Rationale and significance to regional programs Relationship to goals and objectives of Council’s 2000 Fish and Wildlife Program Consistency Program vision The proposed CJHP will contribute to achieving the Council’s 2000 Fish and Wildlife Program vision of “…a Columbia River ecosystem that sustains an abundant, productive, and diverse community of fish and wildlife, mitigating across the basin for the adverse effects to fish and wildlife caused by the development and operation of the hydrosystem and providing the benefits from fish and wildlife valued by the people of the region… provides abundant opportunities for tribal trust and treaty right harvest and for non-tribal harvest and the conditions that allow for the recovery of the fish and wildlife affected by the operation of the hydrosystem and listed under the Endangered Species Act…” by increasing the abundance, productivity, distribution, and diversity of naturally spawning populations of summer/fall Chinook salmon in the Okanogan River and in the Columbia River above Wells Dam; reintroducing extirpated spring Chinook salmon to their historical habitats in the waters in and around the Colville Reservation; establishing terminal, selective summer/fall Chinook fisheries for ceremonial, subsistence and recreational purposes; and re-establishing a ceremonial and subsistence spring Chinook fishery. Consistency with Program objectives The Council’s 2000 Fish and Wildlife Program includes four overarching objectives: ? A Columbia River ecosystem that sustains an abundant, productive, and diverse community of fish and wildlife. ? Mitigation across the basin for the adverse effects to fish and wildlife caused by the development and operation of the hydrosystem. ? Sufficient populations of fish and wildlife for abundant opportunities for tribal trust and treaty right harvest and for non-tribal harvest. ? Recovery of the fish and wildlife affected by the development and operation of the hydrosystem that are listed under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed CJHP would contribute to each of these four objectives by: (1) increasing the abundance, productivity, distribution, and diversity of naturally spawning populations of summer/fall Chinook salmon in the Okanogan River and in the Columbia River above Wells Dam; (2) helping to meet unmet mitigation obligations in the Okanogan subbasin; (3) establishing terminal, selective summer/fall Chinook fisheries for ceremonial, subsistence and recreational purposes; and re-establishing a ceremonial and subsistence spring Chinook fishery; and (4) reintroducing extirpated spring Chinook salmon to their historical habitats in the waters in and around the Colville Reservation. Relationship to Okanogan subbasin plan The summer/fall and spring Chinook management objectives of the CJHP relating to health of natural Chinook populations, artificial propagation, and harvest are described in the Okanogan subbasin plan. The Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) analysis of limiting factors supports the basis for the proposed CJHP activities in the Okanogan subbasin. The Okanogan Subbasin Plan, however, does not (and was not intended to) address out-of-basin effects, including most importantly, the cumulative mortality effects of the nine mainstem dams on adult and juvenile passage. Consistency with Okanogan subbasin vision The Okanogan subbasin plan’s vision statement states: “The Okanogan subbasin will support self-sustaining, harvestable, and diverse populations of fish and wildlife and their habitats, which in turn, supports the economies, customs, cultures, subsistence, and recreational opportunities within the basin. Decisions to improve and protect fish and wildlife populations, their habitats, and ecological functions are made using open and cooperative processes that respect different points of view and statutory responsibilities, and that are made for the benefit of current and future generations” (p. 5). The proposed CJHP will contribute to achieving the vision for the Okanogan subbasin by improving the productivity, diversity, and sustainability of summer/fall Chinook and by reintroducing spring Chinook to the Okanogan subbasin. The CJHP in combination with selective fisheries will also help to sustain harvestable runs thereby restoring tribal ceremonial and subsistence fisheries, and recreational fisheries. The local economy will be increased and diversified by greater and more stable fisheries. Additionally, a comprehensive CJHP monitoring and evaluation program, coordinated with regional monitoring and evaluation activities, will support informed decision-making. Consistency with Independent Science Advisory Board, and Independent Science Review Panel Paper on Monitoring and Evaluation of Supplementation Projects (ISRP & ISAB 2005-15) The Colville Tribes are aware of the ISRP and ISRP paper titled, Monitoring and Evaluation of Supplementation