South Sound Juvenile Coho FY 2013

The project monitored early marine survival and areas of use for hatchery coho smolts as part of the Puget Sound marine survival projected. We placed acoustic receivers at the mouth of Hammersley Inlet, Balch, Dana, Pickering, and Pitt passages and Peale Passages. All receivers were deployed in March and April. Receivers in the Tacoma Narrows were placed by NOAA in a “permanent” array. In May, 100 tagged smolts were released from the Squaxin Island netpens located in Peale Passage. Hatchery fish were used exclusively to take advantage of a single release point which will help data analysis as part of the marine survival project. Metrics for this work are reported in association w/ the South Sound worksite.
Coho Smolt Monitoring
As part of a continuing monitoring project the Tribe proposed to place panel weir traps in Skookum and Cranberry Creeks. Rotary screw traps were placed in Goldsborough and Mill Creeks in March and removed in June to target out-migrating coho smolts. Information obtained included: numbers of smolts, length, condition, and migration timing.

The proposed project includes two components that continue to contribute to our knowledge of wild coho production and early marine survival.
The combined efforts of this project will specifically inform habitat preferences, out-migration pathway and timing, potential competition with other species and most importantly early marine survival of juvenile coho within South Sound. Information provided will be specifically used to guide restoration efforts within Deep South Sound Inlets.