Clearwater River Coho Salmon Production XV

This project continued the coho salmon reintroduction work in the Clearwater subbasin begun by the previous 14 PCSRF projects by the Nez Perce Tribe. This PCSRF project is solely a portion of the larger Nez Perce Tribe Clearwater River Coho Salmon Production Project (CRCSPP) that seeks to restore a localized coho salmon stock capable of enduring the migration to the Clearwater River subbasin to population levels sufficient to support a sustainable run capable of annual harvest.

Currently, the NPT is utilizing four different hatchery facilities for the development of a localized Clearwater River coho stock. For the past five years the NPT has collected enough broodstock (adults returning to the Clearwater River) to provide all the eggs for the hatchery production groups. The juvenile production level for the past ten years (2008-2018) has ranged from 850,000 to 1,300,000 released smolts.

The work performed under this project at each worksite was as follows:

Worksite #1: Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (DNFH) – Trapped 54 returning coho adults and used as broodstock to provide eggs for the coho hatchery production groups under this project (using PCSRF funds). Reared 289,124 coho from the egg-to-smolt stages using non-PCSRF funds, and marked 87,650 coho (using PCSRF funds). When the smolts reached optimum growth levels, they were transported to Kooskia NFH for acclimation and released (using PCSRF funds).

Worksite #2: Eagle Creek National Fish Hatchery (ECNFH)- From broodstock eggs from DNFH and Lapwai Creek, reared 272,957 coho smolts (using non-PCSRF funding), and transported 275,000 smolts to Kooskia NFH for acclimation and release (using PCSRF funds). Due to very low adult returns during 2015, ECNFH and Clearwater stock could not provide eggs for the program. 60,062 of the coho were marked (using PCSRF funds).

Worksite #3: Kooskia National Fish Hatchery (KNFH) – Trapped 1,362 coho adults and used them as broodstock to provide eggs for the coho hatchery production groups under this project (using PCSRF funds). Incubate and acclimated 559,755 coho smolts from DNFH and ECNFH and pit-tagged 4,992 of the smolts (using PCSRF funds and other funding). Released 559,755 of the surviving coho smolts directly into Clear Creek, next to Kooskia National Fish Hatchery (using some PCSRF funds and other funding). Funds also were used for acclimation tank construction.

Worksite #4: Lapwai Creek – Trapped 443 coho adults and used them as broodstock to provide eggs for the coho hatchery production groups under this project (using PCSRF funds).

Worksite #5: Cascade Fish Hatchery (CFH)- No work was performed at this worksite under this contract.

During the 2015 adult return year very few adults returned (1,449 counted at Lower Granite Dam) to the Clearwater River. The low number of returning adults caused a very low number of adults to be trapped and used for brood stock. With such a low number it was decided to back fill brood stock with other hatchery stocks that had surplus to their brood stock needs. A Umatilla River stock and Kalama River stock were used to back fill as much as they could at both Dworshak National Fish hatchery and Eagle Creek National Fish hatchery.

Release numbers and locations had to be prioritized due to the low number of brood stock from 2015. It was decided to forgo the Lapwai Creek releases. This was decided because the Lapwai Creek releases have to be direct released and the Clear Creek releases can be acclimated at Kooskia National Fish hatchery. Acclimated release groups have a greater return rate than direct release groups. All released fished were acclimated at Kooskia National Fish hatchery.

Also under this project the Nez Perce staff communicated the Coho program approach and findings to resource managers, including 1) interagency coordination with on going production issues, 2) coordination with regards to Endangered Species Act issues

The Nez Perce Tribe’s overall goal is to reintroduce and restore coho salmon to the Clearwater River Subbasin at levels of abundance and productivity sufficient to support sustainable runs and annual harvest. Consistent with the Clearwater Subbasin Plan and Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit: Spirit of the Salmon Tribal Recovery Plan, the Nez Perce Tribe envisions an annual escapement of 14,000 coho to the Clearwater River Subbasin. Based on results from the existing Clearwater River Subbasin coho production program and experience in managing anadromous fish populations in the Snake River Basin, the Nez Perce Tribe believes this program will require a substantial hatchery production component and the establishment of highly productive naturally spawning coho salmon aggregates.

The Nez Perce Tribe developed management objectives aimed at achieving the overall goal of the program. These include:
• Establish a localized Clearwater River coho salmon broodstock.
• Establish natural spawning populations of coho salmon in the Clearwater River Subbasin.
• Utilize hatchery production to achieve optimal production effectiveness while meeting priority management objectives for natural production enhancement, harvest, diversity and minimizing impacts to non-target populations.
• Restore and maintain treaty-reserved tribal and recreational fisheries.
• Monitor and evaluate program activities and communicate program findings to resource managers.
• This project specifically provides fish for tribal treaty rights. It gives the treaty tribes access to Mitchell Act fish that were previously released downstream of Bonneville Dam, it provides fish for harvest in the Columbia River from the mouth up through Zone 6, it provides fish for harvest in the tributaries of the Snake River, and it provides fish for natural spawning and reintroduction of an extirpated stock in the Clearwater River.
• Reintroduction and natural production of coho is succeeding in the Clearwater Basin. Because coho spawn in smaller tributaries in the fall, these fish have proven to be a critical source of nutrients in the streams and a source of food for our tables. There have been many coho redds counted in Clearwater tributaries since 2011 – most of those in Lapwai and Clear creeks where juveniles are released. The spawners are a highly visible testament in our local communities that we can have salmon, that restoration programs have a tangible benefit