83639 REL 39: Rev 1: WE B: Work Element Summary

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Basics

Contract Number:

83639 REL 39

Contract Title:

1993-056-00 EXP NOAA ADVANCE HATCHERY REFORM RESEARCH

Contract Start Date:

7/1/2022

Contract End Date:

6/30/2023

WE ID:

157. Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data

Work Element Usage Report

Title:

B: 157 - Increase steelhead smoltification rate and decrease residuals at WNFH.

Description:

The cumulative results of our hatchery and laboratory research indicates that additional changes to hatchery rearing protocols for summer steelhead raised from natural origin broodstock can optimize the percentage of smolts produced and reduce percentage of residual steelhead phenotypes (parr and precociously mature males). Early growth rate appears to be a heritable characteristic of individual juvenile steelhead that is influenced by environment. As such, it is not possible to devise a rearing strategy that optimizes smolt production when all fish are released as age-1 (S1) or age-2 (S2) smolts. Producing solely age-1 fish results in a significant proportion of fish that are too small to smolt at release, and consequently will not migrate to the ocean. Rearing solely age-2 fish minimizes the proportion of undersized fish at release, but increases the proportion of precociously mature male fish, which has undesirable genetic management implications. Our laboratory studies indicated that it is possible to sort juvenile steelhead by size (proxy for growth rate) within weeks of ponding into separate rearing strategies that should improve the overall rate of smoltification. Therefore, we are testing the concept at a hatchery production scale. We hypothesize that when combined, the fish from the sorted S1 and S2 treatments will have higher rates of smoltification and lower rates of precocious male maturation at release than fish that are not sorted and raised as S2 smolts. We also hypothesize that for a given broodyear, fish from the sorted S1 and S2 treatments will have higher survival and migrate faster than fish that are not sorted.
Laboratory experiments at the Manchester Research Station using natural-origin broodstock indicate that the approach is practicable and scalable to the hatchery production scale. Implementation began at the USFWS Winthrop National Fish Hatchery with broodyear 2018 and was repeated in broodyears 2019, 2020 and 2021. We will finish evaluating the split-age rearing method in conjunction with the USFWS by collecting data on the remaining split S2 group from broodyear 2021, the unsorted production S2 group from broodyear 2021 (control), and one last unsorted S1 group from broodyear 2022 (control). In release year 2023, we will measure rates of smoltification, precocious maturation, and estimate survival through the Columbia River hydropower system for broodyear 2022 unsorted S1 (control), broodyear 2021 sorted S2, and broodyear 2021 unsorted S2 (control). Response variables for the steelhead in the experimental sorted treatment (S1 sorted + S2 sorted) will be compared to those for unsorted steelhead reared as S1s and S2s (controls). Cumulative results for broodyears 2018-2021 will determine the practicality of this new rearing strategy in a hatchery setting and quantify the variability across performance metrics associated with split-age rearing approach across several brood years.

WE Agreement Type:

Contracted

Deliverable Specification:

Produce error-checked dataset for BY22 unsorted S1, BY21 sorted S2, and BY21 unsorted S2 steelhead raised at WNFH. Data set will include variables documenting size, smoltification, and maturation status of PIT tagged fish prior to release. A data set with the variables used to determine gonado-somatic index for the same rearing treatments will be produced for untagged fish prior to and after volitional release.

WSE Effective Budget:

$131,497

% of Total WSE Effective Budget:

27.17%

WSE Start:

07/01/2022

WSE End:

06/30/2023

WSE Completion:

06/27/2023

WSE Progress:

Concluded

WSE ID Continued From:

n/a

WSE ID Continued To:

n/a

Finite or Recurring:

Recurring

Budget History

SOWRevision	Planned	Updated	Contractor Comments (optional)	BPA Comments (optional)
Work Element Budget (Current Performance Period)	$131,497	$131,497

