FY17 Ongoing Dungeness and Strait of Juan de Fuca Streams Stock Assessments

The Tribe continued to collect and assess critical stock data in the Dungeness and other independent streams in the Eastern Straits region. This work continued to entail smolt/fry monitoring, and spawning surveys including live, carcass, and redd counts. This project initially included 6 worksites with the following worktypes: Jimmycomelatey: smolt monitoring; Mattriotti: smolt monitoring; Siebert: smolt monitoring; McDonald: smolt monitoring; Bell: smolt monitoring; and Dungeness: Adult population monitoring (live counts), redd counts, carcass counts, and smolt monitoring. However, worksites and worktypes were impacted by the stay-at-home orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. See *Note below.

In addition to adult population monitoring and redd counts in the Dungeness, the Tribe assisted WDFW, when feasible, in steelhead spawner surveys in McDonald Creek, and Coho surveys in McDonald and Jimmycomelately Creeks, as described in our progress reports. Staff were also able to collect scale samples (during our usual live fish counts) for WDFW analytical purposes related to a statewide steelhead genetics database for future analysis by WDFW (using non-project funds).

*Please note: As stated in our progress reporting, all aspects of field work were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Washington’s stay-at-home order in the spring. These monitoring limitations and the Tribe’s reduced capacity (from related temporary furloughs and other circumstances) resulted in delayed timing of our smolt trap installations, as well as a reduction in the number of streams (from 5 to 2) that received smolt traps. As described in our progress reporting, Dungeness and Matriotti were able to be smolt trapped, with extra staff contributing to installation (since we did not have help from North Olympic Salmon Coalition, due to Covid monitoring restrictions). In spite of the challenges of monitoring during the pandemic, staff were able to assist WDFW in other related stock assessment work. However, spawner surveys were impacted by a delay of three weeks, unfortunately during the historical peak of steelhead runs. Surveys resumed upon design and implementation of developed health/safety guidelines. Co-managers have been working together to evaluate methods for expanding the data for the period of time surveys were paused. Funding amongst worksites was redistributed amongst worksites based on the above, and also due to an approved budget modification which moved some funds to our Priority 1 habitat project, ID 2017-JSKT-04.

[December 2020] Difference between proposed and actual budgets reflect actual work accomplished and final accounting following approved budget modification.

This work is an ongoing monitoring and evaluation priority for salmon recovery in order to track and measure salmon productivity and abundance in the Tribe’s priority streams for habitat management planning, restoration implementation planning and water quality program purposes.

Stock assessments help co-managers and biologists better understand the status of salmonids in the Dungeness Watershed, and identify key riparian areas for protection, timing of out-migration related to other stocks, etc. Assessment of steelhead data is needed to understand recovery needs for this species. Redd surveys help assess number of spawners, as well as habitat conditions. All of these activities are important for accomplishing ESA-listed salmon recovery monitoring, particularly status/trend monitoring of VSP parameters via stock assessments, and other indicators like habitat quality. Assessing Dungeness spawning populations (escapement), depending on seasonal flows, visibility and access, is necessary for relating freshwater production to habitat condition, which is tied to our planning efforts. The work also provides information about wild and hatchery Chinook returns spawning naturally, and helps relate freshwater production to habitat condition, which is tied to our habitat restoration and recovery planning efforts.