FY 2000 proposal 199107100

Additional documents

TitleType
199107100 Narrative Narrative
199107100 Sponsor Response to the ISRP Response

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleSnake River Sockeye Salmon Habitat and Limnological Research
Proposal ID199107100
OrganizationShoshone-Bannock Tribes (SBT)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameDoug Taki
Mailing addressP.O. Box 306 Fort Hall, ID 83203
Phone / email2082383914 / fishdept@cyberhighway.net
Manager authorizing this project
Review cycleFY 2000
Province / SubbasinMountain Snake / Salmon
Short descriptionIncrease carrying capacities of Snake River sockeye salmon rearing lakes (Redfish, Pettit, and Alturas). Evaluate the effects of nutrient additions and fish stocking on the lake's ecosystems.
Target speciesSnake River sockeye salmon
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)

Sponsor-reported:

RPA

Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:

Reviewing agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription

Section 2. Past accomplishments

YearAccomplishment
1994 Fertilization experiment in limnocorral enclosures in Redfish Lake.
1995 Test fertilization of Redfish Lake.
1995 Reduce the number of non-endemic spawning kokanee in Fishhook Creek.
1997 Fertilize lakes to increase sockeye carrying capacity and overwinter survival of released sockeye pre smolts in Redfish, Alturas, and Pettit lakes.

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription
9107200 Redfish Lake sockeye captive broodstock
9204000 Redfish Lake sockeye salmon captive broodstock rearing
9009300 Genetic analysis of Oncorhynchus nerka

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2000 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 2000 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 2000 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2000 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 2000 cost
Personnel three 12 mo. FTE, one 9 mo. FTE, one 6 mo. FTE, one 1 mo. FTE $122,361
Fringe $41,603
Supplies $5,500
Operating $71,490
PIT tags 500 $1,450
Travel includes per diem, etc. for field work $33,000
Indirect $46,615
Subcontractor Biolines and Eco-Logic Ltd. $97,442
Subcontractor Washington State University $19,000
$438,461
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2000 cost$438,461
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds$0
Total FY 2000 budget request$438,461
FY 2000 forecast from 1999$0
% change from forecast0.0%
Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash or in-kind
Other budget explanation

Schedule Constraints: End dates for most objectives are impossible to predict. Many tasks are dependant on the number of returning adults, lake habitat conditions, number of progeny available from the captive broodstock program, etc.


Reviews and recommendations

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

Recommendation:
Delay Funding
Date:
Jun 15, 1999

Comment:

Recommendation: Delay funding until project describes that a risk assessment has been done pertaining to risks associated with altering food web structure. In addition, if funded, this project needs careful annual review with better reporting on results.

Comments: Programmatic justification for the project seems literal, rather than descriptive and logical. The proposal fails to provide compelling evidence that nutrient addition will adequately enhance Snake River sockeye. Published reports (Trans. Am. Fish Soc .127[1]) suggest that "whole-lake fertilization would aid in the recovery of Snake River sockeye" and "fertilization should be considered an important short-term tool for decreasing erosion of stock", but also that "8 years after the end of a 3-year fertilization period, adult returns would only be 5% greater than for unfertilized conditions." If (or when) adult sockeye resume migration to the lakes, fertilization might be more cost-effective; it may not be effective now.

This project should be classed primarily as research, secondarily as implementation (one aspect only). The narrative on project history is inappropriately mixed into the technical background section. The proposal is inadequate in its consideration of possible unwanted side-effects. The fertilization could have many ramifications for the biotic community. The authors need to describe the risks inherent in the action of fertilizing the lake and changing the nutrient level and makeup of the plankton community. The proposal does not adequately address the extensive research done in Canada. The proposal remains inadequate for the same reasons the ISRP identified last year [see last year's report and comments on page 89, appendix A]. Funding level appears high.

Peer reviewed publications in fisheries or aquatics journals should come from this work. Given the nutrient-poor status of most of the Snake Basin, the results of the large-scale fertilization experiment represent an important opportunity for technology transfer to the fisheries community. Funding has been provided since 1991 at about $500K per year, aimed at many basic research questions. The project should support a solid publication base. Reports to the Technical Oversight Committee are certainly necessary for oversight, coordination and for adaptive management to occur. But these and the required final report to BPA fall considerably short of the potential for transfer of information to both the scientific community and to a public interested in the fate of the Redfish Lake Sockeye and the Endangered Species Act. Peer review publication, particularly of the fertilization experiments, should be expected.

The proposal does not seem to adequately describe the role and contribution of the subcontractor. It appears there is a change in the subcontractors (previously from Utah State with a good publication record for the project), which raised concerns among the reviewers regarding the project's continuity.


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Aug 20, 1999

Comment:


Recommendation:
Date:
Aug 20, 1999

Comment:

Criteria all: Met? Yes -
Recommendation:
Date:
Aug 20, 1999

Comment:

This project is important and should continue. We recommend funding at a reduced rate in order to meet other management priorities within this sub region. The reduction would occur by reducing Objective 2 by approximately 10%. We would like to see an umbrella for all of the sockeye projects in this area.
Recommendation:
Technically Sound? Yes
Date:
Aug 20, 1999

Comment:

Complete Section 4, measurable biological objectives and milestones.

A good proposal, but how does the progress reported relate to time-referenced accomplishments and objectives? What has been accomplished in 8 years?

This is a proven technique in Canada.

Concerned about cost-effectiveness because of passage barriers caused by hydro projects.


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Oct 29, 1999

Comment:

Fund. The additional information provided by the project sponsor addressed the ISRP's concerns. Involvement of the TOC in oversight of the various sockeye projects helps ensure integration of the various projects and provides a venue for examination of risks associated with the overall program.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Nov 8, 1999

Comment:


Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Mar 1, 2000

Comment:

[Decision made in 11-3-99 Council Meeting]
REVIEW:
NW Power and Conservation Council's FY 2006 Project Funding Review
Funding category:
expense
Date:
May 2005
FY05 NPCC start of year:FY06 NPCC staff preliminary:FY06 NPCC July draft start of year:
$455,756 $455,756 $455,756

Sponsor comments: See comment at Council's website