BACKGROUND

Non-native fish species are impacting native salmonid populations throughout the Pend Oreille Subbasin. Competition, hybridization, and predation by non-native fish have been identified as primary factors in the decline of native Bull Trout (BT) and Westslope Cutthroat Trout (WCT) populations. Over 99% of tributaries to the Pend Oreille River were historically occupied by native WCT; now less than 35% are occupied by WCT. Although anthropogenic impacts contributed to significant declines over the past century, corrections to those impacts (i.e., habitat modifications), in the presence of non-native fish tend to benefit invasive species instead of the focal species, which are native to the system. Therefore, the goal of this project is to implement actions to suppress or eradicate non-native fish in areas where native populations are declining or have been extirpated and reintroduce or bolster native fish species where appropriate. These projects have been identified as critical to recovering native ESA-listed BT and declining populations of WCT.
Actions developed through this project have either direct impacts on non-native fish species (e.g., reduced numbers through physical or chemical suppression/eradication activities) or lead to actions in which non-native fish species are directly impacted (e.g., collect fish distribution data to warrant action; develop management strategies for non-native fish species; collect data on impacted native salmonid populations). As such this project will discuss actions categorized into two broad activity types:

1. Mechanical Suppression: Physical removal of non-native fish species of interest by way of electrofishing, netting (gill, fyke, seine, etc.), trapping (weir, light-minnow, minnow, etc.) or angling, leading to a depressed (reduced) population. This often occurs when a sympatric population exists consisting of pure native fish species (salvage target)and non-native fish species (removal target)

2. Eradication: Removal of non-native fish species of interest by way of chemical piscicide (pesticide) application or other physical mechanical removal technique leading to an eradicated population in the target project area. This often occurs when an allopatric non-native fish population (removal target) exists or less often, a sympatric population of non-native fish (target) and pure native fish species (salvage target) coexist and the native fish are very limited in distribution (not sufficient population size or genetic health to salvage).



MECHANICAL SUPPRESSION ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING NON-NATIVE EASTERN BROOK TROUT IMPACTS IN TRIBUTARIES

GRAHAM CREEK (CALISPELL SUBBASIN):
In an effort to conserve the remaining WCT in Graham Creek, in 2008, the KNRD installed a barrier structure just up from the mouth to eliminate future upstream migration of Eastern Brook Trout (BKT). A pre and post installation electrofishing effort was completed to remove all observed BKT between the fish passage barrier and a natural cascade/waterfall barrier 700 m upstream. In 2012, we conducted a single pass electrofishing survey to determine if any BKT remained in the treatment area; we collected 136 WCT (not including YOY fish) and 15 BKT. In 2013 we collected 182 WCT and only 1 BKT. Again in 2014 we collected 108 WCT and 1 BKT. With the continued presence of BKT in Graham Creek, it is necessary to conduct an additional removal treatment consisting of two passes using electrofishing gear in 2015. Successful eradication of BKT is likely in the near future in Graham Creek.

WEST BRANCH LECLERC CREEK TRIBUTARY 1 (LECLERC SUBBASIN):
To conserve a dwindling population of WCT,  2,232 BKT were removed from West Branch LeClerc Creek Tributary 1 (Trib 1) using standard backpack electrofishing treatments from 2003-2014.  Initially, BKT outnumbered WCT by a ratio of 3 to 1 in the project area located above a perched culvert near the confluence with West Branch LeClerc Creek.  The majority of early removal treatments consisted of multiple continuous single passes and although many BKT were removed using this method, we were concerned about potential harm to WCT electrofished in multiple treatments. In 2013 we modified the protocol to complete the removals in one treatment using multiple pass depletion techniques, consisting of continuous 100 m block-netted sections  (Murphy and Willis 1996, Heimbuch et al. 1997). This protocol continued in 2014 with no BKT captured for the first time in the eleven years of implementing the project and the highest recorded density of WCT to date (501 individuals captured). Now that eradication appears to be successful, we will conduct a single, continuous electrofishing treatment in 2015 to ensure no BKT remain. Any BKT encountered will be removed from the stream and WCT will be returned no more than 100m from capture location. If BKT are undetected in 2015, the project will be deemed successful and periodic monitoring will take place instead of mechanical suppression. If BKT are detected, the multiple pass depletion technique will be revisited in 2016.

