Project Scope

The purpose of this project is to quickly rebuild the number of spring Chinook salmon that return to the Tucannon River.  If successful, this project will delay or prevent extinction of the Tucannon River spring Chinook salmon (listed as "Threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)).  The 2009 FY will be the tenth and final year of this project and will include costs for completing the final report on the DNA microsatellite genetics analyses and the final report to include captive broodstock rearing, release, and adult returns through 2008 (the last adult returns from the program are expected in 2011).

Project Location
  
The captive broodstock program occurred at three Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) locations (Lyons Ferry Hatchery (LFH), Tucannon Fish Hatchery (TFH), and Curl Lake Acclimation Pond (AP)).  LFH is located at rkm 95 on the Snake River between Lower Monumental and Little Goose Dams and is used for spawning and rearing of the captive broodstock.  Tucannon Fish Hatchery (rkm 58) and Curl Lake AP (rkm 66) are both located on the Tucannon River and were used for rearing and volitional release of captive broodstock progeny.  


Relationship to the Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Program

This captive broodstock project is supported by various measures in the Northwest Power Planning Council's (Council) Fish and Wildlife Program.  Further, the project has been supported by the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA) and the Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP) for funding, and has been agreed to by the co-managers and NOAA Fisheries.  The project supports the native run of Tucannon River spring Chinook salmon in its native habitat (2.2A), and will contribute to the rebuilding of the Snake River spring Chinook salmon run (4.1A). As stated under the Council's salmon and steelhead rebuilding principles (4.1A); 1) priority should be given to activities that aim to rebuild weak upriver populations, including populations listed under the ESA, 2) this project will be linked to habitat restoration activities (Tucannon River Model Watershed Program, State of Washington's Governor's Salmon Recovery), and 3) that while additional production facilities are not recommended by the Council, the current facilities (with slight additions/modifications) used for the hatchery supplementation program will be able to satisfy the needs of the fish and achieve the goals.  

Further, WDFW and the co-managers believe this to be an emergency case (7.4C, 7.4C.1), where unless intervention takes place quickly, the population may be beyond recovery.  While captive broodstock programs can be risky (genetic integrity, catastrophic facility failures, etc.), they also have the potential to rapidly increase adult fish numbers back to a particular location.  Implementation of a captive broodstock program may be the most effective means of accelerating recovery of this depleted stock, and if held in captivity for no more than a single generation, as clearly stated in the Tucannon River Master Plan, genetic integrity and adaptability should be preserved (7.4D).  


Coordination

This project will be performed in coordination with the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and NOAA Fisheries.  The USFWS provided early support by funding the operation costs, planning, and some capital construction between 1998 and summer of 2000.  NOAA Fisheries has given their approval of the project under the ESA Section 10 permitting process (Permit #1129, issued 25 July, 2000).  

WDFW will participate in coordination meetings (as referenced in the Tucannon Master Plan) to make the best possible decision to maximize the program benefits.  Both NPT and CTUIR are kept up to date of the progress of the program though monthly reports and during Lyons Ferry Hatchery Complex AOP meetings.  NOAA Fisheries, USFWS, and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) will be informed of the program's progress through annual reports and presentations during the year at various scientific forums/discussions.  

WDFW will act as the lead agency in compiling and widely distributing the results and reports throughout the Columbia and Snake River basins to all interested parties.

Project Goals

The goal of this captive broodstock program is for the short-term; preservation and rebuilding of this critically depressed run of ESA listed spring Chinook salmon in the Tucannon River.  In a broader context, this program will (in the short term) assist in increasing the total number of spring Chinook that return to the Snake River Basin, and help preserve a genetically and geographically distinct population of spring Chinook within the river.  

The specific goal of this captive broodstock program was to rear spring Chinook salmon juveniles to adults.  The project goal was to spawn these captive adults, rear their progeny, and release up to 150,000 progeny smolts into the Tucannon River with an estimated adult return of 300 fish per brood year.  Excess fish produced from the program could be released as parr as allowed under Section 10 Permit #1129.  The 150,000 smolt release, in combination with the current hatchery supplementation program, was expected to produce 500-600 returning adult spring Chinook to the Tucannon River for the return years 2005-2010.  WDFW will complete the following during FY 2009:

1)  Monitor the smolt out-migration success (through smolt trapping and PIT tag detections) and adult returns (through redd surveys and adult trapping) to evaluate the overall success of the program through 2008 (the final adult returns are expected in 2011).

2)  Analyze microsatellite DNA and compare to the beginning of the supplementation program to look for genetic drift or loss of variation from the original wild population.

2)  Complete analysis of juvenile PIT tag detections.    

3)  Complete final reports.    
                                                  

TUCANNON RIVER SPRING CHINOOK CAPTIVE BROODSTOCK PROGRAM
BPA FY2009 PROJECT Number 2000-019-00 - Objectives and Tasks

      
Objective 1: Establish baseline data of parents to track family and pedigree of returning adults through genetic sampling and analysis.

Task 1a.  Consolidate all DNA fin clip or opercle punch samples for the 2008 Tucannon
               River spring Chinook run.  Consolidate all other data records (i.e., length, age,
               sex, etc…) associated with DNA samples.

Task 1b.  Send DNA samples (2008 brood year) to the WDFW Genetics Lab
               for microsatellite DNA analysis.  DNA samples will provide the baseline stock profile, and will
               allow tracking of "families" in coming generations.  Effects to the overall
               population (wild origin, hatchery supplementation origin, and captive brood
               origin) will be analyzed and reported.  

Objective 2:  Monitor outmigration survival of captive brood progeny and supplementation fish through PIT tags.

Task 2a.  Survival comparisons between captive and supplementation fish will be described for the 2008 outmigration year.  The final completion report will summarize results from the juvenile outmigration and will be compared to the conventional supplementation program.

Objective 3.  Compile and disseminate captive broodstock program results.

Task 3a.  Complete two final written reports (genetic and captive brood program reports) for distribution.

Task 3b.  Publish significant results where appropriate.