Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

The budget, while consistent with Bonneville's approved budget, is insufficient to address the current scope of work. Increased personnel and operating expenses as well as increased costs associated with the repair or replacement of hatchery equipment and life support systems have been accommodated at the expense of other program elements. To correct for inflation, a 10% increase in personnel and operating funds is needed (+ $81,200). Costs associated with facility capital needs (e.g., asphalt patching, water system maintenance, and chiller replacement) have been estimated at $225,000. The Implementation Plan for the Updated Proposed Action (UPA) identified a time line and budget to increase the program’s level of juvenile production by adding additional smolt releases (150,000 fish). Currently, the IDFG Eagle Fish Hatchery broodstock station has very limited capacity to increase production. Developing additional space at existing safety net facilities recently became a top IDFG priority following the identification of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) in 2004 returning anadromous sockeye salmon adults. This was the first time this pathogen was detected in sockeye salmon in Idaho. Any effort to increase the production capacity of the program will likely increase the risk of observing and transmitting this very dangerous pathogen. Therefore, the IDFG recommends that improvements be made to the Eagle Fish Hatchery to address emerging fish health risks as well as to accommodate UPA recommendations. The IDFG estimates that $1,520,000 is needed to modify existing facilities to address current program needs as well as to accommodate the increase in production identified in the UPA. Total FY06 recommended budget $2,638,338.

Accomplishments since the last review

FY05 Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: 49,134 Pre-smolts: 130,716 Smolts: 78,000 Adults: 241 Incubation: 140,823 eyed-eggs produced at EFH for BY04. 12/31/04 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventories SFH: 152,517 OFH: 49,723 EFH: 507 Rearing: 12/31/04 Juvenile Rearing Inventories: SFH: 39,912 OFH: 39,681 EFH: 400 BY03; 320 BY02; 20 BY01; and 4 BY00 Broodstock collection: Anadromous: 24 trapped (12 male/12 female)incorporated in spawning plan Captive: 100 females and 90 males spawned at EFH in 2004. FY04: Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: 199,666 Pre-smolts: 76,788 Smolts: 96 Adults: 315 Incubation: 303,983 eyed-eggs produced at EFH for BY03. 12/31/03 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventories: SFH: 197,965 EFH: 42,235 EFH: 418 Rearing: 12/31/03 Juvenile Rearing Inventories: SFH: 199 EFH: 339 BY02; 235 BY01; and 5 BY00 Broodstock collection: Anadromous: 2 trapped (2 females) incorporated in spawning plan Captive: 207 females and 148 males spawned at EFH in 2003. FY03: Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: 30,924 Pre-smolts: 140,410 Smolts: 0 Adults: 190 Incubation: 65,838 eyed-eggs produced at EFH for BY02. 12/31/02 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventory: SFH: 94,483 EFH: 420 Rearing: 12/31/02 Juvenile Rearing Inventory: EFH: 323 BY01; 343 BY00; and 8 BY99 Broodstock collection: Anadromous: 15 returns (12 released, 3 mortalities). Captive: 89 females and 115 males spawned at EFH in 2002. FY02 Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: 0 Pre-smolts: 103168 Smolts: 38,672 Adults: 0 Incubation: 118,121 eyed-eggs produced at EFH for BY01. 12/31/01 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventory: SFH: 116,600 Bonneville (BFH): 90,222 EFH: 435 Rearing: 12/31/01 Juvenile Rearing Inventory: SFH: 38,851 BFH: 67,936 EFH: 472 BY00; 271 BY99; and 23 BY98 Broodstock collection: Anadromous: 23 returns (14 released, 9 spawned at EFH). Captive: 131 females and 72 males spawned at EFH in 2001.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