Milestones

12 Milestones

Sort	Type	Title	Start	End	Status	Modified By	Modified Date
A	EC	Environmental compliance requirements complete	7/1/2022	7/1/2022	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/22/2022 2:57:03 PM
		Description: On-the-ground work associated with this work element cannot proceed until this milestone is complete. Milestone is complete when final documentation is received from BPA environmental compliance staff.
B	PUBPROTOCOL	Review, revise, and finalize study plan sample design protocol and methods in MonitoringResouces.org	7/1/2022	6/30/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/22/2022 2:51:25 PM
		Description: The Study Plan's Sample Design, Protocol and Methods for this work element are stored at MonitoringResources.org and need to be completed (i.e., "Finalized" through MonitoringResources.org), preferably prior to data collection. Preparations for contract renewals must include reviewing any previously finalized Sample Designs, Protocols & Methods to ensure that they are consistent with how work will be done in any subsequent contract.
C	BackUp	Secure data back-up	7/1/2022	6/30/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/22/2022 2:51:25 PM
		Description: Minimum requirements: Hard copies of field sheets and original dataloggers secured against fire and flood. At least daily data back-up of electronic data on a separate hard drive. Secure cloud-based or off-site location data back-up to preclude catastrophic data loss at least weekly. More frequent cloud/off-site back-up is greatly encouraged. [Timing guidance: from beginning to end of contract]
D	Upload	Yearly upload of error-checked datasets	7/1/2022	6/30/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/22/2022 2:51:25 PM
		Description: Upload datasets with associated metadata to a publicly accessible site each year as soon as they have been QA/QC checked. This generally happens within 6 months for direct field-to-database input, but may be longer if laboratory analysis is required (e.g., scale reading or genetic analyses). If data is not QA/QCed within 1 year, data must be made accessible with acknowledgement of QA/QC limitations. Periods for dataset collection should be no longer than a year, and coincide with the logical biology of the data collection, which may not be on a calendar year. Example of a dataset: redd counts for one species for one season for a particular brood year. Dataset upload requirements apply to both original and derived data, which should be at a level of quality suitable for release to resource co-managers to make decisions – not the rigor required as if you were going to use the data for a peer-reviewed publication.
E	VALLOC	NOT required at this time - Validate Locations in Sample Design	7/1/2022	6/30/2023	Canceled	Chris Tatara	3/22/2022 2:57:03 PM
		Description: NOT required at this time - Upon completion of field or lab work, go to the sample design in monitoringresources.org and validate the actual locations sampled for the field season or lab assessment for the contract period.
F		Pond unsorted S1 steelhead fry rearing group	7/1/2022	9/15/2022	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/22/2022 2:57:03 PM
		Description: Steelhead for the remaining unsorted S1 group (BY22) will reach the “button-up” stage of development before the BY22 S2 production group. When all S1 fry have absorbed their yolk sac, they will be transferred to indoor rectangular tanks supplied with ambient well water and fed a ration to promote maximum growth until transfer to outdoor rearing raceways. Dead fry will be removed from the tanks and enumerated. Daily fish culture work will be performed by staff of USFWS.
G		Rear BY 21 & BY 22 experimental rearing groups	7/1/2022	5/31/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/23/2022 9:15:54 AM
		Description: The BY22 unsorted S1 group will be transferred to outdoor raceways at WNFH and reared on ambient well or river water (whichever source is warmer) and fed a ration to accelerate growth. The low growth BY21 S2 group will be reared according to WNFH standard S2 rearing protocols alongside the unsorted BY21 production S2 group. All groups will have the same smolt size target (78 grams), by release in April 2023. Mortalities will be removed from the raceways and enumerated to monitor survival. Monthly size data will be collected on a random sample of fish from each raceway to track growth rates. All fish culture work will be performed by USFWS staff.
H		Marking experimental rearing groups BY21 & 22	9/1/2022	12/16/2022	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/23/2022 9:26:57 AM
		Description: All fish in each rearing group will be implanted with a coded wire tag (separate codes for each treatment), and adipose fin clipped. 6,000 fish in each experimental rearing group will be implanted with a 12 mm PIT tags and measured for fork length. Tagging will be automated and accomplished by processing all steelhead through an AutoFish trailer (Northwest Marine Technology, Inc.) supplied by the USFWS. S1 and S2 steelhead will be returned to their respective raceways. Marking will be performed by USFWS staff.
I		Pre- and post-release sampling of BY21 & 22 steelhead	3/15/2023	5/28/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/23/2022 9:26:57 AM
