Coho Monitoring and Evaluation 2020

The Nez Perce Tribe is implementing a phased approach to coho salmon reintroductions in the Clearwater River subbasin. Accompanying that goal is a desire to monitor and evaluate the results of the coho salmon restoration program so that operations can be managed to optimize hatchery and natural production, and minimize deleterious ecological impacts. Pursuant to this informed adaptive management approach, research data collection and analysis for the coho restoration M&E program endeavors to: 1) provide science-based recommendations for management and policy consideration; 2) demonstrate when the reintroduction program meets its restoration goals (annual escapement of 14,000 coho to the Clearwater River Subbasin) and 3) assist in the re-establishment of tribal and recreational fisheries.

A base level of hatchery-origin coho monitoring and evaluation has been started with Mitchell Act Grant funding, that includes 5 monitoring activities: (1) CWT data collection, analysis and reporting; (2) Juvenile migration and survival monitoring (PIT tag application, uploading, analysis, and reporting); 3) Adult return monitoring of abundance and distribution (adult escapement, redd surveys, hatchery broodstock, PIT tag detections); 4) In-hatchery production survival and growth monitoring; and 5) Co-manager coordination and information transfer.

The Nez Perce Tribe Coho Monitoring and Evaluation Project will be strengthened with Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund by increasing seasonal staff. Increasing the number of technical staff would allow for more opportunities for data to be collected. The proposed extra staff will cover all stream surveys without closing of any traps.

A total of four seasonal full time employees will be hired under PCSRF for a 12 week period (October-December). They will work as part of a crew with 3 other technicians (funded by Mitchell Act) and 4 funded by PCSRF) to operate and monitor the Lapwai Creek weir, Kooskia National Fish Hatchery trap and Dworshak National Fish Hatchery adult ladder seven days a week while adult coho are returning. Brood stock collected from these traps will be transported to Dworshak for holding and spawning.

They will also complete weekly stream surveys for Lapwai Creek and Clear Creek, counting and mapping redds and carcasses throughout the spawning season (October- November). They will also conduct all in-hatchery spawning. These employees will assist with three of the five primary activities described in the base level hatchery-origin coho monitoring and evaluation. Activity 1) CWT data collection, analysis and reporting; Activity 3) Adult return monitoring of abundance and distribution (adults, redds, broodstock and PIT tag array detections) and Activity 4) In-hatchery production survival and growth monitoring.

Specific Proposed Work to be accomplished with PCSRF Funding:
Worksite #1 Dworshak National Fish Hatchery: Adult salmonid population monitoring in cooperation with the Production division (PCSRF project 20-NezP-01)

Worksite #2 Clear Creek: Adult salmonid population monitoring, redd counts and carcass counts (on 8.8 stream miles)

Worksite #3 Lapwai Creek: Adult salmonid population monitoring, redd counts and carcass counts (on 6.8 stream miles)

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.