FY07-09 proposal 200206000

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Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleNez Perce Harvest Monitoring
Proposal ID200206000
OrganizationNez Perce Tribe
Short descriptionThe NPT Harvest Monitoring project collects, analyses, and reports catch data pursuant to pre-planned statistical sampling designs to assure conduct of biologicaly sound harvest strategies for Nez Perce treaty fisheries that may affect ESA listed species.
Information transferWeekly harvest updates are provided to co-managers for the tribal fisheries addressed in the harvest monitoring plan. Quarterly reports are provided to BPA. Annual reports are provided to co-managers and are posted on BPA's web site for general access.
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
Contacts
ContactOrganizationEmail
Form submitter
Dave Statler Nez Perce Tribe daves@nezperce.org
All assigned contacts
Dave Statler Nez Perce Tribe daves@nezperce.org

Section 2. Locations

Province / subbasin: Mountain Snake / Clearwater

LatitudeLongitudeWaterbodyDescription
Clearwater River Mainstem Clearwater River
Lochsa River Lochsa River
Selway River Selway River
South Fork Clearwater River South Fork Clearwater River
[none] North Fork Clearwater/Dworshak
Clear Creek Clear Creek
Imnaha River Imnaha River
Lookingglass Creek Lookingglass Creek
Lostine River Lostine River
Rapid River Rapid River
South Fork Salmon River South Fork Salmon River
Tucannon River Tucannon River

Section 3. Focal species

primary: Chinook Snake River Fall ESU
primary: Chinook Snake River Spring/Summer ESU
primary: Steelhead Snake River ESU
secondary: Other Anadromous
Additional: Spring/summer chinook salmon

Section 4. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishments
2005 Submitted PDF version of Nez Perce Harvest Monitoring Report (Statler et al. 2005) to BPA for posting on their web site for general distribution and access.

Section 5. Relationships to other projects

Funding sourceRelated IDRelated titleRelationship
BPA 198805301 Ne Or Hatchery Master Plan - N Provides Nez Perce harvest data fundamental to stock assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of supplementation.
BPA 198335003 Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery M&E Provides Nez Perce harvest data fundamental to stock assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of supplementation.
BPA 199800702 Gd Ronde Supp Lostine O&M/M&E Provides Nez Perce harvest data fundamental to stock assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of supplementation.
BPA 200301700 Integrated Status/Effect Progr Provides Nez Perce harvest data fundamental to stock assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of supplementation.
BPA 199604300 Johnson Creek Artificial Propa Provides Nez Perce harvest data fundamental to stock assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of supplementation.

