Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

The budget, while consistent with Bonneville's approved budget, may be insufficient to adequately address the current scope of work; specifically - with respect to field monitoring and evaluation tasks as well as with hatchery maintenance and upkeep needs. 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. For example: recommended preventative maintenance on facilities and equipment has been delayed indefinitely. To correct for inflation, a 10% increase in personnel and operating funds is recommended. Costs associated with needed facility capital needs (e.g., asphalt patching, water system improvements, water chilling system improvements, tank replacement) have not been estimated at this time. We recommend that some new level of funding commitment be demonstrated by Council and Bonneville to address inflationary deficits and maintenance needs.

Accomplishments since the last review

FY05 (Supplementation) Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: 24,503 East Fork Salmon River (EFSR) Adults: EFSR – 4 West Fork Yankee Fork (WFYF) - 70 Incubation: 24,503 eyed-eggs produced at Eagle Fish Hatchery(EFH) in 2004. 12/31/04 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventory: EFSR: 430 fry WFYF: 268 fry Rearing: 12/31/04 Juvenile Inventory: EFSR: 304 WFYF: 296 Broodstock collection: Chinook Captive Rearing Program does not collect adults. Captive Reared EFSR: 39 females and 48 males spawned at EFH in 2004. FY04 (Supplementation) Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: EFSR - 16,154 Adults: EFSR – 41 WFYF – 88 Lemhi (LEM) - 48 Incubation: 16,154 eyed-eggs produced at EFH in 2003. 12/31/03 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventory EFSR: 306 WFYF: 306 Rearing: 12/31/03 Juvenile Inventory: EFSR: 313 WFYF: 279 Broodstock collection: Chinook Captive Rearing Program does not collect adults. Captive Reared: 27 females and 24 males from EFSR spawned at EFH in 2003. FY03 (Supplementation) Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: LEM - 47,977 Adults: EFSR – 130 WFYF - 215 Incubation: 47,977 eyed-eggs produced at EFH in 2002. 12/31/02 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventory: EFSR: 317 WFYF: 284 Rearing 12/31/02 Juvenile Inventory EFSR: 284 WFYF: 258 Broodstock collection: Chinook Captive Rearing Program does not collect adults. Captive Reared: 47 females and 45 males from LEM spawned at EFH in 2002. FY02 (Supplementation) Production (Releases): Eyed-eggs: EFSR - 6,751 Adults: WFYF – 91 Incubation: 6,751 eyed-eggs produced at EFH in 2001. 12/31/01 Eyed-egg/Fry Inventory EFSR: 295 WFYF: 266 Rearing 12/31/01 Juvenile Inventory: EFSR: BY00 – 463; BY99 – 25; BY98 - 5 WFYF: BY00 – 285; BY99 – 21; BY97 - 2 Yankee Fork: BY00 - 220 LEM: BY99 – 18; BY98 - 2 Broodstock collection: Chinook Captive Rearing Program does not collect adults. Captive Reared: 27 females and 24 males from LEM spawned at EFH in 2001.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

FY2006 Anticipated accomplishments: Produce Environmental Compliance Documentation: Produce NOAA permit annual reports. Produce Hatchery Fish: Production: Up to 200 adults released to natal streams (EFSR and WFYF). Incubation: Incubate, hatch, and rear up to 300 BY05 eyed-eggs (EFSR and WFYF) through the smolt stage. Rear up to 300 BY04 juveniles (EFSR and WFYF)through the smolt stage. Maintain Hatchery: Maintain Eagle FH grounds, equipment, and buildings. Provide herbicide use and equipment inventories to BPA. Install Fish Trap/Monitoring weir: Install and remove adult weir on the EFSR. Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data: Collect juvenile genetic samples, monitor adult spawning behavior. Mark/Tag Animals: Juveniles will be PIT and Elastomer tagged; Adults will receive Petersen disc, floy, or jaw tags, a portion will receive radio transmitters to facilitate field observations. Analyze and Interpret Data: Data will be summarized and presented in CSCPTOC meetings, annual reports, and used to make project/program management decisions. Produce Status Reports: Status reports will be updated quarterly. Produce Annual Reports: BPA annual reports will be submitted covering program activities. Manage and Administer Projects: BPA will be provided annual budget documentation and accrual estimates. Coordination: CSCPTOC meetings will be attended to update and make management decisions for the program.

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. The Updated Proposed Action (UPA): calls for the Action Agencies to fund safety net programs for Snake River spring/summer Chinook (pg 4). The UPA also lists “the continued operation of the existing safety-net program for Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon” as a performance objective. Page 66 states that BPA will continue to fund this safety-net program (Lemhi, EFSR, WFYF stocks) as long as NOAA Fisheries determines it to be effective. 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 28 and 29: (Near- and long-term priorities for this program [Lemhi, EFSR, WFYF stocks]). The Implementation Plan specifically calls for this program to be funded.

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 (FY02-FY05). Produced NOAA Permit annual reports for program activities. Maintain Hatchery (FY02-FY05). Hatchery grounds, equipment and buildings were maintained to ensure a good fish culture environment. Inventory list was provided for FY05. Herbicide use was documented and reported to BPA for calendar years 2003, 2004. Install Fish Trap/Monitoring Weir (FY02-FY05). Monitoring weirs were installed on the WFYF in 2002 and 2003, and on the EFSR in 2004. Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data (FY02-FY05). Monitored spawning behavior of captive reared Chinook salmon. Collected genetic samples from juveniles to evaluate captive reared adult contribution. Mark/Tag Animals (FY02-FY05). Juveniles are PIT tagged to identify individual fish, Elastomer tagged to identify stocks, tagged with Petersen disc, Floy, or jaw tags to facilitate adult behavior monitoring following release, and a portion fitted with radio transmitters to assist with post-release monitoring. Analyze and Interpret Data (FY02-FY05). Data was collected from the field and summarized in annual reports, presented at CSCPTOC meetings and used to make project/program management decisions. Produce Annual Report (FY02-FY05). Submitted annual project reports to BPA. Submitted Programmatic Issue 12 summary document to NPCC (FY2004).