Projects, released October 14, 2005. In this paper the ISRP and ISAB note, “A recurring criticism in their three-step review of hatchery projects is a failure to adequately address the second APR policy: artificial production must be implement within and adaptive management framework including: (1) a rigorous experimental design to evaluate the risks and benefits of the proposed project and address the associated scientific uncertainties and (2) a set of decision rules for adjusting management in response to the experimental results.” In particular, the authors identify concerns with monitoring and evaluation of supplementation programs. The Colville Tribes agrees with the ISRP and ISAB that a robust monitoring and evaluation plan must be prepared prior to construction, and must be implemented with operation of the CJHP. As noted in the response to the ISRP’s review of the CJHP Master Plan Volume 1, the Colville Tribes plan to develop the comprehensive details of the CJHP monitoring and evaluation program during Step 3 of the Council’s Three-Step Review Process. The Colville Tribes believes a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan would best be prepared during Step 3 of the planning process. By Step 3, the project concept as presented in the Master Plan would be approved by the Council and the feasibility of the CJHP facilities and production programs would be confirmed by Step 2 planning. Preparing a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan prior to these planning milestones could result in ineffective use of Fish and Wildlife Program funds should the project not proceed to construction. The final CJHP monitoring and evaluation plan will also be integrated with the recently initiated baseline monitoring and evaluation program in the Okanogan subbasin and with other local monitoring and evaluation efforts, such as that funded by Chelan PUD. Development of the CJHP monitoring and evaluation plan will also be coordinated through existing forums, such as the mid-Columbia HCP Hatchery Committee, to ensure strategic integration with monitoring and evaluation plans in other subbasins of the Columbia Cascade Province. The CJHP monitoring and evaluation plan will be coordinated with broader, Columbia River Basin, monitoring and evaluation efforts in order to seek efficiencies and opportunities to address critical uncertainties on a larger scale. Relationship to other regional programs and guidance The CJHP summer/fall and spring Chinook programs were developed in consideration of other programs in the Columbia Cascade Province and in provinces lower in the Columbia Basin, and in consideration of relevant regional guidance. Consistency with Council’s policies guiding use of artificial production In October 1999, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council issued an Artificial Production Review report, in response to a Congressional directive to review artificial production programs in the Columbia River Basin and recommend policies for future operations. In its report, the Council recommended 10 policies to guide use of artificial production. Policy #1: The purpose and use of artificial production must be considered in the context of the environment in which it is used. To achieve healthy populations of naturally spawning summer/fall and spring Chinook, tribal ceremonial and subsistence fisheries, and recreational fisheries in the Okanogan and upper Columbia rivers, the alterations to the riverine environment must be fully considered. The habitat and fisheries addressed by CJHP occur above nine mainstem, hydroelectric dams through which both juvenile and adult Chinook must pass. The cumulative losses during these migrations are the predominate factor affecting the viability of these Columbia Cascade Province resources and fisheries. Additionally the construction of Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph Dams have inundated and blocked much of the historical summer/fall Chinook habitat and tribal fishing sites. In the recent past, ocean and lower river fisheries have also exacted a heavy mortality on the Okanogan Chinook. In the past two decades, fish passage losses and fishing mortalities have been significantly reduced. However, passage through the hydroelectric system still takes over 50% of the out-migrating juvenile Chinook and over 10% of the returning adults (see CJHP Master Plan Volume 2, Appendix C and D for additional discussion). Recent conditions have shown that under optimal freshwater and especially ocean conditions, the Okanogan summer/fall Chinook population can be productive. But, with poor freshwater conditions and in poor ocean productivity conditions, the population is not sustainable and cannot support even minimal ceremonial and subsistence fisheries. Given the substantial range in survival rates caused by natural variations in the freshwater and marine environments, the ongoing cumulative