Section 6. Biological objectives

Biological objectivesFull descriptionAssociated subbasin planStrategy
Implement Clearwater harvest monitoring Annually implement a comprehensive biologically sound harvest monitoring program for Nez Perce anadromous fisheries. Desseminate harvest data in-season and post-season to coordinate tributary harvests with co-managers and to provide data for run reconstruction. Clearwater A.2. Define and establish anadromous index stocks to evaluate adult abundance, life history characteristics. D.4. Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of implementation of hatchery and natural production strategies.
Implement Grande Ronde harvest monitoring Annually implement a comprehensive biologically sound harvest monitoring program for Nez Perce anadromous fisheries. Desseminate harvest data in-season and post-season to coordinate tributary harvests with co-managers and to provide data for run reconstruction. Grande Ronde Determine and compare the productivity of hatchery-origin fish and natural-origin fish in Grande Ronde (Harvest being a key performance measure for this analysis).
Implement Imnaha harvest monitoring Annually implement a comprehensive biologically sound harvest monitoring program for Nez Perce anadromous fisheries. Desseminate harvest data in-season and post-season to coordinate tributary harvests with co-managers and to provide data for run reconstruction. Imnaha 1A2:Continue annual monitoring of escapement... 1A4: Utilize a mix of hatchery and natural production strategies... 3A2: Continue ongoing programs: In areas where intervention has already occurred... 4A2: Evaluate Imnaha adult abundance
Implement Salmon harvest monitoring Annually implement a comprehensive biologically sound harvest monitoring program for Nez Perce anadromous fisheries. Desseminate harvest data in-season and post-season to coordinate tributary harvests with co-managers and to provide data for run reconstruction. Salmon 1A2.Determine population specific SARs for anadromous salmonids for representative index streams. 1A3.Evaluate progress annually. 1B4.Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness in meeting goals identified in Table 6, and to enable adaptive management.
Implement Tucannan harvest monitoring Annually implement a comprehensive biologically sound harvest monitoring program for Nez Perce anadromous fisheries. Desseminate harvest data in-season and post-season to coordinate tributary harvests with co-managers and to provide data for run reconstruction. Tucannon Achieve adult escapement objectives (including harvest objectives) identified in Table 7.5. (Neither biological objectives for specific fish numbers nor strategies to achieve specific fish numbers were formally developed in Subbasin Plan (page 129).
Plan Clearwater harvest & monitoring strategies Annually plan, coordinate and design Nez Perce anadromous harvest and monitoring strategies consistent with Treaty reserved fishing rights, ESA, and sustainable populations. Clearwater A.2. Define and establish anadromous index stocks to evaluate adult abundance, life history characteristics. D.4. Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of implementation of hatchery and natural production strategies.
Plan Grande Ronde harvest & monitoring strategies Annually plan, coordinate and design Nez Perce anadromous harvest and monitoring strategies consistent with Treaty reserved fishing rights, ESA, and sustainable populations. Grande Ronde Determine and compare the productivity of hatchery-origin fish and natural-origin fish in Grande Ronde (Harvest being a key performance measure for this analysis).
Plan Imnaha harvest & monitoring strategies Annually plan, coordinate and design Nez Perce anadromous harvest and monitoring strategies consistent with Treaty reserved fishing rights, ESA, and sustainable populations. Imnaha 1A2:Continue annual monitoring of escapement... 1A4: Utilize a mix of hatchery and natural production strategies... 3A2: Continue ongoing programs: In areas where intervention has already occurred... 4A2: Evaluate Imnaha adult abundance.
Plan Salmon harvest & monitoring strategies Annually plan, coordinate and design Nez Perce anadromous harvest and monitoring strategies consistent with Treaty reserved fishing rights, ESA, and sustainable populations. Salmon 1A2.Determine population specific SARs for anadromous salmonids for representative index streams. 1A3.Evaluate progress annually. 1B4.Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness in meeting goals identified in Table 6, and to enable adaptive management.
Plan Tucannon harvest & monitoring strategies Annually plan, coordinate and design Nez Perce anadromous harvest and monitoring strategies consistent with Treaty reserved fishing rights, ESA, and sustainable populations. Tucannon Achieve adult escapement objectives for harvest, natural production and hatchery production identified in Table 7.5.
Zone 6 harvest strategies and monitoring Annually coordinate, design and implement harvest and harvest monitoring strategies for Nez Perce Zone 6 anadromous fisheries. Clearwater A.1. Examine mainstem and ocean mortality associated with differential migration timing and life histories of anadromous salmonids. A.2. Define and establish anadromous index stocks to evaluate adullt abundance, life history, spawn-recruit relationships

Section 7. Work elements (coming back to this)