SAUCON CREEK (LECLERC SUBBASIN):
In 2013 a restoration project was developed and submitted to Washington's Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) in which multiple fish passage barrier culverts were to be removed and/or replaced in the upper West Branch LeClerc Creek watershed. Investigating fish presence surrounding the impacted project area, it was determined that BKT had been unknowingly stocked by in Saucon Creek which historically was thought to hold a pure, moderately high density WCT population. Saucon Creek is protected from invasion of BKT by a barrier low in the creek near the confluence with West Branch LeClerc Creek. Provided an unknown BKT distribution, sympatric with what appeared to be an established and moderately high-density population of WCT, a mechanical suppression project using electrofishing techniques was implemented in 2014. The BKT densities were higher than anticipated (in 2014 1,490 BKT removed) and WCT densities were lower than expected (271 captured and returned). The removal effort was conducted in the 2.1 Km section where sympatric populations of WCT and BKT exist; upstream of this point is a barrier in which allopatric WCT occupy the remaining upstream habitat. In 2015 we will again conduct one BKT removal treatment consisting of multiple pass depletion techniques, in continuous 100 m block-netted sections from the barrier at near the confluence with West Branch LeClerc to the extent of observed BKT distribution. Any BKT encountered will be removed and WCT will be returned no more than 100m from capture location. We will also collect data on population densities of WCT in the allopatric section above the barrier as a reference point once BKT have been completely removed from the project area.



MECHANICAL SUPPRESSION ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING LARGE PISCIVOROUS FISH IN MAINSTEM RIVERS OR LAKES

NORTHERN PIKE SUPPRESSION IN BOX CANYON RESERVOIR (PEND OREILLE RIVER, WA):
Northern pike (NP), illegally introduced in the Clark Fork River, Montana have immigrated to the Box Canyon Reservoir (BCR) where they are causing drastic declines in native species and gamefish being managed by the Kalispel Tribe Natural Resources Department (KNRD) , Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG). The NP population grew exponentially from <400 in 2006 to >5,500 in 2010 between Newport (Pioneer Park) and Riverbend. Reservoir-wide, the peak population was estimated to be 10,000 individuals in 2011. Northern pike threaten to undermine current and future recovery efforts for BT and WCT, as well as other native salmonids, minnows, suckers and introduced gamefish in the watershed. Efforts to increase the relative abundance of native salmonids in the lower Pend Oreille through mainstem fish passage projects, tributary restoration, and conservation aquaculture may be seriously compromised by unchecked establishment and expansion of NP in the watershed. Northern pike also pose significant risks to the anadromous fisheries of the Columbia River and Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery efforts if left to emigrate further downstream.  

After engaging the public in 2011 and 2012, KNRD and WDFW developed a 3-pronged approach to suppressing the population to pre-2004 levels: increasing angler harvest through outreach and education, targeted (harvest-oriented) fishing contests (e.g., PikePalooza), and mechanical suppression of the population with gillnets. The objective was to reduce the abundance of NP from the 2011 Spring Pike Index Netting (SPIN) survey catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) value of 13.2 NP/net night in the southern half (core area from Pioneer Park to Riverbend including sloughs) to <1.73 NP/net night and from 1.9 NP/net night in the northern half (Riverbend to Box Canyon) to <0.5 NP/net night. Mechanical suppression of NP is a well established management tool and efforts been implemented in the Missouri River drainage, MT (MFWP 2011), Susitna River drainage, AK (Ivey et al. 2011), Colorado River drainage, UT, WY, CO (Monroe  and Hedrick 2008; Finney and Haynes 2008), and AZ reservoirs (Kuzmenko et al. 2010).  Although a variety of methods have been employed for suppression, gillnetting with focused effort on sloughs and backwaters during spring when pike are congregated for spawning has been successfully demonstrated in areas closely mirroring the habitat of Box Canyon Reservoir sloughs (Ivey et al. 2011). A pilot study in BCR conducted in 2011 confirmed a gillnet removal project was feasible and that intensively netting NP in sloughs and backwaters from ice off through the spring freshet could drastically reduce the abundance of NP in BCR.

KNRD, with support from WDFW has implemented a 3-year mechanical suppression project in BCR (2012-2014) with financial support provided by BPA, US Bureau of Indian Affairs, WDFW, Kalispel Tribe, and Avista Corporation. Up to 30 gill nets were deployed and retrieved daily from an 18’ (5.5 m) Wooldridge skiff and a 24’ (7.3 m) Almar landing craft work boat outfitted with hydraulic drum roller. Nets used in this project measure 150’ X 6’ (45.7 X 1.8 m) with 5 equal panels of 1”, 1.25”, 1.5”, 1.75” and 2” (2.5, 3.2, 3.8, 4.4, 5.1 cm) meshes, which were developed by KNRD and WDFW in 2010 in consultation with biologists from MN, WI, and Ontario, Canada that have conducted standardized NP surveys for decades. The nets are approximately 45% more efficient at catching NP than WDFW standardized warmwater fish sampling nets and reduce bycatch. Target net saturation generally occurred from ice-off (March) through the spring freshet (June) or ended earlier if target reduction was met (2014). This 3-year period was the initial phase of a long-term project in which to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of mechanical suppression of sexually mature NP in BCR.

