Squawfish Management Program, Environmental Assessment, Draft 1991

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Bonneville Power Administration

Publish Date: May 1991

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: BPA proposes to fund three types of fisheries to harvest squawfish. BPA also proposes to fund monitoring activities of these fisheries to determine if desired or undesirable results occur. The three fisheries proposed are: (1) commercial Tribal fishing; (2) sport reward fishing; and (3) fishing from restricted areas of each dam (i.e., dam angling). These fisheries were tested successfully in 1990. Commercial fishing would be implemented by Tribal anglers in the area of the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam to McNary Dam. Sport reward fishing would be open to all anglers and encouraged through a reward for each squawfish caught. Dam angling would be carried out by technicians hired by the States or Tribes to fish for squawfish from restricted areas on the darns. Additional efforts to harvest squawfish from the restricted zones around darns may also be undertaken by State and Federal fishery agencies and Tribes. In 1991 BPA proposes to fund squawfish management activities throughout the Federal hydrosystem on the lower Columbia and Snake Rivers from below Bonneville Dam to Priest Rapids Dam on the lower Columbia River, and from the mouth of the Snake River up to Lower Granite Reservoir. In the future, regional entities may plan squawfish management in the Columbia River from Priest Rapids Dam to Chief Joseph Dam. Expanding the program would be dependent on funding, access for fishing from restricted areas on non-Federal dams, and results of initial squawfish management efforts. Monitoring will include evaluating how populations of squawfish and other predators respond to harvest, studying how juvenile salmonids are selected as prey, and developing and testing ways to remove predators and protect juvenile salmonids from predators. Ultimately, juvenile fish survival and adult production would be the basis to determine success of the program. The Squawfish Management Program is designed to reduce the effects of predation by squawfish on juvenile anadromous fish migrating to the ocean. Juvenile anadromous fish migrate through existing reservoirs and dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Many juvenile salmonids are lost to predators. The northern squawfish is the predominant predator of juvenile salmonids. Reducing the number of squawfish in the river system is intended to increase the survival of juveniles and thus increase the number of adults returning from the ocean to spawn.

Purpose: Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) proposes to decrease the number of northern squawfish (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) in reservoirs in the Columbia River system through a Squawfish Management Program. The goal of the Squawfish Management Program is to reduce losses of outmigrating juvenile salmon and steelhead (salmonids) to squawfish predation. The objective is to reduce the number of squawfish that feed on juvenile salmonids (smolts) by 10 to 20 percent and alter the age and size structure of the squawfish population. The hypothesis, based on computer modeling, indicates sustained squawfish harvest and the resultant population restructuring may reduce losses of juvenile salmonids to predation by up to 50 percent within 5 to 10 years.

Time Period of Content:

Geographic Extent: Columbia River

Status: Draft

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF File

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source:

Data Information

No data information was supplied.

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Not yet described

Bibliography Information

Field Name	Value
Biblio ID	11756
Year	1991
Publisher
Request Type	Draft Report
Location	Salem HQ
Date Created	1991 May
Date Cataloged	6/14/06
Date Published	1991
Type	lt blue
Pages	39 pp
Volume
Status	2
Descriptor	(Draft) Squawfish Management Program | Environmental Assessment
Date Entered	2006-06-14 13:07:47
Location In Clackamas Library	BPA, S wall, OREGON; Predator Section
Author	not named
Duplicates	0
Number Remaining After Requests	1
Presumed All Distributed
Back Room Duplicates	0
Author
Risk
Species
Disposition Of Requests	StreamNet Library: Request filled

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Yes