Work element nameWork element titleDescriptionStart dateEnd dateEst budget
Produce Plan Prepare Biological Assessment and Tribal Management Plans This Work Element addresses ESA considerations and processes regarding incidental and direct take of listed anadromous salmonids coincident with the conduct of specific Nez Perce Treaty fisheries. A goal of the Nez Perce Tribe is to manage harvest consistent with the protection and recovery of naturally spawning populations. Pursuant to Section 7 Consultation under the Endangered Species Act, The Nez Perce Tribe prepares and submits a Biological Assessment to NOAA Fisheries through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to address potential incidental take of listed species in the fishery. NOAA Fisheries then issues a Biological Opinion as to whether the action is likely to jeopardize the continued existence of listed species. Preparation of Tribal Management Plans (TMPs), for fisheries involving direct "take" of listed salmonids, is pursuant to the ESA Tribal Plan Limit at 50 CFR 223.209, which states that the ESA Section 9 take prohibitions will not apply to any activity undertaken by a tribe, tribal member, tribal permittee, tribal employee, or tribal agent in compliance with a Tribal Plan determined by NOAA Fisheries to not appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the listed salmonids. Accordingly, TMPs are prepared by the Nez Perce Tribe for tributaries having direct take of listed salmonids, and these TMPs are forwarded to NOAA Fisheries for a determination of effect. Multi-year, sliding scale TMP frameworks for specific tributaries afford more efficient and effective implementation of this process. 12/1/2006 11/30/2009 $114,391
Biological objectives
Plan Clearwater harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Grande Ronde harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Imnaha harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Salmon harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Tucannon harvest & monitoring strategies
Zone 6 harvest strategies and monitoring
Metrics
Develop RM&E Methods and Designs Develop harvest monitoring methodology. Develop a well designed sampling effort to obtain reliable harvest data that are essential for stock assessment and management, including implementation of Tribal Management Plans for direct take fisheries. The review, assistance and advice of a Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission biometrician support the objective of a well designed statistical approach to estimate harvest in specific tributaries. Harvest planning links directly with run-size and run-size estimates. Pre-season and early in-season run-size estimates provided by the Technical Advisory Committee under the US v Oregon process are followed and integrated into harvest management plans. 12/1/2006 11/30/2009 $31,198
Biological objectives
Plan Clearwater harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Grande Ronde harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Imnaha harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Salmon harvest & monitoring strategies
Plan Tucannon harvest & monitoring strategies
Zone 6 harvest strategies and monitoring
Metrics
Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data Implement harvest monitoring methodology and disseminate harvest results On the ground harvest monitoring will be implemented by developing a training program based on literature review and past monitoring experience followed by the hiring of approximately eight on the ground harvest monitoring personell. Methods will be reviewed by CRITFC biomatrician. Areas/species monitored will include Snake River Basin Steelhead, Zone 6 spring, summer and fall chinook, Clearwater Spring Chinook, Rapid River Spring Chinook, and other tributary chinook. Data will be input and stored in an Excel spreadsheet and summaries will be supplied to cooperators on a weekly to bi-weekly basis. 12/1/2006 11/30/2009 $748,740
Biological objectives
Implement Clearwater harvest monitoring
Implement Grande Ronde harvest monitoring
Implement Imnaha harvest monitoring
Implement Salmon harvest monitoring
Implement Tucannan harvest monitoring
Zone 6 harvest strategies and monitoring
Metrics
Focal Area: tributary & mainstem harvest (adult fish numbers)
Primary R, M, and E Type: adult fish numbers harvested
Manage and Administer Projects Project Management & Planning plus Budgetary Processes Prepare Draft Scope of Work and Budget for FY 2007, submit financial reports and proper invoices. 8/1/2007 9/16/2009 $51,996
Biological objectives
Metrics
Produce Pisces Status Report Quarterly online milestone status reports. Quarterly reports. 4/1/2007 11/30/2009 $10,400
Biological objectives
Metrics
Produce Annual Report Produce Annual Report for each contract period Produce Annual Report on all Work Elements per contract period 12/1/2009 1/31/2010 $83,194
Biological objectives
Implement Clearwater harvest monitoring
Implement Grande Ronde harvest monitoring
Implement Imnaha harvest monitoring
Implement Salmon harvest monitoring
Implement Tucannan harvest monitoring
Zone 6 harvest strategies and monitoring
Metrics

Section 8. Budgets

Itemized estimated budget
ItemNoteFY07FY08FY09
Personnel 4.75 FTE $146,168 $150,553 $155,069
Fringe Benefits [blank] $46,208 $47,594 $49,022
Supplies [blank] $4,893 $5,039 $5,190
Travel Travel, per diem, GSA vehicles $32,191 $33,156 $34,151
Other Subcontracts $38,975 $40,144 $41,349
Overhead [blank] $68,012 $70,052 $72,153
Totals $336,447 $346,538 $356,934
Total estimated FY 2007-2009 budgets
Total itemized budget: $1,039,919
Total work element budget: $1,039,919
Cost sharing
Funding source/orgItem or service providedFY 07 est value ($)FY 08 est value ($)FY 09 est value ($)Cash or in-kind?Status
Lower Snake River Compensation Plan Interagency coordination, harvest monitoring and reports. $82,764 $85,246 $87,804 Cash Confirmed
Totals $82,764 $85,246 $87,804

Section 9. Project future

FY 2010 estimated budget: $367,642
FY 2011 estimated budget: $367,642
Comments: Harvest planning and monitoring needed on an annual basis to evaluate progress towards meeting goals and for population assessments.

