Download Cowlitz Fall Chinook - Northwest Power and Conservation Council

APRE Summary
Program name:
Cowlitz Fall Chinook
Subbasin:
Cowlitz
ESA status:
Threatened
Operator: WDFW
Co-operators
Role
Tacoma Public Utilities
Funding Source and Facility Maintenance
Funding Source(s)
Tacoma Public Utilities
Annual Operating Cost*
$170,000
The purpose of this program is to contribute to: Harvest, Conservation/recovery, and Research and/or education, as
mitigation for: Hydro impacts and Habitat loss.
This is an integrated program.
Program description:
Location
Age Class
Maximum
Number
Size
(fpp)
Release
Date
Stream
Release Point
(RKm)
Major
Watershed
Ecoprovince
Eggs
Unfed Fry
Fry
Fingerling 5000000
80
May-June
Cowlitz River
78.8
Cowlitz
Yearling
Broodstock source Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery Fall Chinook Stock
Broodstock collection location
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery/Cowlitz River/RKm 78.8/Cowlitz
(stream, RKm, subbasin)
Adult holding location (stream,
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery/Cowlitz River/RKm 78.8/Cowlitz
RKm, subbasin)
Spawning location (stream,
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery/Cowlitz River/RKm 78.8/Cowlitz
RKm, subbasin)
Incubation location (facility
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery/Cowlitz River/RKm 78.8/Cowlitz
name, stream, RKm, subbasin)
Rearing location (facility name,
Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery/Cowlitz River/RKm 78.8/Cowlitz
stream, RKm, subbasin)
Broodstock Source
Origin
Cowlitz River Fall Chinook H
Year(s) Used
Begin
1971
End
Present
Lower
Columbia
Status and goals for target stock:
= Low
= Medium
= High
Now
10-15 years
30-50 years
Biological
Significance
Viability
Habitat
0.2
0.18
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
Natural Survival
Hatchery Survival
Combined Survival
19
89
G
oa
l
% Smolt-to-Adult Survival
Hatchery program performance indicators for the target stock:
Brood Year
Recruits per Spawner Data
Smolt-to-Adult Data
4000
3500
Total Catch
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
19
89
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
20
01
0
Return Year
Escapement and Hatchery
Spawning
Total Catch Data
Consistency of hatchery program with the goals for the target stock:
The program goals are to maintain the biological significance of the stock while increasing viability over time. To achieve
this goal managers have implemented an integrated hatchery program.
The program has specific mitigation goals of (1) providing harvest of fall chinook to fisheries out of basin (lower Columbia
and marine areas) and the lower Cowlitz River, and (2) reestablishing and conserving naturally producing populations of
fall chinook into the upper Cowlitz River and tributaries. Based on the data presented in the above tables, the program is
achieving its goal of providing harvest to local communities.
The large number of hatchery fish spawning in the wild (>30%), and lack of wild fish used as hatchery broodstock, poses
risks that managers will not be able to achieve an increase in stock viability over time, as it appears that the hatchery
population is likely driving stock adaptation.
Guidelines for improving key operational elements to increase the likelihood of meeting goals
for the target stock :
Broodstock Collection

10% or more of the broodstock should be derived from wild fish each year.
Incubation

Hatchery intake screening for the incubation water supply should comply with Integrated Hatchery Operations Team
(IHOT) and National Marine Fisheries Service facility standards.
Rearing

Juvenile rearing density and loading guidelines used at the facility should be based on life-stage specific survival
studies conducted on-site.

The water used for rearing should provide natural water temperature profiles that result in fish similar in size to
naturally produced fish of the same species.

The program should use a diet and growth regime that mimics natural seasonal growth patterns.
Release








Fish produced should be qualitatively similar to natural fish in growth rate.
Marking/tagging techniques should be used to distinguish between the hatchery and natural populations.
Fish produced should be qualitatively similar to natural fish in physiological status.
Volitional releases during natural out-migration timing should be practiced.
Fish should be released at an optimum time and size that has been determined by a site-specific survival study.
Fish produced should be qualitatively similar to natural fish in size.
Fish should be released at sizes and life history stages similar to those of natural fish of the same species.
Fish produced should be qualitatively similar to natural fish in behavior.
M&E

Adults from this program should not make up more than 30% of the natural spawning escapement (for the
species/race) in the subbasin.
These recommendations represent an opportunity to improve key operational elements for this type of program. Detailed
information on the benefits and risks of all operational phases as they affect the outcome of this program are available in APRE
Report for Cowlitz Fall Chinook in the Cowlitz
Consistency of hatchery program with goals for other stocks:
Hatchery fish may affect other stocks in several ways. Naturally spawning populations may be subject to genetic interactions
through interbreeding. Ecological interactions through predation and competition may occur between the hatchery population
and other populations, and natural populations may be incidentally harvested in fisheries targeting a more abundant hatchery
stock. Abundant hatchery stocks may also mask the status of natural populations. Conversely an increase in the number of
artificially produced fish may improve the ecological function of a watershed through their contribution of marine derived
nutrients.
A number of factors are known to affect the likelihood and severity of such interactions, among them the abundance of the
hatchery population relative to other populations; the time, size and life stage at which hatchery fish are released; and the
quantity and quality of habitat available to the co-mingled stocks. The table below lists the current status of some of the
populations in the subbasin where the hatchery fish are released that might be vulnerable to these interactions.
The large number of hatchery origin fish spawning in the lower river is likely impacting the natural component of the run
through interbreeding and competition for food and space. This reduces the likelihood that the goals for the natural spawning
population can be achieved.
Stock Name
Spring Chinook
Cowlitz Fall Chinook
ESA Listing
Threatened
Threatened
Viability
M
L
Biological Significance
H
H
Additional reviewer comments:
The Cowlitz Barrier Dam adult collection facility enables the program to discriminate all returning adult fish according to
hatchery and natural origin fish. The program fish releases are not marked at a 100% rate. The in-ability to discriminate
hatchery/natural origin fish provides uncertainty in the program/stock adherence to the integrated stock criteria, particularly
for populations that may be established in the upper Cowlitz River and tributaries.
The program utilizes locally adapted fall chinook stock derived from adults returning to the Cowlitz Barrier Dam. This action
should reduce straying and allow continued local adaptation.
The size of the program has been tailored to subbasin habitat carrying capacity, based on the Cowlitz Hydroelectric relicensing
EDT analyses and research/M&E activities. This action should limit the impacts juvenile releases from the facility are having
on the natural component in the lower river.
The Tacoma Power relicensing agreement sets forth specific program performance indicators that are explicitly monitored and
evaluated on a yearly basis. The program is adaptively managed to adhere to stated program performance standards.
Manager/operator response:
Text that will be added by manager/operator.