This contract provides for monitoring and evaluation of the Nez Perce Tribe’s Chinook salmon supplementation program in the Lostine River as well as monitoring of Steelhead and Bull trout captured at the Lostine River weir. Monitoring and evaluation consists of data collection, data analysis, and communication of results. These activities are coordinated and accomplished cooperatively with fisheries co-managers of the Nez Perce Tribe. The scope of this contract includes monitoring and evaluation of Steelhead during the spring and an ongoing evaluation of Lostine River natural- and hatchery-origin Chinook salmon within the Wallowa/Lostine River spring Chinook population area.

Ongoing activities within this contract include: monitoring and evaluating the release of juvenile Lostine River hatchery-origin Chinook salmon; summarizing and reporting catch at the Lostine River weir; maintaining and validating a database of fish captured at the Lostine River weir; assisting co-managers with spawning ground surveys in northeast Oregon; PIT-tagging juvenile hatchery Chinook salmon; collecting and analyzing environmental data in the Lostine River. Data summaries and analyses are consistent with performance measures outlined in the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Northeast Oregon Hatcheries (Hesse et al. 2006). These performance measures describe juvenile and adult life history characteristics, distribution, abundance, productivity, and survival of natural- and hatchery-origin Chinook salmon. As a contract deliverable, these data are summarized and documented in an annual report.

Regionally, the program provides the Nez Perce Tribe with technical representation for management of the Lostine and Imnaha River Chinook salmon, including database development for the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (FINS). Summary and analysis of data collected for this contract are also used in the Annual Operation Plan for the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan for Northeast Oregon. There will be no work, under this contract, on Coho salmon.