		Description: During the FY 2022 funding cycle (March 2023), we will weigh, measure fork length, and determine rates of smoltification and maturation at release for up to 3000 PIT tag implanted steelhead per rearing treatment based on external physical characteristics. This will be done for 3 treatments: BY21 sorted S2, BY21 control S2, BY21 and BY22 unsorted S1 for a total of up to 9,000 fish. Pre-release sampling will occur within 4 weeks of volitional release. We will use a smolt index with 4 rating categories. A value of “1” will be assigned to fish that have not smolted and still retain the physical characteristics of parr. A value of “2” will be assigned to fish that have not fully smolted, but are beginning to show indications of smoltification such as parr marks beginning to fade and development of silver coloration. A value of “3” will be assigned to fully smolted fish, indicated by complete silver coloration, absence of parr marks, and blackening of the snout, and edges of the dorsal and caudal fin. A value of “4” will be assigned to mature males, indicated by expression of milt and/or spawning coloration. We will test the hypothesis that the frequency of fish in each smoltification category is independent of the rearing group with a chi-square test of independence. Gonado-Somatic Index (GSI) data will be collected on up to 300 non-PIT tagged fish (to obtain 150 males) from the BY 22 S1 rearing treatment and BY21 S2 rearing treatments to determine the number of males that have initiated the maturation process. Sampling will be performed by NOAA, UW and USFWS staff. Post-release sampling will occur after the volitional release period is over (May 2023). Steelhead remaining in the raceways after volitional release will be scanned for the presence of a PIT tag. Any PIT tagged fish encountered will be released. 300 non-PIT tagged fish per rearing treatment (BY21 sorted S2, BY21 control S2, and BY22 unsorted S1) will be weighed, measured, assigned a smolt index, and lethally sampled to determine sex. GSI will be determined for all male steelhead. Data from the pre- and post-release sampling events will be compared to assess the efficacy of volitional release in retaining fish likely to residualize.
J		Estimate survival and migratory behavior	4/15/2023	6/30/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	5/2/2022 11:47:29 AM
		Description: During the FY 2022 funding cycle, survival and mean travel times for the BY22 S1 and BY21 S2 experimental rearing groups will be estimated from data collected from existing PIT tag interrogation systems in the Methow and Columbia Rivers. We will obtain data on PIT tag detections of smolts released from the WNFH within the Methow River watershed and in the Columbia River from the PITAGIS database, setting the end of the out-migration period as June 30, 2023. We will collaborate with and assist the USFWS in analyzing the data. Candidate models for survival will include the single-release model using uniquely marked individuals with nondestructive sampling. The number of downstream detection sites used will be determined by the detection rates at the three mainstem Methow sites and the mainstem Columbia River sites. The capture histories of the uniquely marked individuals will be analyzed using Cormack-Jolly-Seber survival models to provide survival estimates, standard errors, and survival analysis against covariates. Median travel time between PIT tag interrogation systems in the Methow and Columbia Rivers will be calculated. One of the key components of this research is to determine whether differential size-frequency distributions of fish in the experimental S1 and S2 groups and the control S2 group result in size-selection after release. We will compare the size-at-release of successful migrants (those detected in the mainstem Columbia River) to the size-at-release of fish released from WNFH, within each rearing treatment. Significant differences within a rearing treatment would indicate size-selectivity. Comparisons among sorted rearing treatment and control groups will be made after all the data is collected.
K		Obtain subsamples of fertilized eggs from all production families and incubate to initiate BY 22 unsorted S1 rearing group.	7/1/2022	7/15/2022	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/23/2022 12:03:07 PM
		Description: A subsample of fertilized eggs will be collected from all crosses used in the hatchery production of S2 steelhead at WNFH so that the unsorted S1 group has the same family representation as the unsorted S2 control group. 15,000 fertilized eggs will be collected with equal family representation and incubated on warmer ambient temperature well water to the “button-up” stage of development. Mortalities will be removed from the incubators and enumerated. The unsorted S2 control group will be incubated on chilled well water as per standard WNFH procedures.
L	DELIV	Produce accessible, error-checked datasets		6/30/2023	Concluded	Deborah Docherty (Inactive)	3/23/2022 12:12:32 PM
		Description: Produce error-checked dataset for BY22 unsorted S1, BY21 sorted S2, and BY21 unsorted S2 steelhead raised at WNFH. Data set will include variables documenting size, smoltification, and maturation status of PIT tagged fish prior to release. A data set with the variables used to determine gonado-somatic index for the same rearing treatments will be produced for untagged fish prior to and after volitional release.

