Yakama Nation Sockeye Reintroduction XII

Under this project, staff developed, implemented, and assisted in numerous monitoring and evaluation efforts, with designed studies to monitor the success of the burgeoning, natural-spawning population of sockeye salmon in the Cle Elum Lake system. Monitoring and evaluation activities included: genetic analyses to estimate relative stock proportions between two donor populations that are genetically distinct, juvenile and adult demographic studies, relative reproductive success and productivity, smolt emigration survival, spawning ground surveys, smolt abundance surveys, and early life stage development studies.Carcass surveys helped managers identify differences in spawner distributions and spawn timing among the two donor stocks used in the reintroduction programEach activity described here is supported in part (either directly or indirectly) by PCSRF funding, all of which is contingent of the success of trap and haul operations that allow adult spawners to be translocated from the lower Yakima River and the Columbia River for release into Cle Elum Lake. The YN has always had the approach and fundamental understanding that this program and its ultimate success begins with translocating broodstock, but is wholly reliant on ongoing diligent monitoring activities to inform managers of its progress; that is, to not just put fish in the system but to evaluate the efficacy of such action. All supported activities are used to inform adaptive management strategies toward sustaining a naturally productive population.The YN, in cooperation with USFWS, BOR, and USGS has ramped up PIT-tagging efforts since 2022. The monitoring and evaluation benefits with mass tagging efforts are substantial. Tagging of juvenile fish prior to release in the emigration season provides valuable information based on downstream detections at antenna sites. Of the 3600 juvenile fish tagged and released in 2022, there were 44 adult detections of fish returning in 2024. The smolt to adult return rate from these observations is 1.2%. Managers will use this information to gauge productivity trends and productivity potential in the population. PCSRF fudns were also used towards purchase of a monitoring vessel and a heavy duty truck and trailer for the vessel.

The benefit of this project is to reintroduce sockeye back into its historical areas within the Yakima River Basin starting first with Lake Cle Elum. The YN views this project as not only returning sockeye to its historical range, but also as a major part of rebuilding the ecosystem as a whole. In addition to enhancing the diversity, spatial distribution, and resiliency of the aggregate Columbia River sockeye stock, this reintroduction restores the well-described and broad benefits of marine-derived nutrients to a myriad of aquatic and terrestrial species in the upper Yakima watershed, including ESA-listed bull trout and summer steelhead. Removing introduced Mackinaw from the lake is also a critical part of restoring a self-sustaining sockeye population and natural ecosystem function.