FY 2002 LSRCP proposal 200101

Additional documents

TitleType
200101 Narrative Narrative
200101 Powerpoint Presentation Powerpoint Presentation
Lower Snake River Compensation Plan Overview Powerpoint Presentation Powerpoint Presentation

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleLSRCP Dworshak NFH spring chinook program
Proposal ID200101
OrganizationU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameHoward L. Burge
Mailing addressP.O.Box 18 Ahsahka, ID 83520
Phone / email2084764591 / howard_burge@fws.gov
Manager authorizing this projectBill H. Miller
Review cycleLSRCP
Province / SubbasinMountain Snake / Clearwater
Short descriptionMitigate for lost spring chinook fisheries in the Clearwater River due to the construction of the four lower Snake River dams, also evaluate rearing, adult survival, fisheries contribution, and fish health for the production program.
Target speciesClearwater River Spring Chinook Salmon
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
46.5027 -116.331 Confluence of the main stem and Northfork Clearwater rivers
46.5028 -116.3298 Dworshak National Fish Hatchery
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA
Hatchery RPA Action 169
Hatchery RPA Action 174
RM&E RPA Action 185
RM&E RPA Action 189
RM&E RPA Action 193

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment
1982 Initial release of 28,100 spring chinook smolts (not reared at Dworshak NFH)
1982 Epitheliocystis first observed in the Pacific Northwest in Dworshak spring chinook salmon
1983 Released 520,923 spring chinook smolts
1983 Evaluation of spring vs. fall release times, inconclusive
1983 Evaluations started on both size-at-release (larger returned at a higer rate) and raw water vs. reuse for rearing chinook
1984 Released 259,903 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 82 adult chinook,
1984 Began injection of adults with Erythromycin and culling of adults using visible lesions and scanning by FAT
1984 Evaluation of hand vs. demand feeders and dry vs. moist feed, no differences noted
1985 Released 1,119,562 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 334 adult chinook
1985 Erythromycin feed study, inconclusive
1986 Released 671,606 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 516 adult chinook
1986 Began testing ELISA procedures for field use, and segregation of eggs based upon positive or negative females
1986 Spring chinook stock evaluation, no differences noted
1987 Released 1,710,710 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 2,017 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal harvest
1987 Further investigation of spring vs. fall releases, fall releases were subsequently stopped
1988 Released 1,547,219 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 1,972 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal harvest
1988 Instituted BPA Project "Fish Health Monitoring"
1988 Further investigation of erythromycin feeding, practice discontinued
1989 Released 1,651,472 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 1,700 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal harvest
1989 Seattle National Reasearch Center implemented study on effects of BKD segregation
1990 Released 1,251,247 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 2,042 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal & sport harvest
1990 Photoperiod advancement study, no difference noted
1991 Released 1,094,884 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 165 adult chinook
1991 Implementation of ELISA-based segregation of adult salmon for control of BKD
1991 Initiation of a 2-year rearing density study that provided support leading to reduced rearing densities
1992 Released 959,369 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 370 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal & sport harvest
1992 Started the prophylactic use of erythromycin to reduce the incidence of BKD, 1992-1994
1992 Rearing density study, rearing densities and therefore overall production release was reduced
1993 Released 467,222 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 823 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal harvest
1993 Sequential release study looking at time of release, release moved to eariler date
1994 Released 1,278,273 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 74 adult chinook
1995 Released 1,311,445 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 125 adult chinook
1996 Released 102,903 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 963 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal harvest
1996 Began providing spring chinook for annual inclusion in the CSS projects
1997 Released 53,078 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 3,150 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal & sport harvest
1998 Released 973,400 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 915 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal & sport harvest
1999 Released 1,044,511 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 800 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal harvest
2000 Released 1,017,873 spring chinook smolts, rack return of 3,202 adult chinook, provided chinook for tribal & sport harvest
2001 Released 333,120 spring chinook smolts, rack return incomplete, provided chinook for tribal & sport harvest

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
199602000 Comparitive Survival Rate Study (CSS) of Hatchery Pit Tagged Chinook Provide ~48,000 PIT-tagged smolts annually for the CSS project

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Return 9,135 adult spring chinook salmon to the project area above Lower Granite Dam ongoing $0
2. Produce 1,050,000 spring chinook salmon smolts at 15-18 fish per pound a. Collect broodstock at Dworshak NFH ongoing $20,000
b. Spawn broodstock at Dworshak NFH and transfer eyed eggs to Kooskia NFH for incubation and early rearing ongoing $60,000
c. Perform fish culture activities as scheduled ongoing $190,000
d. Perform facility maintenance as scheduled and on an as needed basis ongoing $130,000
3. Produce and maintain good quality, healthy, and viable smolts for release a. Perform fish health exams on schedule and on an as needed basis ongoing $64,329
b. Release fish directly from Dworshak NFH ongoing $5,000
4. Provide salmon for sport and tribal fisheries a. Manage the fish ladder conducive to providing fish for the fishery ongoing $7,000
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Return 9,135 adult spring chinnok salmon to the project area above Lower Granite Dam 2003 2006 $0
2. Produce 1,050,000 spring chinook salmon smolts at 15-18 fish per pound 2003 2006 $1,810,252
3. Produce and maintain good quality, healthy, and viable smolts for release 2003 2006 $313,757
4. Provide salmon for sport and tribal fisheries 2003 2006 $31,679
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$500,145$525,153$551,410$578,980

