See overall comments for the five related Yakima/Klickitat Fishery Projects under proposal 19881205.

Comments specific to this O&M proposal:

This O&M project is identified as a crucial component of the broad YKFP project which mitigates for the federal power projects by supplementing populations and improving habitats. The YKFP O&M project specifically addresses the operation of three facilities critical to the YKFP's supplementation experiment (Cle Elum Facility [CEF], Prosser Fish Facility [PFF], and Marion Drain Facility [MDF]). These facilities handle the bulk of work associated with brood collection and husbandry, incubation and rearing, and acclimation and release for fall and spring Chinook and Coho. As specifically focused on CESRF, PFF, and MDF this project identifies its role within the broader YKFP. However, the broader rationale and significance needs to be described beyond the need for ongoing facilities O&M. More specifically, why the facilities need to be kept going is crucial in terms of the realized or potentially realized benefits of artificial production and supplementation.

The project history was mostly a listing of dollars spent.

The objectives are very brief, but this is all about simply producing fish. Lost are the overarching objectives about restoring wild runs and minimizing risks to native fish. Most of the Methods for the work elements are straightforward. While the earlier disagreements about specific wording in regard to 2x2 factorial breeding designs have been addressed in this version, the ISRP remains generally skeptical about the ability of a broad supplementation program at restoring or even maintaining population viability. That M&E is directly integrated will help to dispel this skepticism if natural productivity is demonstrated as a result of the program.

As the stated objectives are non-biological for this specific project, M&E are not amenable unless there is some actual habitat work being conducted (which is not obvious). As such there is no real science to review here, although review is doable for the broader program. Information transfer needs to occur for biological data (as well as coordination and planning) within the broader YKFP context.

While the facilities and personnel are appropriately large-scale (21+ personnel) at three major (+ satellite) facilities, the timeframe to reach some decisional nexus is not well described.