8B, 8D, 9A, 10A, 11A, 12A, 12B, 17C, 18A, 18B, 28A, 30A, 45A, 46B. Clearwater Subbasin: The ISS program contributes directly to the following “high priority RM&E needs” (Page 61) identified for this subbasin: (Page 63) I.1. “Investigate effects of loss of nutrients...” The ISS program is specifically named in the Management Plan for collecting data pertinent to this goal (population estimates and productivity measures). (Page 63) I.2. “Determine migrational characteristics and timing…” The ISS program is specifically named in the Management Plan for collecting data pertinent to this goal (PIT tagging in American and Red rivers and Crooked Fork and Colt Killed creeks). (Page 63) I.3. “Develop appropriate monitoring…” The ISS program is specifically identified as in the Management Plan for collecting data pertinent to this goal (estimated number of spawners and/or redds and estimates of the number of resulting juveniles). (Page 70) V.1. “Quantify salmon stray rates…” ISS juveniles were CWT marked and will provide a direct measure of straying. The ISS program has submitted a proposal to assess the reproductive contribution of hatchery strays that could be used in the subbasin.

Other comments

None