This contract provides for monitoring and evaluation of the Nez Perce Tribe’s Chinook salmon supplementation program in the Lostine River.  Monitoring and evaluation consists of data collection, data analysis, and communication of results.  These activities are coordinated and often accomplished cooperatively with fisheries co-managers of the Nez Perce Tribe.

The scope of this contract was expanded in 2011 to include monitoring and evaluation of steelhead during the spring (February to May) and an evaluation of returning adult Chinook salmon from the captive broodstock program.  Ongoing work includes evaluating fin clip and mark retention rates, monitoring and evaluation at the Lostine River Acclimation Facility, monitoring and evaluation at the Lostine River Weir Facility, conducting spawning ground surveys in northeast Oregon, marking juvenile Chinook salmon, analysis of datda, coordinating monitoring and evaluation in the Lostine River with co-managers, and providing technical representation for the Nez Perce Tribe for regional monitoring and evaluation forums.  The analysis of the data for this contract will begin with summarizing data for the performance measures outlined in the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Northeast Oregon Hatcheries (Hesse et al. 2006).  These performance measures describe juvenile and adult live history characteristics, abundance, and survival of compare the performance of hatchery Chinook salmon to natural Chinook salmon.  The performance measures include the annual number of fish captured by origin and escapement, age at return, sex ratios, smolt-to-adult returns, spawner abundance, redd abundance and distribution, and progeny per parent ratios.  The analysis may include comparisons of trends in the Lostine River to other streams in Northeast Oregon such as the Minam and Wenaha rivers.

The results of data collection and analysis will be communicated to co-managers through an annual report.  Information that is pertinent to ongoing management of Lostine River Chinook salmon will be provided at Grande Ronde Subbasin Technical Oversite Team meetings, and the Annual Operation Plan meeting for the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan in Northeast Oregon.  Additionally, results may be presented at annual chapter meetings of the American Fisheries Society.