Relative Performance of Alsea Hatchery Winter Steelhead Produced from Traditional and Wild Broodstocks, Information Reports 2018-02

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Wilson, Derek R., Eric Martin, and Josh McCormick

Publish Date: July 2018

Online Link: None

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Derek Wilson

Job Position: Habitat Conservation Biologist

Telephone: (541) 867-4741

E-Mail Address: derek.r.wilson@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: The Alsea River, on the central Oregon coast, historically boasted a premier winter steelhead Oncorhychus mykiss fishery, with harvest estimates exceeding 10,000 fish (hatchery and wild combined) between years 1963-85. By the early 1990s, the hatchery program had experienced a precipitous decline in adult return rates and harvest estimates, which prompted a change in management. Beginning in 2001, two winter steelhead broodstocks were used for smolt production: 1) a new broodstock comprised by “wild”, native steelhead returning to the basin and 2) the “traditional” segregated hatchery broodstock. To evaluate performance of these two broodstocks, three groups of differentially marked smolts were released into the Alsea River during each of three years (2012-2014). Results from creel surveys and trap monitoring (based on 2-salt returns) indicate that the wild broodstock had a longer more uniform run timing versus early season (December) front loading of the traditional stock, fewer detections of Alsea stock steelhead at non-release trapping sites at <7% over 3 seasons, greater harvest 3 out of 4 months sampled each season, and in-river harvest up to a 3:1 ratio over the “traditional” stock. The effectiveness of a lower river smolt release strategy to elicit a prolonged sport fishery in the lower river was assessed and found to provide minimal harvest to lower river anglers and had the lowest total adult return rate (harvest + trap catch) of all groups at <1% in each of the three years.

Purpose:

Time Period of Content: 2013-2016

Geographic Extent: The Alsea River Basin located on the central Oregon Coast within the Mid-Coast Fish District

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF File

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source: This project was funded by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Restoration and Enhancement Program, through projects 11-071, 11-132, 13-032 and 15-013.

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