FY 2006: Produce hatchery fish: Produce up to 300K eyed-eggs for distribution Release: Up to 50K eyde-eggs Transport: Up to 250K eyed-eggs Incubate: Up to 1000 eyed-eggs. Rear: Up to 1000 eyed-eggs through maturity. Trap and enumerate all returning anadromous adults. Disposition will be determined by TOC members. Maintain Hatchery: Maintain current hatchery grounds, equipment, and buildings to ensure good culture environment. Provide herbicide use and equipment inventory documents to BPA. Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation: Produce NOAA permit annual reports. Install Fish traps and weirs in project area: Install and operate smolt trap on Redfish Lake Cr. Install adult sockeye trap on Redfish L. Collect, generate, and evaluate field data: Monitor smolt out-migration from Redfish L. Conduct kokanee creel survey in Redfish L. Conduct midwater trawling in three lakes. Conduct predator trend surveys in two tributaries to nursery lakes. Mark and tag fish: Mark juvenile production fish with adipose and other visible fin clips. Tag a portion of release juveniles with PIT and CWT tags. Submit and Acquire data: Upload PIT and CWT files to regional databases. Analyze and interpret data: Estimate sockeye out-migration (by strategy). Estimate kokanee and sockeye harvest in Redfish Lake sport fishery. Estimate sockeye and kokanee abundance and density in nursery lakes. Estimate bull trout trend spawning presence in tributaries of nursery lakes. Facility: Make improvements as funded to address facility needs (current and UPA-related). Reporting: Submit AR to BPA. Rear Fish: Rear up to 120,000 pre-smolts and 50,000 smolts at Sawtooth FH for release in Sawtooth Valley waters. Rear up to 150,000 smolts at Oxbow FH for release in Sawtooth Valley waters.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

Salmon Subbasin Plan Consistency: Aquatic Objective 1B, Strategies 1B1 through 1B4 (pg 21): The project is using artificial propagation to minimize short- and long-term genetic, ecological, and life history effects on the population. Innovative techniques are being used to meet the goals identified in Table 6 of the Salmon Subbasin Plan. Aquatic Objective 2A, Strategies 2A1 and 2A2 (pgs 23 and 24): The project is working with the University of Idaho and NOAA geneticists to preserve the genetic integrity of the population. Aquatic Objective 3A, Strategies 3A1 and 3A2 (pg 25): Project M&E efforts contribute to the region’s understanding of smolt-to-adult survival and other measures of productivity. 2004 FCRPS BiOp Section 9.0, page 9-1: NOAA recommendation to increase program production by 150,000 sockeye smolts. Appendix F, page F-8: NOAA recommendation to develop new facilities to produce an additional 200,000 smolts. The Updated Proposed Action (UPA): calls for the Action Agencies to fund safety net programs for Snake River Sockeye (pg 4). The UPA also lists “the continued operation of the existing safety-net program for Snake River sockeye” as a performance objective. Production of an additional 150,000 smolts is also called for (pg 15). The Action agencies committed to funding the program as long as NOAA Fisheries determines it to be an effective and essential contribution (pg 86). The Action Agencies also agreed to fund an expansion in smolt production for the program (150,000 smolts, pg 86). The Draft Implementation Plan: Implementation language for the UPA can be found on the following pages of the Implementation Plan: Page 3: (Hatchery Actions, and Research, monitoring and evaluation sections). Page 5: (Hatchery Measures section). Page 30: (Section E. Hatchery Actions for Snake River Sockeye). Page 32: (Near- and long-term priorities for Snake River Sockeye). Page 54: (Addressing sockeye salmon conservation recommendations from the Biological opinion)

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

Aquatic prioritizations are not provided in the Salmon Subbasin Plan (see section beginning on page 153).

Other comments

Past Accomplishments (additional information that did not fit in the space provided above): Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation (FY2002 – 2005). Produced NOAA permit annual reports for program activities. Install Fish traps and weirs in project area (FY2002-2005). Installed and operated smolt trap on Redfish Lake Creek. Installed adult sockeye trap on Redfish Lake. Collect, generate, and evaluate field data (FY2002-2005). Monitored smolt out-migration from Redfish Lake Conducted kokanee creel survey in Redfish Lake Conducted midwater trawling in three lakes. Conducted predator trend surveys in two tributaries to nursery lakes. Mark and tag fish (FY2002 – 2005). Marked juvenile production fish with adipose and other visible fin clips. Tagged a portion of release juveniles with PIT and CWT tags. Submit and Acquire data (FY2002 – 2005). Uploaded PIT and CWT files to regional databases. Analyze and interpret data (FY2002 – 2005). Developed estimates of juvenile sockeye out-migration. Developed estimates of kokanee and sockeye harvest in Redfish Lake sport fishery. Developed estimates of sockeye and kokanee abundance and density in nursery lakes. Developed estimates of bull trout trend spawning presence in tributaries of nursery lakes. Reporting (FY2002 – 2005). Submitted annual project reports to Bonneville. Submitted Programmatic Issue 12 summary document to NPCC (FY2004).