Collaborative Systemwide Monitoring and Evaluation Project (CSMEP)

(The CSMEP project was archived in 2006.)

CSMEP is a coordinated effort to improve the quality, consistency, and focus of fish population and habitat data to answer key monitoring and evaluation questions relevant to major decisions in the Columbia Basin. The CSMEP project was initiated in 2003 and is administered by the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority, with participation from over 30 scientists from federal, state and tribal fish and wildlife agencies, and consulting firms.

CSMEP has the following goals:

1. Document, integrate, and make available existing monitoring data on listed salmon, steelhead, bull trout and other fish species of concern.
2. Critically assess strengths and weaknesses of these data for answering key monitoring questions.
3. Collaboratively design improved monitoring and evaluation methods.
4. Work with other programmatic entities to implement projects that can provide better input to key decisions in the Columbia Basin.