From 2012-2014 we removed 16,225 NP in 3,110 overnight gillnet sets in BCR. Based on 2014 Spring SPIN results, the adult population in the core area (southern half and sloughs) was reduced by nearly 98% from the 2011 baseline of 13.2 NP/net to 0.3 NP/net night. Anglers harvested an additional 334 NP in four PikePalooza fishing derbies that offered more than $20,000 in cash and prizes. Recreational angler harvest appeared negligible based on observations by field staff and anecdotal reports and as anticipated, mechanical suppression removed the vast majority of NP. In 2015, a report on the effectiveness of mechanical suppression, angler education, and fishing contests to remove 87% of the NP population was produced as a supplemental technical report to the 2014 Non-Native Fish Suppression (BPA Project No. 2007-149-00) annual report. The technical report, summarizing this project in detail, was prepared for the Independent Scientific Review Panel of BPA’s Fish and Wildlife Program and made available to interested parties.

The first phase of this project has been largely successful in recruiting and  suppressing adult cohorts available to date. Due to uncertainty about juvenile recruitment and survival under varying water conditions and to also ensure that pre-2004 population abundance is maintained into the future, gill netting will resume in March-April, 2015 (previous contract) with an additional effort in March-April 2016 (current contract). Based on the previous effort, crews will focus on this time period to maximize NP catch rates, minimize bycatch rates, increase survival of bycatch, and avoid conflicting uses of the reservoir. The Joint Stock Assessment Project (BPA Project No. 1997-004-00) and WDFW will continue to monitor the effectiveness of mechanical removal and the NP population status using an annual SPIN survey and also periodically monitor the fish community with standardized warmwater fish surveys to detect trends in abundance and population characteristics. Future suppression efforts if warranted, and their frequency, will be determined during the development of the NP suppression and monitoring strategy to be finalized in 2015/16.

LONG-TERM NORTHERN PIKE SUPPRESSION AND MONITORING STRATEGY:
In 2014, a draft long-term Northern Pike Suppression and Monitoring Strategy for the Pend Oreille River (primarily Box Canyon Reservoir) was developed to guide future suppression efforts there. Given the success of NP suppression to date and implications associated with discontinuing suppression efforts (financial investments, ESA recovery, recreational fishery management, downstream entrainment of NP, and movement into neighboring waters) stakeholders and managers assembled to determine the appropriate management direction for NP in this system. The steps involved in developing the Strategy were/are 1) initiate the discussion with a meeting of key stakeholders and fisheries managers and create the framework for a draft Strategy, 2) construct a draft, 3) stakeholders review, and 4) finalize and publish the Strategy.

The outcome of the this process is to produce a long-term management strategy for NP in BCR (and potentially downstream waters) that incorporate ISRP comments and suggestions, knowledge to date on the NP population in BCR, population management thresholds and methods (with alternatives), monitoring strategies, management agencies' responsibilities, and financial needs for long-term implementation. As an addition to the proposed Strategy, we will also discuss investigating NP in Boundary Reservoir downstream of Box Canyon Reservoir in the Pend Oreille River. Kickoff/scoping meetings were held with a draft produced in 2014; the final Strategy will be produced under this contract (FY2015) and available for use in late 2015/early 2016.

LAKE TROUT SUPPRESSION IN UPPER PRIEST LAKE (IDAHO):
Since 1997 the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) has been suppressing Lake Trout (LKT) in Upper Priest Lake (UPL) through extensive gill netting.  A larger effort has been annually implemented since 2007, with 24,782 LKT removed from 2007-2014. Bull trout redds are annually monitored in the UPL watershed and have steadily increased from 7 (2007) to 81 (2014), which ties the highest count recorded (81 in 1985) in recent history for the UPL watershed. Although large numbers of lake trout are removed annually, the population continues to rebound, through in-lake recruitment and immigration of mature, ripe LKT from Priest Lake in the fall. Permanent suppression of LKT in Upper Priest Lake will require successful continued suppression in UPL and either elimination of LKT migratory access from or suppression in Priest Lake (lower).

