Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

Renewed funding is desired for this project for FY2006 at the current $429,841 amount. This budget has been frozen at $429,841 since the last provincial review. However, this project has had to cut back on necessary work to stay within this amount. To accommodate this work, the proposed adjusted budget for FY2006 would be $484,771. There have been increases in health care, inflationary and fuel surcharge increases for vehicles, an increase in the repairs and maintenance of equipment that needs replacement, inflationary increases in office and storage rentals, and escalating personnel costs (includes added safety requirements). Additional costs are being incurred to respond to ISRP requests. Additional funding is also requested for the ISRP recommended parentage assignment work (Memorandum to NPCC on ISRP 2003-8, 2/6/2004, Appendix B - Evaluating Reproductive Success of Hatchery Origin and Natural Origin Spring and Summer Chinook Salmon for the Idaho Supplementation Studies) at $454,826 annually. This is a cooperative project which involves the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.

Accomplishments since the last review

Performed monitoring and evaluation of natural and supplementation fish populations in five streams. Estimated juvenile production and survival of Lake Creek, Secesh River, Slate Creek, Legendary Bear Creek, and Fishing Creek chinook salmon. Monitored and evaluated Lake Creek, Secesh River, Legendary Bear Creek, Fishing Creek, and Slate Creek adult escapement and estimated adult production. Collected and analyzed biological and morphological samples from juvenile and adult Chinook salmon. Collected DNA samples from juvenile and adult Chinook salmon. Conducted snorkel, redd, carcass, and pre-spawning surveys. Conducted an evaluation and statistical review of the project study design (Lutch et al BPA DOE/BP-00006630-2). Completed Progress Report 2000-2001 (Beasley et al DOE/BP-00004127-4). Completed final draft Brood Year 2002 Cooperative Report (Venditti et al 2005). Completed final draft – An Updated Study Design and Statistical Analysis of Idaho Salmon Supplementation Studies (Lutch et al 2005). Completed Phase II of the project and have moved into Phase III. The synthesis of this data enabled the project to look at key performance metrics. Utilizing Work Elements 70, 99, 118, 119, 122, 132, 141, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 165, 182, and 183 this project provided the following performance metrics: Metric – Abundance. Abundance Performance Metrics: adult escapement to Snake Basin and tributaries, fish per redd, redd counts, spawner abundance, spawn timing, hatchery fraction, juvenile abundance, smolt equivalents, and run prediction. Metric – Survival-Productivity: Survival-Productivity Performance Metrics: smolt-to-adult return rate, progeny-per-parent ratio, recruit/spawner, pre-spawn mortality, juvenile survival to Lower Granite Dam, juvenile survival to mainstem dams, and relative reproductive success. Metric – Distribution: Distribution Performance Metrics: adult spawner spatial distribution, stray rate, juvenile rearing distribution, and disease frequency. Metric – Genetic: Genetic Performance Metrics: collected samples for genetic evaluations of genetic diversity, reproductive success, and effective population size that require additional funding. Additional funding is requested for evaluating reproductive success of hatchery origin and natural origin spring and summer chinook salmon for the Salmon Supplementation in Idaho Rivers project at $454,826 annually. Metric – Life History: Life History Performance Metrics: age class structure, age at return, age at migration, size at return, size at migration, condition of juveniles at migration, condition of juveniles at migration, adult spawner sex ratio, fecundity by age, adult run timing, spawn timing, juvenile migration timing, and mainstem arrival timing. Metric – Habitat: Habitat Performance Metrics: physical habitat, stream network, instream flow, water temperature, and fish assemblage. Provided data for other basin wide programs which include CSMEP, ISAB review of supplementation, StreamNet, GPM, and other on-line databases.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

