The goal of the Status and Trend Annual Report project is to support mitigation described in the 2008 FCRPS Biological Opinion and the obligations of the NPCC Fish and Wildlife Program by annually reporting implementation and monitoring progress associated with salmon recovery efforts relevant to the Columbia Cascade Province.  This work will be in coordination with, and will support other local and regional efforts including but not limited to Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board, the State of Washington, Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, BPA and the NPCC Fish and Wildlife Program.  

During the first 10 months of this Project the primary activities will involve planning, local and regional coordination and development of an efficient and comprehensive collaborative framework.  The product will include a comprehensive "Table of Contents" to future Status and Trends Annual Reports (STAR).  It is envisioned the STAR will initially focus reporting on progress in habitat implementation and monitoring at the stream reach and watershed scale within the Methow, Entiat and Wenatchee subbasins.  The Yakama Nation will coordinate closely with the Colville Confederated Tribes (through the existing Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board framework) to include reporting restoration and monitoring progress in the Okanogan subbasin.  This work is designed to complement the 2008 FCRPS BiOp in describing habitat improvements, using Primary Limiting Factors identified in the NPCC Subbasin Plans, in terms of improvements towards habitat functionality.  Improvements in habitat functionality correlate directly to assumed improvements to juvenile salmonid productivity. Within the next 2-4 years the Yakama Nation intends to expand this effort to include all subbasins within the YN Ceded Lands, integrating and reporting progress for the other "H's", Hydro, Hatchery and Harvest.  

This effort will require hiring one additional Yakama Nation employee.  One individual will be responsible for producing annual status and trend reports (STAR Coordinator).  As work elements and specific tasks are better refined during this contract, more specific information outlining long-term objectives (2010-2017) will be provided to the BPA, ISRP and other interested entities.  The primary audience for this Status and Trend Annual Report is the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board and the Bonneville Power Administration, although other local, state and federal interests are recognized.