Hatchery Reform LCR Coho Tag Study

One-time funds were provided for Oregon to address hatchery reform needs, as determined by Oregon and consistent with NOAA and HSRG hatchery reform guidance. A portion of these funds have been allocated, and others have been “earmarked”. The remainder of the funds will go toward reducing hatchery impacts on wild salmon or steelhead in other contract periods, consistent with recovery plans, as these needs arise and other fund sources are not available or require additional needs.

One project that has been funded is a field study to understand the return run-timing of wild populations of Lower Columbia River coho through the capture, tagging, and subsequent tracking of adults entering the lower river. The goal of this research was to provide timing and location information to allow managers to regulate fisheries to reduce impacts on these populations. All field work for this two-season project has been completed. During the course of the two years 1,431 coho salmon were captured by 7 different commercial fishers employing alternative commercial fishing techniques in the Columbia River estuary, 432 of these coho salmon were instrumented and monitored with acoustic transmitters.

The intent of the study is to enable managers to structure mainstem Columbia River fisheries to better target hatchery-origin coho and avoid natural-origin coho. This will reduce the harvest impact on these ESA-listed fish and move them toward recovery.

Findings in this study will enable managers to structure mainstem Columbia River fisheries to better target hatchery-origin coho and avoid natural-origin fish. These findings will inform managers when developing annual fishery implementation plans and in future multi-year Columbia River Fisheries Management Plans associated with the Biological Opinion for Columbia River Salmonid Fisheries.