Columbia River Spring Chinook Stock Evaluation Project V

The states of Oregon and Washington conduct test fisheries prior to the opening of the Ceremonial Fishery. The States contract with non-Indian commercial fishermen to gillnet the lower Columbia River. These tests are used to gauge the timing and strength of the fish runs. Warm Springs employees and Fish and Wildlife Committee members act as observers and assist with working nets and handling fish. Fish were donated to the Tribe and utilized for ceremonial purposes. Forty-one fish were donated for the Root Feast and Salmon Feast.

The test fishing found the spring run was late and larger than anticipated. Pre-season prediction for upriver brights (URB) was 198,400 at Bonneville Dam. Actual returns to Bonneville were 221, 800. The Columbia ran high and cold this year and fish were unwilling to move upstream until conditions improved. The water remained high through the summer Chinook run and both runs were found with sediment-packed gills due to the turbid water.



Results

The 2011 Ceremonial Fishery began on March 26, 2011 and was completed on May 1, 2011. The Fish and Wildlife Committee approved an allocation of 1,800 – 2,000 fish. Gill nets were used to harvest the fish with no nets longer than 400 ft. in length. This year the Committee designated a total of 8 Ceremonial fishermen who fished in the Bonneville Pool from Cascade Locks (RM 150) to Lyle (RM 187). Virgil Culps and Eric Queahpama were the first fishermen in the water and had a target of 280 fish each.

During the Ceremonial Fishery there was CTWS staff obtained 629 genetic samples. The samples were taken to meet the objectives of the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) through the Pacific Salmon Commission. Staff sent the samples to be analyzed at the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission’s Hagerman Genetics Laboratory. The results of the sampling will be known in 2012. All but 75 fish were checked for Passive Integrated Transponder chips. Fisheries staff detected 34 tags.

These fish are preyed upon by Steller’s (Eumetopias jubatus, western Pacific stock endangered- 1990; eastern Pacific stock threatened- 1990) and California sea lions (Zalophus californianus, common, not listed) while passage is delayed by Bonneville Dam. California sea lions are much more abundant at the dam than Steller’s. This year staff did not separate net damaged fish from seal bites. We documented 50 fish (799 lbs) or 39.5% fish damaged by nets or seals. By far, nets damaged more fish than sea lions. Last year’s seal damage was 49 fish (658 lbs) or 2.16% of the catch. Using these numbers as a surrogate we estimate 43 fish had seal marks. Three percent had seal damage in 2009.

CTSW staff participating on this year’s fishery were: Larry Holliday, Jens Lovtang, Stanley Simtustus Sr., Jordan Holliday, Bob Heath, Arthur Mitchell and Mark Manion.

The CTWS utilized 3 fishing sites in Zone 6 (Bonneville to McNary dams): Koberg (Hood River), Cascade Locks and Lyle, Washington. The eight crews selected to participate in the fishery were:


Name Fishing Location Number of Fish Harvested Number of Fish Transferred
1. Virgil Culps- Agency, Seeseekqua Koberg 1 60
2. Eric Queahpama Cascade Locks 275 0
3. Michael McConville- Simnasho Lyle 280 0
4. Mike Greene Koberg 280 0
5. Anthony Culps Sr. Koberg 283 0
6. Roland Kalama Jr. Koberg 280 0
7. Albert Kalama Sr. Cascade Locks 280 0
8. Bruce Jim Jr. Koberg 175 102



Warm Springs Allocation: up to 2,200 fish
Under catch: 179 fish

Total Fish Harvested: 2,021 fish

Total Pounds: 26,457

Average weight: 13.09 lbs


HATCHERY vs. WILD RATIO

Hatchery Fish: 1,630 fish or 80.65%
Wild Fish: 409 fish or 20.24%


CATCH BY AREA

There were 1,086 fish harvested at the Koberg In-lieu site near Hood River. Three hundred and fifty-three fish were harvested in the

This project allows the CTWS to monitor the catch of ceremonial spring Chinook salmon in the Columbia River. Biological data is collected on all harvested fish, which may include weights, lengths, fin clips, PIT tags, and genetic tissue sampling. As this is typically the first annual major harvest of spring Chinook in the Bonneville Pool, these data provide information to fisheries managers on the earliest returning fish above the Bonneville Dam. Catch is closely monitored to ensure that the number of harvested fish does not go over the allotted amount and that accurate information can be distributed to Fisheries Managers.