Harvest Management Project 2019

The Tribes completed the 2020 Chinook Salmon Harvest Management Program – data collection, data analysis, and initiation of the Annual Report. Redd counts and carcass surveys completed by Tribal staff, an online spawning ground survey database managed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and communication with other Tribal and IDFG biologists was used to develop escapement estimates for the 2020 harvest report. As in many previous years, Tribal staff observed a similar level of Tribal membership participation in the fishery, although proportionately lower due to significantly fewer returning adult salmon to Idaho. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) obtained through roving creel surveys throughout multiple FMAs provided highly accurate and precise estimates of Tribal Chinook salmon harvest in productive areas in the basin. Other fishery management areas were allocated less monitoring effort due to inaccessibility, limited pressure, and/or low numbers of returning adults. The Tribes preliminary harvest estimate is for 234 Chinook salmon adults, 95 natural and 138 hatchery-origin. Highest observed effort occurred in Bear Valley Creek, South Fork Salmon River, and the Upper Salmon River Mainstem. By generating total escapement through redd counts (abundance) and carcass surveys (diversity; Broodyear age analyses), preliminary analyses indicate the Tribes did not exceed any initial or in-season harvest rates for any tributaries identified in our 2020 Fishery Implementation Plans submitted to NOAA-Fisheries with the exception of South Fork Salmon River and the Upper Salmon River Upper in-season harvest rates. The final harvest management report will be submitted to NOAA Fisheries by 15 March 2021. Staff will continue to improve coordination, and abundance and harvest estimates with a fully funded project and support from NOAA Fisheries.

Harvest guidelines will be developed using the approved abundance-based sliding-scale harvest management framework for natural-origin populations and hatchery programs, outlined in the TRMP. The harvest guidelines for natural-origin populations are developed to ensure an appropriate number of adult fish escape fisheries to spawn and reproduce. The harvest guidelines for hatchery programs are developed to ensure the hatchery programs meet their broodstock goals. If the co-managers, through TAC modify the production goals for the hatchery programs, the harvest management program will incorporate the changes in the harvest management frameworks and distribute such information accordingly.