Metrics

Implementation Metrics

Metric	Planned	Actual
1464. Primary R, M, and E Focal Strategy [Population Status, Hydrosystem, Tributary Habitat, Estuary/Ocean, Harvest, Hatchery, Predation, Multiple Strategies]	Hatchery	Hatchery
1472. Primary R, M, and E Type [Status and Trend Monitoring, Action Effectiveness Research, Uncertainties Research, Project Implementation/ Compliance Monitoring]	Action Effectiveness Monitoring	Action Effectiveness Monitoring
1478. Secondary R, M, and E Type [Status and Trend Monitoring, Action Effectiveness Research, Uncertainties Research, Project Implementation/ Compliance Monitoring]	Uncertainty Research	Uncertainty Research

Location

Work Site ID	Latitude	Longitude	State	County	Province	Subbasin
82321	47.570515	-122.552244	Washington	Kitsap	Puget Sound	Puget Sound
82327	48.473682	-120.189349	Washington	Okanogan	Columbia Cascade	Methow

Focal Species

Primary Focal Species:

Steelhead (O. mykiss) - Upper Columbia River DPS (Threatened)

Secondary Focal Species:

None

Environmental Compliance

None

RM&E Metadata

Data Repositories:

Title	Link
NOAA Public Access to Research Results (PARR)	https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/parr.html
PTAGIS Website	http://www.ptagis.org/
StreamNet Data Store	https://app.streamnet.org/datastore_search_classic.cfm

Study Plan:

Study Plan Name	Study Plan Owner	Protocol State	Sample Design Name
Improve survival and reduce fitness loss of upper Columbia River steelhead at Winthrop National Fish Hatchery (1993-056-00) v1.0	Chris Tatara	Finalized	Improve survival and reduce fitness loss - University of Washington_6 v1.0

Methods:

ID	Name	Type	Optional	Customized Based On	Status
368	Assess salmonid smolt development v1.0	Data Collection	No	N/A	Finalized
1734	Fish wet weight v1.0	Data Collection	No	N/A	Finalized
485	Modified Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) Model v1.0	Data Analysis/Interpretation	No	Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) Model v1.0	Finalized
118	Modified Electrofishing - Backpack - Mark v1.0	Data Collection	No	Electrofishing - Backpack - Mark v1.0	Finalized
120	Modified Electrofishing - Drift Boat - Mark v1.0	Data Collection	No	Electrofishing - Drift Boat - Mark v1.0	Finalized
746	Modified Growth Rate for Individual Fish v1.0	Data Analysis/Interpretation	No	Growth Rate for Individual Fish v1.0	Finalized
1442	Modified Hook-and-line sampling (angling) v1.0	Data Collection	No	Hook-and-line sampling (angling) v1.0	Finalized
1251	Physiological Assessment of Maturation of Male Salmon and Steelhead v1.0	Data Collection	No	N/A	Finalized
1735	Qualitative smolt index for salmonids v1.0	Data Collection	No	N/A	Finalized
721	Travel time estimates based on PIT Tag dataset v1.0	Data Analysis/Interpretation	No	N/A	Finalized

Metrics:

Title	Category	Subcategory	Subcategory focus 1	Subcategory focus 2
Maturation of 1- and 2-year hatchery steelhead	Fish	Condition of Life Stage: Fish (ID: 57)	Fish Life Stage: Juvenile - Migrant	NA
Smoltification of 1- and 2-year hatchery steelhead	Fish	Condition of Life Stage: Fish (ID: 57)	Fish Life Stage: Juvenile - Migrant	NA
Measure growth rates of 1- and 2-year steelhead smolts at WNFH	Fish	Growth Rate: Fish (ID: 73)	Fish Life Stage: RANGE: Juvenile to Juvenile	NA
Determine relative proportions of 1- and 2-year steelhead smolts	Fish	Residualism Rates (ID: 91)	NA	NA
Survival of 1- and 2-year steelhead through mainstem Columbia	Fish	Survival: Fish (ID: 97)	Fish Life Stage: Juvenile - Migrant	Fish Origin: Hatchery

Please correct the errors noted below.

Implementation Metrics