Fall Chinook Salmon in the Coquille River: Spawner Escapements, Run Reconstruction and Survey Calibration 2001-2002

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Weeks, Hal, Brian Riggers, and Jody White

Publish Date: 2003

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: Using mark-recapture techniques, we estimated 12,500 adult fall Chinook spawned in the Coquille basin in 2001 (95% relative precision of 25.8%) and 13,675 adult fall Chinook spawned in 2002 (95% relative precision of 13.8%). Scale analyses from 2001 show that the adult population (>600 mm fork length) is predominately age 4 fish. Males returning to the river are about evenly split between age 3 and age 4 individuals, with a few of age 5. Females of age 4 make up about 75 – 80% of the population. Calibration of spawning survey indices is very preliminary at this point as we have only 2 years of data and no clear patterns are emerging yet.

Purpose: The goal of this project is to develop precise estimates of adult spawner escapement in the Coquille River and to identify survey methods that can be used to reliably index spawner abundance for the Coquille River and MOC stock aggregate. ODFW conducted mark-recapture experiments to estimate fall chinook spawning escapement in the Coquille River in 2001 and 2002. We conducted foot and float surveys to obtain counts of live fish, carcasses, and redds. These indices are assessed against the mark-recapture estimates to determine whether any of them track fall chinook spawner abundance with sufficient precision to form the basis for long-term monitoring and the incorporation of resulting escapement estimates into PSC harvest modeling efforts. Objectives: 1. Estimate the total escapement of adult chinook salmon spawners in the Coquille River such that the estimates are within ± 25% of the true value 95% of the time. 2. Estimate the age and sex composition of chinook salmon spawning in the Coquille River such that all estimated fractions are within ±15% of their true values 95% of the time. 3. Calibrate fall chinook spawning ground surveys against adult spawner escapement estimates to identify one or more survey indices that will robustly track spawner abundance.

Time Period of Content: 2001-2002

Geographic Extent: Coquille River, Oregon

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source: Cumulative Progress Report for work conducted persuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award Numbers: 2001-2002: NA17FP1280 and 2002-2003: NA17FP2458, and U.S. Section, Chinook Technical Committee Project Numbers: N01-19 and N02-13A

Data Information

No data information was supplied.

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Field attribute information is available in the attached file(s).

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Unknown