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APRE Summary Program name: Steelhead B (East Fork) - Integrated Subbasin: Salmon ESA status: Not listed Operator: IDFG Co-operators Role USFWS Administers the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan as authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1976. Shoshone Bannock-Tribes co-manager - participated in the negotiation and development of a management agreement (1999) to implement the East Fork Salmon River natural steelhead supplementation initiative. Columbia River Treaty Tribes co-manager - participated in the negotiation and development of a management agreement (1999) to implement the East Fork Salmon River natural steelhead supplementation initiative. USFWS co-manager - participated in the negotiation and development of a management agreement (1999) to implement the East Fork Salmon River natural steelhead supplementation initiative. NMFS co-manager - participated in the negotiation and development of a management agreement (1999) to implement the East Fork Salmon River natural steelhead supplementation initiative. Funding Source(s) USFWS through LSRCP Annual Operating Cost* $ 1,600,000 *Annual Operating Cost is reflected in dollars. The origin of this value is not consistent among programs, as it may reflect total facility costs or multiple programs for a given species. The purpose of this program is to contribute to: 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 Yearling 50,000 4.3 4/11-5/2 East Fork Salmon River 29 Comment: Broodstock source East Fork Salmon River unmarked steelhead Broodstock collection location East Fork Salmon River, 29RKm, Salmon River Salmon River Mountain Snake (stream, RKm, subbasin) Adult holding location (stream, East Fork Salmon River, 29RKm, Salmon River RKm, subbasin) Spawning location (stream, East Fork Salmon River, 29RKm, Salmon River RKm, subbasin) Incubation location (facility Sawtooth Fish Hatchery, Salmon River, 503RKm ,Salmon River name, stream, RKm, subbasin) Rearing location (facility name, Magic Valley Fish Hatchery, Crystal Springs, NA, Snake River stream, RKm, subbasin) Comment: Incubation from green to eyed egg stage occurs at Sawtooth. Incubation from eyed egg to hatch occurs at Magic Valley. Broodstock Source Origin East Fork Salmon River unmarked steelhead N Year(s) Used Begin 2000 End 2003 Status and goals for target stock: = Low = Medium = High Now 10-15 years 30-50 years Biological Significance Viability Habitat Hatchery program performance indicators for the target stock: Recruits per Spawner Smolt-to-Adult Survival Escapement and Hatchery Spawning Total Catch Consistency of hatchery program with the goals for the target stock: The goal for the stock is to maintain biological significance and improve viability. The integrated hatchery program is consistent with stock status and goals. The program has a research component. Guidelines for improving key operational elements to increase the likelihood of meeting goals for the target stock : Broodstock Collection Sufficient broodstock should be collected to maintain an effective population size of 1000 fish per generation. If the wild population has 150 fish or more, collection of wild broodstock should be limited to 30% of the population. Incubation IHOT species-specific incubation recommendations should be followed for water temperature. IHOT species-specific incubation recommendations should be followed for using substrate. Rearing The water used for rearing should meet or exceed the recommended Integrated Hatchery Operations Team (IHOT) water quality standards for temperature. Juvenile rearing density and loading guidelines used at the facility should be based on life-stage specific survival studies conducted on-site. Hatchery intake screening for the rearing water supply should comply with Integrated Hatchery Operations Team (IHOT) and National Marine Fisheries Service facility standards. 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 attempt to better mimic the natural stream environment by rearing under natural water temperature profiles. The program should use a diet and growth regime that mimics natural seasonal growth patterns. IHOT juvenile rearing standards should be followed for alarm systems. 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. 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. Marking/tagging techniques should be used to distinguish among segments of the hatchery population. 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. M&E Goals for the program should be documented so that results can be adequately evaluated. Adults from this program should not make up more than 30% of the natural spawning escapement (for the species/race) in the subbasin. Results of program evaluation should be reported/documented so that they can be taken into consideration when determining whether hatchery operations should be changed. 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 Steelhead B (East Fork) - Integrated in the Salmon 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. Steelhead B-run are not listed in the upper Salmon River watershed and releases of yearling steelhead could only impact other listed fish in the Columbia River in the Columbia and Snake river migration corridor. Stock Name Summer Chinook (Johnson Creek) Summer Chinook (Pahsimeroi) Steelhead B-Natural Redfish Lake Sockeye Spring/Summer Chinook (W. Fork Yankee Fork, Salmon River)- Integrated Spring/Summer Chinook (East Fork Salmon River)- Integrated Lemhi River Spring_Summer Chinook ESA Listing Threatened Viability L Biological Significance H Threatened Threatened Endangered Threatened L L L L H H H H Threatened L H Threatened L H Additional reviewer comments: The E.F. Salmon River integrated steelhead, funded by USFWS LSRCP, is a wild broodstock designed to determine if hatchery fish can increase natural production. This program has no harvest goals and was established under a conservation/recovery strategy. Broodstock collection, adult holding and spawning is conducted on the E.F. Salmon River, incubation is at the Sawtooth Hatchery, and rearing occurs at Magic Valley, Crystal Spring, and Snake River hatcheries. The new program, using 100% wild broodstock, had its first returns in 2000 and 2001 and they were below established goals. Production goals for wild steelhead returns in the E. F. Salmon River watershed will be difficult to achieve and analyze, because of variable losses and impacts from four Snake River dams and variable spring flushing flows. LSRCP annual summaries and performance goals are used to evaluate the program. Manager/operator response: Per IDFG: 1. Naturally produced steelhead collected for broodstock are listed. 2. See comment about consistency of program goals with other stocks from Sawtooth spring chinook summary.