Work Completed for Compliance with the Biological Opinion for Hatchery Programs in the Willamette Basin USACE funding: 2004 Annual Report

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Julie Firman

Publish Date: February 2005

Online Link: http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/ODFW/willamette/reports.htm

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Julie Firman

Job Position: Project Leader

Telephone: (541)757-4263 x249

E-Mail Address: julie.firman@oregonstate.edu

Description

Abstract: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has listed spring chinook salmon(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and winter steelhead (O. mykiss) in the Upper Willamette River Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 64 FRN 14308; 64 FRN 14517). Concomitant with this listing, any actions taken or funded by a federal agency must be evaluated to assess whether these actions are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened and endangered species, or result in the destruction or impairment of critical habitat. Several fish hatcheries operate within the ESU and may impact wild populations of listed species. Although all of the artificial propagation programs that potentially affect listed salmonids in the Upper Willamette River ESUs are operated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife(ODFW), 90% of the funding for these operations comes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE). Possible risks of artificial propagation programs have been well documented. Hazards include disease transfer, competition for food and spawning sites, increased predation,increased incidental mortality from harvest, loss of genetic variability, genetic drift, and domestication (Steward and Bjornn 1990; Hard et al. 1992; Cuenco et al. 1993; Busack and Currens 1995; NRC 1996; and Waples 1999). Hatcheries can also play a positive role for wild salmonids by bolstering populations, especially those on the verge of extirpation, providing a genetic reserve in the case of extirpation, and providing opportunities for nutrient enrichment of streams (Steward and Bjornn 1990; Cuenco et al. 1993). The objective of this project is to evaluate the potential effects of hatchery programs on naturally spawning populations of spring chinook and winter steelhead within the Upper Willamette River ESU. The project employs four types of activities to achieve this goal: sampling of returns to hatcheries, creels to assess fisheries, monitoring of adult and juvenile migration through the use of traps and video observations, and monitoring natural production through spawning ground surveys.

Purpose: Objective 1 Manage programs to minimize potential interbreeding of hatchery reared fish and listed salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin. The result would be to reduce natural spawning of hatchery-origin spring chinook with existing spring chinook salmon populations. Objective 2 Quantify the effects of hatchery broodstock collection on listed spring chinook and winter steelhead in the Upper Willamette River ESU. Objective 3 Minimize potential negative impacts to listed salmon and steelhead in the Upper Willamette Basin from operation of the hatcheries. Objective 4 Monitor and evaluate each respective hatchery program in the Upper Willamette River ESU

Time Period of Content: 2002-2004

Geographic Extent: Upper and Lower Willamette, Middle Fork Willamette, Willamette Falls, North and South Santiam, and McKenzie Rivers, and Foster Reservoir.

Status: Final

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Format: PDF File

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Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Yes