hydrosystem losses, and the permanent loss of habitat above Chief Joseph Dam, the CJHP is designed to provide stability to the tribes’ ceremonial and subsistence fisheries and support natural spawning populations when environmental conditions are less than optimal. Policy #2: Artificial production remains experimental. Adaptive management practices that evaluate benefits and address scientific uncertainties are critical. This CJHP and associated HGMPs include a comprehensive set of performance standards and performance measures for which a full monitoring and evaluation program is being designed and will be implemented. The CJHP monitoring and evaluation program will be fleshed out in detail during the Step 3 planning stage (pending approval from the Council to proceed). This monitoring and evaluation program, in concert with the Okanogan Baseline Monitoring Evaluation Program, will provide the information necessary to evaluate plan benefits and risks, and allow alterations as needed based on regular reviews of monitoring and evaluation data. The proposed CJHP also allows the added flexibility to shift production (both short-term and long-term) between release sites on the Okanogan River and below Chief Joseph Dam to optimize conservation and harvest benefits, and minimize risks. Policy #3: Artificial production programs must recognize the regional and global environmental factors that constrain fish survival. Chinook survival into the Columbia Cascade Province is highly variable due to freshwater and marine conditions. However, survival is also significantly depressed annually due to effects of adult and juvenile passage through nine dams. The numbers of artificially produced Chinook, flexibility in release sites, and the selective harvest scheme proposed in the CJHP and associated HGMPs allow adjustments in response to changing survival rates to cost-effectively achieve harvest and conservation benefits while minimizing risks. Policy#4: Species diversity must be maintained to sustain populations in the face of environmental variation. In terms of summer/fall Chinook, the CJHP proposes several actions to improve species diversity. First, a local broodstock, derived from the Okanogan River Chinook, will be used rather than an aggregate broodstock collected at Wells Dam. Second, broodstock will be collected from throughout the run, mid-July through mid-November rather than just through the end of August. Third, a significant portion of the juveniles released, will be 0-aged to mimic natural life-history characteristics. Finally, the CJHP’s selective harvest scheme will limit the number of hatchery-origin adults on the spawning grounds, allowing the natural population to be perpetuated by mostly natural-origin fish compared to current levels, up to 74%, of hatchery-origin fish in the spawning population. As explained previously, spring Chinook were extirpated from the Okanogan River early in the 20th century. The long-term goal of the CJHP, in Phase II, is the restoration of the ESA-listed Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook in the Okanogan subbasin, both in the U.S. and ultimately Canadian waters. Successfully achieving this goal would improve the abundance, productivity, distribution, and diversity of this endangered ESU that has been permanently constricted in its range by the Federal government’s construction of multipurpose dams. In Phase II, broodstock collection, mating protocols, and rearing will be designed to allow the population to adapt and evolve to be productive in its Okanogan habitat (see CJHP Master Plan Volume 2, Appendix D for more detailed discussion of Phase I and Phase II). Policy #5: Naturally spawning populations should be the model for artificially reared populations. In terms of summer/fall Chinook, the proposed CJHP implements several actions to support the integrity of, and mimic the natural origin population. First, the production program includes significant production and release of 0-age Chinook (the natural life-history characteristic) to evaluate their success and attributes against the release of yearling smolts that have historically survived better through the hydroelectric system. Second, acclimation and release sites are planned to restore spawning distribution to historical habitats. Third, the hatchery broodstock will consist of fish from throughout the adult run with an initial emphasis on the later-arriving Chinook to restore their depleted numbers in historical habitats. Finally, the proportion of hatchery-origin Chinook allowed to spawn in the wild will be managed through selective harvest to help ensure the integrity of the natural population and allow it to adapt to its habitat. In terms of spring Chinook, the Integrated Recovery Program in Phase I of the HGMP associated with the proposed CJHP has been designed to monitor the reintroduction of spring Chinook in Omak Creek. Broodstock will be collected