Harvest Monitoring of Nez Perce Tribe Coho in the Snake Basin

The NPT is implementing a Coho Salmon reintroduction project in the Snake River Basin. The Tribe developed a Coho Master Plan for Snake River Coho Reintroduction in 2004 that will provide evaluations critical to adaptive management to guide this successful program. This Master Plan identified the need to collect harvest data from NPT treaty fisheries targeting Coho salmon to estimate harvest of natural and hatchery fish.



The NPT harvest monitoring project monitored and estimated catch for Nez Perce tribal members exercising their treaty-reserved fishing rights to harvest Coho in the Snake River Basin during the fall of 2025 using inseason and gillnet survey methods. At worksite #1, staff conducted harvest monitoring of Nez Perce treaty fisheries in Clear Creek, from its mouth upstream to the weir at Kooskia Fish Hatchery. At worksite #2, staff conducted harvest monitoring of Nez Perce treaty fisheries in Lapwai Creek, from its mouth upstream to Mission Creek, and mouth of Sweetwater Creek upstream to Webb, Idaho.



One harvest monitor split their 10 hour shift each day between Clear Creek and Lapwai Creek looking for NPT fishers. Harvest monitors either directly observed fishing effort and harvest and/or interviewed tribal fishers to obtain information on fishing gear, fishing duration, and harvest. Harvest monitors were on site at each location (Clear Creek & Lapwai Creek) every day, and approximately 40 hours each week per site.



Inseason harvest monitoring efforts at Clear Creek and Lapwai Creek occurred from September 1, 2025, to December 7, 2025, at both locations. No harvest of Coho was documented in Clear Creek for 2025. For Lapwai Creek, it is estimated that 18 Coho were harvested in 2025.



Gillnet sampling occurred across the entire Snake River Basin starting on August 18, 2025, and concluding on November 22, 2025. Eight gillnet permits were issued in 2025, with fishing effort occurring in the mainstem Snake River from the mouth of the Tucannon River upstream to the confluence of the Snake River and Clearwater River. Set gillnets and drift gillnets were both utilized.



For 2025, it is estimated that 51 Coho were harvested in the gillnet fishery. With the 18 Coho harvested in Clear Creek/Lapwai Creek, the NPT total harvest estimate in the Snake River Basin in 2025 is 69 Coho. These numbers are preliminary. We are still conducting postseason interviews and may account for Coho harvest in other locations that were not monitored inseason.

This NPT harvest monitoring project will sample certain Coho salmon tributary (or terminal) fisheries using the creel and inseason interview methods consistent with our existing Snake Basin sampling plans. It is expected that this harvest sampling will occur primarily in Lapwai Creek and Clear Creek. These tributaries are located within the Nez Perce Tribes 1863 Reservation. Catch estimates will include the number of natural and hatchery harvested (fish with adipose fin intact or clipped/absent) and include information on number of tribal members sampled and the gear types they use. Catch estimates and other related fishery information are critical to the ability of the NPT to manage and regulate its fisheries to (1) achieve harvest share, (2) escape fish through fishery to achieve hatchery broodstock and natural escapement objectives and contribute data essential to understand population-scale status and trend monitoring of Coho salmon in Snake Basin. This project may also collect data on other fish species harvested along with Coho salmon in these sampling areas (e.g., Snake River fall Chinook and steelhead).