2000-019-00

Tucannon River Spring Chinook Captive Brood

Project Scope
The purpose of this project is to quickly rebuild the number of spring Chinook salmon that return to the Tucannon River. If successful, this project will delay or prevent extinction of the Tucannon River spring Chinook salmon (listed as "Threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)).

Project Location
The captive broodstock program will occur at three Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) locations (Lyons Ferry Hatchery (LFH), Tucannon Fish Hatchery (TFH), and Curl Lake Acclimation Pond (AP)). LFH is located at rkm 95 on the Snake River between Lower Monumental and Little Goose Dams and is used for spawning and rearing of the captive broodstock. Tucannon Fish Hatchery (rkm 58) and Curl Lake AP (rkm 66) are both located on the Tucannon River and are used for rearing and volitional release of captive broodstock progeny.

Relationship to the Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Program
This proposed captive broodstock project is supported by various measures in the Northwest Power Planning Council's (Council) Fish and Wildlife Program. Further, the project has been supported by the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA) and the Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP) for funding, and has been agreed to by the co-managers and NOAA Fisheries. The project will support the native run of Tucannon River spring Chinook salmon in its native habitat (2.2A), and will contribute to the rebuilding of the Snake River spring Chinook salmon run (4.1A). As stated under the Council's salmon and steelhead rebuilding principles (4.1A); 1) priority should be given to activities that aim to rebuild weak upriver populations, including populations listed under the ESA, 2) this project will be linked to habitat restoration activities (Tucannon River Model Watershed Program, State of Washington's Governor's Salmon Recovery), and 3) that while additional production facilities are not recommended by the Council, the current facilities (with slight additions/modifications) used for the hatchery supplementation program will be able to satisfy the needs of the fish and achieve the goals.

Further, WDFW and the co-managers believe this to be an emergency case (7.4C, 7.4C.1), where unless intervention takes place quickly, the population may be beyond recovery. While captive broodstock programs can be risky (genetic integrity, catastrophic facility failures, etc.), they also have the potential to rapidly increase adult fish numbers back to a particular location. Implementation of a captive broodstock program may be the most effective means of accelerating recovery of this depleted stock, and if held in captivity for no more than a single generation, as clearly stated in the Tucannon River Master Plan, genetic integrity and adaptability should be preserved (7.4D).

Coordination
This project will be performed in coordination with the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and NOAA Fisheries. The USFWS provided early support by funding the operation costs, planning, and some capital construction between 1998 and summer of 2000. NOAA Fisheries has given their approval of the project under the ESA Section 10 permitting process (Permit #1129, issued 25 July, 2000).
WDFW will participate in coordination meetings (as referenced in the Tucannon Master Plan) to make the best possible decision to maximize the program benefits. Both NPT and CTUIR are kept up to date of the progress of the program though monthly reports and during Lyons Ferry Hatchery Complex AOP meetings. NOAA Fisheries, USFWS, and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) will be informed of the program's progress through annual reports and presentations during the year at various scientific forums/discussions.

WDFW will act as the lead agency in compiling and widely distributing the results and reports throughout the Columbia and Snake River basins to all interested parties.

Project Goals
The goal of this captive broodstock program is for the short-term; preservation and rebuilding of this critically depressed run of ESA listed spring Chinook salmon in the Tucannon River. In a broader context, this program will (in the short term) assist in increasing the total number of spring Chinook that return to the Snake River Basin, and help preserve a genetically and geographically distinct population of spring Chinook within the river.

The specific goal of this captive broodstock program is to rear spring Chinook salmon juveniles to adults. The project will then spawn these captive adults, rear their progeny, and release up to 150,000 progeny smolts into the Tucannon River to produce 500-600 returning adult spring Chinook to the Tucannon River from return years 2005-2010.

None

2001

2011

Peter Lofy

Closed - Project Status Report

Province	Subbasin	%
Columbia Plateau	Tucannon	100.00%

Artificial Production

Supplementation

Chinook - Snake River Spring/Summer
Chinook - Snake River Spring/Summer ESU

Anadromous: 100.0%   Resident: 0.0%   Wildlife: 0.0%

RME Cat Review - Remove from AP portfolio (Public Tags)

None

Implement Safety-Net Programs to Preserve Genetic Resources and Reduce Extinction Risk,
Implement Safety-Net Programs to Preserve Genetic Resources and Reduce Extinction Risk