Future O&M costs:

Termination date:
Comments:

Final deliverables:

Section 10. Narrative and other documents

NPTHarvestMonitoringResponseToISRP-071406 Jul 2006

Reviews and recommendations

FY07 budget FY08 budget FY09 budget Total budget Type Category Recommendation
NPCC FINAL FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Oct 23, 2006) [full Council recs]
$326,646 $326,646 $326,646 $979,938 Expense Multi-province Fund
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$0 $0 $0 $0 ProvinceExpense
NPCC DRAFT FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS (Sep 15, 2006) [full Council recs]
$326,646 $326,646 $326,646 $0 Multi-province
Comments: MSRT recommends $326,646.

ISRP PRELIMINARY REVIEW (Jun 2, 2006)

Recommendation: Response requested

NPCC comments: This project has merit and should yield long-term conservation benefits, but more detail should be provided on statistical sampling, analytical methods, as well as on the subcontract work to develop assessments and management plans. The need for harvest monitoring of Nez Perce fisheries is well supported in this proposal. Tribal responsibilities for managing their fisheries are clearly described. Harvest monitoring activities are enormous in geographic scope, encompassing the mainstem Columbia River (Zone 6) up to the headwaters of the Clearwater River on the Montana/Idaho border. The question of appropriate fishery management is placed in the context of two recent ISAB reports and to other monitoring projects. The project is well associated with the goals of the Fish and Wildlife Program. More specifically, an excellent description is provided of the relationship of this project to the Clearwater, Salmon, Imnaha and Grande Ronde Subbasin Plans by listing objectives from each plan and stating the proposed project's relationship to these objectives under each. The proponents have good connections with most key fishery entities in the Columbia River Basin, including the Pacific Salmon Commission. It is related to a number of supplementation evaluation and population assessment projects through the provision of harvest data. The project receives funding from the Lower Snake River Compensation Program to monitor harvest activities in the tributaries and to provide this information to the USFWS. The project has the potential to yield very important data. It has been underway for one year and seems to have made reasonable progress. The project history describes the geographic area of concern and the locations of harvest monitoring in 2005. It also describes the sampling plans management plans, and biological assessment completed to prepare for this monitoring. Training for sampling is still underway and results of full implementation are apparently not complete. A table showing numbers of fish in the tributary is the result of spring Chinook monitoring; it is not clear what these numbers demonstrate. The proposal states that these fisheries were successfully monitored to support harvest goals, objectives, and strategies, but does not say how. The primary objective of the project is to develop and implement a biologically sound harvest monitoring program for the Nez Perce Tribe through the collection of credible and accurate catch data. Two operational objectives are to plan anadromous harvest strategies and harvest monitoring, and to implement the harvest monitoring plan. Work elements describe the function of biological assessments and tribal management plans (which will be done by subcontract) to allow harvest while maintaining ESA protections. The proposal provides little detail as to how assessments and management plans for the different geographic areas will be done except through subcontracts or consultations. For example, sampling plans are developed with the help of the CRITFC biometrician. A table describes elements of the sampling approach but does not describe the sampling plan. It is difficult to comment on the rigor of the sampling program without further details on size of the areas covered, total run size etc. More information should be provided on: • Review comments by the CRITFC biometrician and NOAA Fisheries (if applicable) on the 2005 review of sampling results. • The statistical basis for the number of samplers for various fishing areas (Table p. 13) • Content and process of the training program for samplers; • Method of discriminating wild fish from hatchery fish if not all hatchery fish are adipose clipped; • Method of determining exploitation rates - this goal is mentioned in the abstract of the narrative but nowhere else; • The mean around which the CI of 2005 hatchery fish harvest is calculated (Table p. 9 gives CI for hatchery fish but not natural or jacks); • Elements of the biological assessments and components of the NOAA Fisheries review; • Ocean effects on SARs. Monitoring is at the core of this project and the proponents are making a good effort towards evaluation of results by review processes.


ISRP FINAL REVIEW (Aug 31, 2006)

Recommendation: Fundable

NPCC comments: The response provides thorough and detailed information on the statistical basis and operational details of the harvest monitoring program. The sponsors have provided numerous details in their response, including outlines of the statistical methods that will be used to estimate variance of catch rates. The program seems to be in the hands of a very qualified statistician. Primarily extracted from the sponsor's annual report (Statler et al. 2006, submitted after the ISRP review), the response adequately addresses ISRP comments.