FY 2020 Puyallup River Watershed Fisheries RM&E Project

The project involved rigorous monitoring and evaluation to determine the status, trends, responses and use by various life history stages of ESA listed Spring/Fall Chi-nook and winter steelhead; as well as, non-listed coho, pink, chum and sockeye salmon within the Puyallup/White River Watershed (Puget Sound ESU). Monitoring and evaluation efforts included extensive biological sampling and spawning ground escapement surveys for Chinook, coho, pink, chum and steelhead (surveys work types to be reported include: E.1.c.1 Adult salmon-id population monitoring; E.1.c.4 Redd counts; E.1.c.5 Carcass counts). In addition, biological sampling and escapement monitoring of adult salmonid returns to the USACE fish trap on the White River was performed (work types to be reported E.1.c.1 Adult salmonid population mon-itoring). Further elements included monitoring adult and juvenile salmonids entrained in Electron Hydro’s hydroelectric project on the upper Puyallup River (work types to be reported E.1.c.2 Salmonid smolt or fry monitoring).

Recovery and sustainability of ESA listed Spring/Fall Chinook, and winter steelhead stocks; as well as non-listed coho, pink, chum and sockeye. The RM&E project is vital for constructing in-formative and adaptive management decisions leading to effective actions in support of main-taining and improving fisheries stocks for implementation of tribal treaty and subsistence fishing rights. The monitoring and evaluation project is a high priority for the Puyallup Tribe and is vital towards assessing the status and trends of Natural Origin Recruits (NORs) and hatchery salmon-ids and their environments; as well as, investigating factors affecting salmonid population viabil-ity and providing information essential for resolving existing and potential habitat, water quality and hydraulic violation issues through corrective and/or mitigatory actions.