The Hickey Brothers Research (LLC) will again be contracted to use gillnets to remove LKT from UPL deployed from their 36 foot commercial gillnet boat. Gillnets used in UPL are typically 91 m long and range in height from 1.5 to 2.2 m, with multiple panels of graded mesh sizes ranging from 44 mm to 127 mm are randomly arranged in each net. Individual gill nets were tied together end to end to create a continuous net spanning up to 3,017 m. Gillnets will be fished for 8 days during a 10 day period (May 11-15 & May 18-22, 2015). Nets will be set throughout the lake perpendicular to the shore and moved based on catch rates at a particular site and on the discretion of the netting crew; effort will be made to avoid incidental BT captures by avoiding known concentrations. Data from the 2015 effort will be summarized and compared to previous years’ efforts to monitor the effectiveness and success of the project. Continuing to reduce predation and competition with BT and WCT by removing LKT, will assist in BT recovery and long term persistence of WCT and other native fish populations in the area. The Kalispel Tribe’s Non-Native Fish Suppression project (BPA) provides cost-share funding to continue this LKT suppression project; other partners contributing funds to the project are the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  



ERADICATION ACTIVITIES ADDRESSING NON-NATIVE EASTERN BROOK TROUT IMPACTS IN TRIBUTARIES

LONG-TERM IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY and EDUCATION & OUTREACH PROGRAM FOCUSED ON ERADICATING NON-NATIVE SALMONIDS AND RESTORING WCT IN TRIBUTARIES:
Steady declines in WCT populations located throughout Pend Oreille Basin tributaries have been noted and are in large part due to competition with and predation by non-native salmonids. As such, the KNRD and WDFW are developing a closely coordinated program to plan and implement actions focused on removing non-native fish species from select tributaries in the Pend Oreille Basin and subsequently restoring genetically pure and native-strain WCT populations. These actions, focused primarily on the use of piscicide to remove unwanted non-native fish species, are identified through Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licenses issues recently to the Pend Oreille Public Utility District (PUD) for operations of Box Canyon Dam and Seattle City Light (SCL) for operations of Boundary Dam.

A pilot treatment project conducted in Cee Cee Ah Creek provided the foundation for advancing this program to a planning and implementation phase. After a successful series of piscicide treatments in Cee Cee Ah Creek, WCT were translocated in small numbers to the treatment area in 2011. Monitoring indicated the population is successfully recruiting new age classes and expanding in the available habitat; population estimates indicate there are now >3,000 WCT in the Cee Cee Ah Creek project area.

Having established the planning  framework for the program in 2013-2014 (i.e., Identification and Prioritization of Stream Rehabilitation Opportunities; Education & Outreach Strategy for WCT Rehabilitation Opportunities; WCT Salvage and Reintroduction Framework) and secured funding for the first proposed project on Smalle Creek (Pend Oreille PUD),  KNRD and WDFW are continuing to implement the education and outreach effort necessary to ensure project success, which began in 2014. Guided by the model developed by Washington State University (WSU) during the Cee Cee Ah Pilot Project, WSU will again facilitate the current program's education and outreach strategy.  As part of the current project, WSU will continue an established sub-contact through the Tribe’s Non-Native Fish Suppression Project  (BPA) in which a collaborative decision-making approach to work with the local community towards addressing issues associated with non-native fish suppression and eradication using fish toxicants (piscicide) will take place.  WSU will prepare for and facilitate the remaining (1-2 of 3-4 planned) public meetings to disseminate all relevant information on planned tributary piscicide treatments over the next 10 years. Although the meetings are distinct from one another, the content will generally include information on past successes and lessons learned in similar treatments, long and short-term treatment plans including specifics on upcoming individual treatments, information on piscicide use in tributaries and perceived issues, WCT salvage and reintroduction strategies, public comments/input, and planned communication strategies with the public. An additional component will be to adapt the education and outreach plan for future use with the modification and/or creation of additional public information materials summarizing scientific data on use of piscicide for fish species management as well as anything else responding to stakeholder information interests.

INVESTIGATION OF POTENTIAL SOURCE POPULATIONS OF WCT FOR REINTRODUCTIONS:
Middle Creek and East Fork Smalle Creek, tributaries to the Box Canyon Reservoir section of the Pend Oreille River, are two of only a few remaining tributaries in Washington's portion of the Pend Oreille Watershed where allopatric WCT populations exist with sufficient suitable habitat to persist in isolation above a natural fish passage barrier such as a waterfall. With nearly 19 km of combined mainstem habitat isolated from invasion by non-native salmonids, East Fork Smalle and Middle Creek WCT provide an opportunity in their use as a source of brood and genetics stock for reintroduction to habitat once historically occupied by WCT.  

Under this project, both streams’ WCT populations will be investigated for their suitability as donor populations.  Population estimates, physical condition and demographics of the population, and their distribution amongst habitat will be determined in 2015. WCT genetic samples in will be collected in an effort to understand the suitability of the individual populations, as a donor stock, to restore WCT populations elsewhere following successful piscicide treatments. To do this a minimum of 50 samples will be taken, with no more than 10 per 100m, dispersed throughout habitat occupied by WCT in Middle Creek with an additional 50 samples from East Fork Smalle Creek following the same protocols. All samples will be processed by the WDFW Genetics Lab and a summary report will be provided. An overall assessment of the population will be incorporated into the FY2015 Annual Report for this project.