Project Goal: Evaluate the use of artificial propagation to help build self-sustaining and harvestable populations of chinook salmon in the Salmon and Clearwater River Sub-basins without adversely impacting existing wild and natural populations. Research Goal 1: Assess the use of hatchery chinook salmon to increase natural populations of spring/summer chinook salmon in the Salmon and Clearwater River Sub-basins. Research Goal 2: Evaluate the genetic and ecological impacts of hatchery chinook salmon on naturally reproducing chinook populations. Future Accomplishments: Utilizing Work Elements 70, 99, 118, 119, 122, 132, 141, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 165, 182, and 183 this project will provide the following performance metrics: Metric–Abundance: adult escapement to Snake Basin and tributary, fish per redd, redd counts, spawner abundance, hatchery fraction, juvenile abundance, hatchery production abundance, smolt equivalents, and run prediction. Metric-Survival-Productivity: smolt-to-adult return rate, progeny-per-parent ratio, recruit/spawner, pre-spawn mortality, juvenile survival to Lower Granite Dam, juvenile survival to mainstem dams, and relative reproductive success. Metric–Distribution: adult spawner spatial distribution, stray rate, juvenile rearing distribution, and disease frequency. Metric–Genetic: genetic diversity, reproductive success, and effective population size if additional funding is received. Metric–Life History: age class structure, age at return and migration, size at return and migration, condition of juveniles at migration, adult spawner sex ratio, fecundity by age, adult run timing, spawn timing, juvenile migration timing, and mainstem arrival timing. Metric-Habitat: physical habitat, instream flow, water temperature, and fish assemblage.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

Salmon River Sub-basin: The project is consistent with and implements Aquatic Strategies 1A1, 1A2, and 1A3 (Mgt. Plan page 20). These strategies relate to Objective 1A; to increase the numbers of spawning adults to achieve recovery goals. This project is using supplementation to evaluate the rebuilding of extirpated populations and enhancing existing populations. Aquatic Strategies 2A1, 2A4, and 2A7 (Mgt. Plan pages 23-25). These strategies relate to Objective 2A; improve understanding and definitions of small populations. This project is building population information on 31 individual streams. Aquatic Strategies 3A1, 3A2, and 3A3 (Mgt. Plan page 25). These strategies relate to Objective 3A; address data gaps to measure freshwater survival and productivity. This project is evaluating egg to smolt survival and population productivity. Aquatic Strategies 3C1, 3C2, 3C3, 3C4, and 3C5 (Mgt. Plan pages 25-27). These strategies relate to Objective 3C; address data gaps to measure progress towards delisting and full recovery. This project quantifies abundances, determines stream specific SARs and productivity, evaluates population productivity, and measures reproductive success. This project adds to information needs as listed in Mgt Plan (Table 13, pg 120). This project is listed as an on-going primary program for coordination with proposed research due to its established index sites and/or trend data for population status (RM&E Aquatics, 4.3.1; pp 63-77) Clearwater River Sub-basin: The project is consistent with and implements Anadromous Fish Species Strategies 1.A.1 and 1.A.2 related to Problem 1.A. (Mgt Plan pg 14) to increase the number of naturally spawning adults by supplementation and 2.B.4 related to Problem 2.B. (Mgt Plan pg 18) to develop monitor indices by determining juvenile abundances, conducting redd counts and carcass surveys: 3.C.2 related to Problem 3.C (Mgt Plan pg19) to develop knowledge of interactions between hatchery and wild fish by conducting juvenile hatchery and natural survival, origins of escapement, and genetic evaluation of adults: 3.D.1 related to Objective D (Mgt Plan pg 21) for natural population augmentation and rebuilding, reintroduction and research.

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

The Salmon Subbasin Management Plan prioritization process utilizes an environmental framework approach to prioritization and does not address biological characteristics explicitly. They do acknowledge this shortcoming: “The weakness in this approach, however, is that the focus on environmental limiting factors and problem statements does not adequately address or balance biological limiting factors within the prioritization framework.” The plan caveats the entire prioritization process with this request: “Filling key data gaps will further improve the accuracy of prioritization processes. ….. The general agreement among the Technical Team members was that to conduct a scientifically valid prioritization, certain information that is not currently available would be needed (e.g., basic egg to fry, parr, presmolt, and smolt survival information, population-specific adult abundance and productivity key performance data).” The ISS project goals scientifically address all data gaps listed above and will be invaluable in providing data for the prioritization process.

Other comments

The ISS is a long-term study initiated in 1992. This is a cooperative project which involves 31 streams and four agencies – Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. It is entering Phase III which will be completed by 2014. The project has undergone numerous reviews by the ISRP. Additional funding is requested to complete genetic evaluations as recommended by the ISRP.