Snake River Coho Restoration IV

In 1994, the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) initiated a coho reintroduction program as a result of agreements in the U.S. v. Oregon forum that reprogrammed Lower Columbia River Mitchell Act hatcheries to produce coho salmon for release in the Clearwater River Subbasin. The focus of the project is to restore Snake River coho salmon population to levels of abundance and productivity sufficient to support a sustainable run capable of annual harvest in the Clearwater River subbasin and the Grande Ronde River subbasin. The NPT Clearwater River coho salmon production project is utilizing a phased approach for reintroduction and establishment of a localized coho salmon stock capable of enduring the migration to the Clearwater River. Historically, the Grande Ronde River was a major production area for coho in the Snake River Basin. In 2017, the NPT reintroduced coho into the Grande Ronde subbasin.The Nez Perce Tribe considered many alternatives for re-establishing coho salmon in the Wallowa watershed, a tributary of the Grande Ronde. After analysis of alternatives, the Nez Perce Tribe determined a preferred alternative that meets, within a reasonable length of time, stated objectives, needs, and biological concerns. Currently, the NPT is utilizing four different hatchery facilities for the development of a localized Clearwater River coho stock and planned reintroduction of coho to the Lostine River, a tributary of the Clearwater. This project supported continued activities by the Nez Perce Tribe to restore Coho salmon to the Snake basin during 2021-2022. The project description and metrics described here reflect the combined resources that PCSRF and Mitchell Act funding contributed to this effort.



Specific work achieved under the 2020 iteration of this project by worksite is as follows.



WS #1: Dworshak National Fish Hatchery (DNFH) – Trapped 177 returning coho adults and use as broodstock to provide eggs for the coho hatchery production groups. 105,484 smolts were marked with coded wire tags and released.



WS #2: Eagle Creek National Fish Hatchery (ECNFH) – 614,109 Coho were reared and released.



WS #3: Kooskia National Fish Hatchery (KNFH) -- Trapped 4,174 coho adults and used as broodstock to provide eggs for all the coho hatchery production groups under this project. Acclimated and released 1,027,966 coho smolts directly into Clear Creek next to Kooskia National Fish Hatchery.



WS #4: Lapwai Creek – Trapped 4,905 coho adults and used as broodstock to provide eggs for all of the coho hatchery production groups under this project. Acclimated and released 354,518 smolts. Marked 4,998 coho with PIT Tags and 30,004 coho with Coded Wire Tags (35,002 total marked).



WS #5: Lostine River - Released 528,809 Coho smolts into Lostine River. Marked 101,481 with coded wire tags and 1,000 with PIT tags (102,481 total marked)

The NPT’s overall goal is to reintroduce and restore coho salmon to the Snake 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 NPT 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 NPT’s long-term goal is to return 7,000 adult coho to the Wallowa River watershed in the Grande Ronde River subbasin. 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 subbasin coho salmon hatchery broodstock.

• Establish a localized Grande Ronde subbasin coho salmon hatchery broodstock.

• Establish natural spawning populations of coho salmon in the Clearwater River Subbasin and Grande Ronde 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 extirpated stocks in the Snake River.