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2002 costSubcontractor
1. Evaluate the progress of Dworshak NFH in meeting its mitigation goal for LSRCP. a. Document adult returns of SCS to Dworshak NFH. ongoing $13,324
b. Document SCS rearing and release activities at Dworshak NFH. ongoing $14,324
c. Complete Brood year reports for Dworshak NFH ongoing $9,433
2. Recommend hatchery practices that will produce sufficient smolts to meet LSRCP mitigation goals. a. Provide Leadership for the Dworshak Hatchery Evaluation Team. ongoing $9,515
b. Complete the time of release study for SCS at Dworshak NFH. 2 $6,515
c. Oversee completion of erythromycin field evaluation studies at Dworshak and Kooskia NFHs. 2 $6,515
3. Facilitate inter- and intra-agency coordination and cooperation with FWS LSRCP hatchery production and evaluation programs in Idaho. a. Act as the Service's technical coordinator for all research programs using fish produced at LSRCP hatcheries operated by the FWS in Idaho. ongoing $34,155
b. Coordinate LSRCP activities between the Idaho FRO and the LSRCP Coordinator's Office. ongoing $17,915
c. Continue to develop and maintain the information and data management system at Idaho FRO. ongoing $17,846
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
1. Evaluate the progress of Dworshak and Hagerman NFHs in meeting their respective mitigation goals for LSRCP. 2003 2006 $167,815
2. Recommend hatchery practices that will produce sufficient smolts to meet LSRCP mitigation goals. 2003 2006 $102,030
3. Facilitate inter- and intra-agency coordination and cooperation with FWS LSRCP hatchery production and evaluation programs in Idaho. 2003 2006 $316,414
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
FY 2003FY 2004FY 2005FY 2006
$136,019$142,820$149,961$157,459

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2002 cost
Personnel FTE: 10 $329,501
Fringe $82,370
Supplies $174,000
Travel $20,000
$605,871
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2002 cost$605,871
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2002 budget request$605,871
FY 2002 forecast from 2001$0
% change from forecast0.0%
Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash or in-kind
US Corps of Engineers equipment, office space, hatchery buildings, etc. shared with Dworshak steelhead program $300,000 in-kind

Reviews and recommendations

This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.

Recommendation:
Fundable only if response is adequate
Date:
Dec 21, 2001

Comment:

A response is needed. While the program continues to fall short of it's own goal, having provided 9135 spring chinook adults to the project area above Lower Granite Dam (LSRCP mitigation goal) only two years out of 18, it has provided some measure of success in providing Tribal fisheries in 12 of the last 15 years and sport fisheries in 6 of those 15 years. Smolt release goals were met in 11 of 20 years. The sponsors reported that for the first time, they met their goal of 9135 returning adults in 2000 and 2001. Nevertheless, the proposal and response left the ISRP with several unresolved uncertainties that need to be addressed during the upcoming funding cycle. For example, the project sponsors need to describe in more detail the database and data management system at the Idaho Fishery Resource Office (FRO). Is this system available to all LSRCP hatcheries, all Columbia Basin Hatcheries? What are the formulas and assumptions made in estimation of total adult returns? How are strays and locations of natural spawning estimated? How is the production of strays spawning naturally vs. wild fish spawning estimated? How are tribal, down-river, and in-river (above Lower Granite) harvest estimated and used in the reporting of LSRCP performance by facility? A close reading of the Dworshak proposal 200101 and the Clearwater proposal 200103 suggest that sponsors are not reporting returning adult numbers using the same criteria. There needs to be a uniform standard for reporting and sharing data among facilities. Other comments: The technical and/or scientific background of the proposal (Section B) contained material primarily on the statutory background of the program, but included little technical information and nothing on the scientific issues involved. Notably lacking was discussion of the ecosystems into which the hatchery-produced fish are released, the suitability of the hatchery fish for survival in those ecosystems, and genetic and ecological consequences of imposing the hatchery fish on other organisms in those ecosystems, particularly wild conspecifics and other closely related wild fishes. The proposal revealed ongoing problems with bacterial kidney disease (BKD) in the hatchery. The disease was the key fish health issue in Clearwater spring chinook in the late 1980's and early 1990's. However, the proposal noted that application of certain practices has "effectively reduced the prevalence of BKD in Dworshak spring chinook," and that the staff is "able to manage around the ever-present disease." No data were presented on this pattern of disease prevalence or the efficacy of the new management actions.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Apr 23, 2002

Comment:

Fundable, but some issues remain. While the program continues to fall short of its own goal, having provided 9,135 spring chinook adults to the project area above Lower Granite Dam (LSRCP mitigation goal) only two years out of 18, it has provided some measure of success in providing Tribal fisheries in 12 of the last 15 years and sport fisheries in 6 of those 15 years. Smolt release goals were met in 11 of 20 years. The sponsors reported that for the first time, they met their goal of 9,135 returning adults in 2000 and 2001.

Nevertheless, the proposal and response left the ISRP with several unresolved uncertainties that need to be addressed during the upcoming funding cycle. The response was not adequate in addressing concerns on data management, straying, or post-release ecological interaction of hatchery fish with wild fish. The responses indicate no special concern for the role of the fish produced in the ecosystem. The presumption is that they can produce fish that migrate directly to the ocean with little chance for interaction with other fish in the system, a strategy that ignores inter- and intra-species interaction in the river, estuary, and ocean.

The response on the database issue raised more concerns with reviewers than the original proposal. This looks to be a significant issue with the likely potential that data management could deteriorate even further in future. The ISRP recommends a comprehensive review of the LSRCP data management system including the role of this project. The comprehensive review should ensure that a uniform standard for reporting and sharing data among facilities is established; e.g. criteria for reporting returning adult numbers (see ISRP programmatic recommendation).

The response adequately addressed the BKD issue.