ODFW LCR Chum Reintroduction - Adaptive Management 2021-23

The purpose of this project was to monitor multiple life stages of Chum Salmon before, during, and after reintroduction efforts. This was achieved by collecting adults on spawning ground surveys, trapping outmigrating juveniles, and sampling for Chum eDNA in over 167 stream miles of Oregon tributaries of the Lower Columbia River, including the Youngs Bay, Big Creek, Clatskanie, Scappoose, Clackamas, and Sandy basins. Chum Salmon were the primary target for these efforts but information for Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, steelhead and cutthroat were also collected. Research included an evaluation of different reintroduction techniques, effectiveness of eDNA as a monitoring tool, identification of origin/survival of Chum Salmon smolts caught in the ocean, and an assessment of limiting factors. Limiting factors research during this period focused on distribution, timing, and susceptibility of Chum Salmon to the Centranova shasta parasite. 17 unique reports were prepared as a result of this project.

This project will work to implement the Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Populations of Salmon and Steelhead. Information and analysis provided by the monitoring program will be essential for implementing and evaluating Chum Salmon reintroduction. The monitoring data will provide information about abundance, productivity, survival, distribution, diversity, and viability of Chum Salmon in support of conservation and recovery implementation. The research planned will pinpoint effective reintroduction techniques for various life stages, allow for adult monitoring on a larger scale, and guide mitigation of limiting factors preventing full recovery. Researching and tracking the effect of limiting factors and identifying new ones will be essential for Chum Salmon recovery specifically, but will also be relevant to efforts targeted towards other listed species.