Biological Recovery Criteria for the Oregon Coast Coho Salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Wainwright, T. C. , M. W. Chilcote, P. W. Lawson, T. E. Nickelson, C. W. Huntington, J. S. Mills, K. M.S. Moore, G. H. Reeves, H. A. Stout, and L. A. Weitkamp

Publish Date: May 2008

Online Link: None

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Cedric Cooney

Job Position: Natural Resources Data and Systems Manager

Telephone: 503-947-6094

E-Mail Address: Cedric.X.Cooney@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: This document outlines biological recovery criteria (also called viability criteria) for the Oregon Coast Coho Salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) as identified in the NOAA Fisheries Service status review for West Coast coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) (Weitkamp et al. 1995). This report was developed by the Oregon Coast Workgroup (“the workgroup” or “we”) of the Oregon and Northern California Coasts (ONCC) Technical Recovery Team (TRT). The criteria were developed as part of a joint federal and state effort to develop conservation goals for the ESU, and are intended to satisfy both federal and state conservation mandates. In developing these criteria, the workgroup reviewed many documents, including NOAA’s viable salmonid populations (VSP) report (McElhany et al. 2000), the draft reports of several other TRTs, the summary of the Oregon Scientific Workshop on Recovery Criteria (OSL 2002a), and the summary report of the Oregon Joint Interim Task Force on Salmon Recovery (OSL 2002b). In addition, the workgroup has had substantial interactions with staff of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife during its development of viability criteria for the state’s Oregon Coastal Coho Assessment (Chilcote et al. 2005), and considered reviews of that report by the Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team (IMST 2005) and Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC 2005). We also referred to guidance on ESU-level recovery approaches from the Independent Science Advisory Board (Bilby et al. 2005). The primary purpose of this report is to provide objective and measurable biological criteria for assessing progress toward recovery of the Oregon Coast Coho Salmon ESU. These criteria are also applied to an assessment of the current biological status of the ESU. Complete criteria are not provided for listing or delisting of the ESU under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), nor is there an evaluation as to whether the ESU should or should not be listed. In addition to evaluating the biological requirements presented here, listing and delisting decisions require evaluations regarding particular listing factors and conservation measures, which are beyond the scope of this report. Thus the biological criteria presented here provide a necessary, but not sufficient, set of criteria to determine the ESA listing status of the ESU.

Purpose:

Time Period of Content:

Geographic Extent: Oregon Coast

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF file

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Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Yes