Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

This project is an ongoing supplementation program and will require funding for FY 2006. The funding identified for FY 2006 by the council, $581,215, appears consistent with our expectations for O&M and M&E, given the current cap on budgets. The O&M portion of the budget will total $336,689. The M&E portion of the budget will total $244,526 of which $13,568 is retained by BPA for the purchase of PIT tags. The funding identified for this project does not allow for any potential increase in indirect rates. If indirect rates are increased, funding for one technician will be reduced and delays in completing O&M and M&E quarterly and annual reports may occur due to increased field time needed for the project leader to complete tasks normally done by a technician. It should be acknowledged that both the O&M and M&E contracts were not fully funded in 2004 due to an error that originated during the 2001 provincial review. Base level funding for O&M was incorrectly captured. Attempts to correct the problem during the 2003 Council review were not successful. The problem was explained in great detail in Mr. Dave Johnson’s (NPT) November 26, 2003 letter to Mr. Mark Fritsch (NWPCC). The end result of the error was that the combined budgets for O&M and M&E were cut by $37,008. The majority of the loss was absorbed by turning over the task of marking conventionally produced hatchery Chinook salmon (produced by O&M) with Visual Implant Elastomer tags to ODFW; a contract worth $32,000 in 2003. Further funding cuts can not be absorbed and the mistake should be corrected at some point in the future.

Accomplishments since the last review

This project is a supplementation project for ESA listed Snake River spring chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River. The O&M component of this project has been operating an adult collection facility for Lostine River spring chinook salmon since 1997 and acclimating and releasing juvenile progeny from conventional and captive broodstock since 1999. The M&E component of this project has provided a number of the key performance measures identified in Table 63 on page 273 of the May 28, 2004 Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan. Since the last 2003 provincial review the following was accomplished: - Adult escapement was estimated for 2002 to 2004 - The number of fish per redd and spawner abundance was estimated for 2002 to 2004 - The fraction of hatchery Chinook salmon for the returning, spawning, and broodstock populations was estimated for 1997 to 2004 - The RMIS database was queried for CWT recoveries in the ocean, below Lower Granite Dam, and above Lower Granite Dam for brood years 1997 to 1999 - Juvenile abundance of hatchery Chinook salmon and their mark retention rates was summarized from 2002 to 2004 - Juvenile survival was estimated from release to Lower Granite Dam and McNary Dam from 1997 to 2004 and compared to natural fish and the influence of size on survival was analyzed - Smolt-to-adult-return rates were calculated from release to return in the Lostine River for brood years 1997 to 1999 - Age structure of returning adults was calculated from adult returns in 2002 to 2004 - The sex ratio of adult returns in 2002 to 2004 was calculated - Adult run timing at the weir was calculated from 2002 to 2004 - Spawning timing of broodstock was summarized from 1997 to 2004 - Spawning distribution was summarized by spawning survey reach from 2002 to 2004 - Size at emigration was estimated from 2002 to 2004 - Juvenile median arrival timing at Lower Granite Dam was summarized from 2002 to 2004

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

The overall goal of this supplementation program is; 1) to prevent extinction, 2) to provide a future basis to reverse the decline in stock abundance, and 3) to ensure a high probability of population persistence. The Nez Perce Tribe is responsible for implementation, coordination, and facilitation of the Lostine River component of the Grande Ronde Supplementation projects. O&M Goals: Operate and maintain adult collection and juvenile acclimation and release facilities necessary to implement the Lostine River portion of the Grande Ronde Supplementation Program and achieve the overall program goal of increasing adult returns. The principal goals of the M&E project are threefold; 1) establish and maintain baseline information on the Lostine River spring chinook salmon population, 2) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of supplementation under the Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program, 3) provide science-based recommendations for management and policy consideration.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

The Grande Ronde Management Plan includes specific adult return objectives for anadromous species (See Table 5-3, Grande Ronde Supplement, p. 35). These anadromous species objectives require a combined application of artificial production strategies, habitat protection and restoration strategies, and mitigation of deleterious out-of-subbasin effects. The application of artificial propagation measures are intended to realize anadromous fish restoration, recovery objectives, mitigation, and harvest goals in Table 5-3. The goals of the O&M program address objective 2B in Table 5-1 of Grande Ronde supplement (page 31) through artificial production. The M&E goals address objective 1A by determining if escapement objectives have been met using key performance measures as defined in Table 63 on page 273 of the May 28, 2004 Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan. M&E goals also address objective 2A by monitoring adult returns of natural Chinook salmon and collecting genetic samples for Monitoring and Evaluation Objective 2b listed on page 279 in the May 28, 2004 Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan.

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

This project accomplishes priority work under the subbasin plan because it produces ESA listed spring Chinook salmon directly aimed at achieving goals identified in Table 5-3 (Grande Ronde Supplement, p. 35). The prioritization framework presented in section 5.2.5 of the Grande Ronde supplement aquatic strategies refers to the biological objectives presented in Table 5-1 on page 31. Two problems addressing limiting factors for anadromous fish populations are addressed; out of subbasin factors and small population size of anadromous and resident species. The subbasin plan adopted components of NPT’s Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Northeast Oregon Hatchery Imnaha and Grande Ronde Subbasin Spring Chinook Salmon (Hesse et al. 2004) in section 5.5 (page 269) of the May 28, 2004 Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan and uses key performance measures to monitor and evaluate limiting factors. These key performance measures are provided by the M&E program. Further, artificial production from this project is agreed to and mandated under a court ordered agreement in U.S. vs. Oregon.

Other comments

The Nez Perce Tribe has coordinated Chinook salmon supplementation activities and related research on the Lostine River with the Bonneville Power Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Nez Perce Tribe also worked cooperatively with ODFW and CTUIR in the planning and development of the Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring Chinook Salmon Supplementation Program. This project continues to participate in management meetings regarding this program. Cooperative efforts with ODFW, CTUIR, and NMFS are required to establish synergistic relationships between this and the projects listed below. Artificial Production projects funded under the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program that are or will be associated with this project are: 199801006 – Captive Broodstock Artificial Propagation (NPT), 199703800 - Listed Stock Gamete Preservation (NPT), 8805301 – Northeast Oregon Hatchery (NEOH) Master Plan (NPT), 198805305 –NEOH Master Plan and Facilities (ODFW), and 199604400 - Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Captive Broodstock Program. Monitoring and evaluation of hatchery products will occur through this M&E project. Monitoring and Evaluation projects funded under the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program that will complement the Lostine M&E Project are: 8712700 - Smolt Monitoring by Non-Federal Entities, 199801006 – Captive broodstock Artificial Propagation and 199202604 – Spring Chinook Salmon Early Life History (ODFW).