from adults returning to Omak Creek to build a gene pool from those fish that successful adapt to the tributary spawning and rearing, and mainstem passage habitats. Life history of juvenile fish will be documented then emulated by the artificial production program. Phase I may have limited success given the non-local, domesticated Carson-stock spring Chinook that will be utilized. But, critical knowledge will be gained prior to Phase II when the Carson stock will be replaced with Methow Composite stock. Policy #6: Fish managers must specify the purpose of each artificial production program in the basin. The purpose of each release group of artificially produced Chinook in the CJHP is clearly described in the CJHP Master Plan and related HGMPs. Releases of summer/fall Chinook in the Okanogan River are to support an integrated recovery program while those fish released below Chief Joseph Dam are to support an integrated harvest program. Phase I releases of spring Chinook in the Okanogan and Columbia rivers are to support an isolated harvest program while those fish released into Omak Creek are to support an integrated recovery program. Policy #7: Decisions about artificial production must be based on fish and wildlife goals, objectives, and strategies at the subbasin and basin levels. The CJHP and associated summer/fall and spring Chinook HGMPs describe the purposes, goals, objectives, and strategies for complementary and integrated artificial production, natural production, and harvest programs. The CJHP is integrated with the Okanogan subbasin plan, the Upper Columbia Recovery Plan, and the HGMPs will be reviewed by NOAA Fisheries to coordinate integration of U.S. v Oregon production planning and ESA planning. Policy #8: Because artificial production poses risks, risk management strategies must be implemented. Several risk management strategies are described in the CJHP and associated HGMPs. First, the summer/fall Chinook HGMP describes actions to reduce the risks of the current hatchery program for Upper Columbia River Summer/Fall Chinook. The HGMP includes a comprehensive set of performance standards and measures to guide a monitoring and evaluation program to assess ongoing risks. The CJHP includes development of a live-capture fishing program to allow a highly adaptable, selective harvest of target species and hatchery-origin fish based on annual run composition. The CJHP includes the ability to adjust production numbers, release sites, and terminal harvest rates to maximize conservation and harvest benefits and minimize risks to the natural population. In terms of spring Chinook, biological risks from implementing the Phase I programs should be manageable given key elements described in the spring Chinook HGMP. The spring Chinook HGMP includes a comprehensive set of performance standards and measures to guide a monitoring and evaluation program to monitor and assess risks. The programs include marking 100% of the hatchery-origin fish. Acclimation procedures and release locations have been designed to isolate returning Carson stock Chinook from the province’s indigenous spring Chinook populations. The spring Chinook HGMP includes development of a live-capture fishing program to allow a highly adaptable, selective harvest of the hatchery-origin spring Chinook. The proposed CJHP includes the ability to adjust production numbers and release sites to maximize conservation and harvest benefits and minimize risks to natural populations. Policy #9: Production for harvest is a legitimate management objective for artificial production. But harvest rates and practices must be dictated by the need to sustain naturally spawning populations. The proposed CJHP includes a unique harvest program that will rely largely on live-capture, selective fishing gear. For summer/fall Chinook, explicit protocols are included that base harvest on annual run size, composition of hatchery-origin and natural-origin Chinook, and abundance of non-target species. Selective harvest will also be used to improve the viability of the naturally spawning population by controlling the proportion of hatchery-origin adults in the population. In terms of spring Chinook, harvest capacity will be adjusted to remove spring Chinook produced for the CJHP isolated harvest program while having minimal impact on natural origin spring Chinook and non-target species. Further, most spring Chinook will be acclimated to return to the Colville Tribes’ terminal fishing site below Chief Joseph Dam, away from the critical habitat of ESA-listed species. Policy #10: Federal and other legal mandates and obligations for fish protection, mitigation, and enhancement must be fully addressed. The CJHP has been designed, in large part, to restore the Colville Tribes’ trust ceremonial and subsistence fisheries. The CJHP and related HGMPs have been crafted to be consiste

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