a. Abstract
We propose that the region needs a crosswalk of fish populations/units (p/u), using data which has already been defined by each regional managing entity.  The crosswalk will be a first step in a unifying framework and will be built as a spatial database in which each manager’s fish p/u are defined by subwatersheds and displayed in an online interactive mapping application.  Visualizing how similar, or different, we as fish managers define the attributes of our population/units, and how we have bound them on the landscape is the first step toward any agreement of a single name and definition of a fish p/u.  Whether we ultimately agree, or agree to disagree, on the names and characteristics of fish p/u, the crosswalk spatial database and mapping application could allow managers to place themselves on the landscape within the bounds of their fish p/u and know that data collected by another manager under a different fish p/u name, or in another watershed, overlaps the boundaries of their fish p/u.

b. Technical background
In the last several years, major work groups have, independently, defined salmon populations and population boundaries in the Columbia River Basin (the use of the word “unit” along with population came about from objections of the word “population” in grouping fish). Often, different criteria and information were used for each of these processes. The majority of the population/unit boundaries and characteristics are similar among these efforts, but there are also important differences and discrepancies between the sets of population/units.  And most of the data about each population/unit for each effort, spatial or tabular, has been present to the public and other fish managers in static maps and report tables.

The region has two options as we plan for the future. We can continue with present practices, each new effort defining populations for its own use, which may accumulate additional discrepancies over time.  Or, we can develop a new approach that creates a unifying framework that supports future activities and to which future working groups can contribute, through spatial linkages in our defined populations.  The status quo approach will make data management more difficult - difficult to share many types of information and role it up, and difficult to evaluate the effects of restoration efforts on fish production.  A new spatial framework of crossed walk fish population data and boundaries will support information sharing and collaboration.


c. History and Accomplishments
The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, for its own purposes, and having been involved with many of the recent Columbia Basin regional process, has built a spatial database of Columbia Basin fish p/u based on the national Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) 6-Level (12-digit) Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC or subwatershed), which could display the spatial distribution of species p/u as polygons.  This database currently contains, or in the near future will contain, the following datasets:
• Columbia River Technical Recovery Teams (TRTs) fish unit boundaries. TRT data is not readily available or easily found online.
• NOAA Fisheries ESU/population boundaries and data.  Mostly presented as static maps.
• A foundation dataset of fish populations/units boundaries based on the Subbasin Plans and a subsequent regional review coordinated by CBFWA. CBFWA currently uses this dataset for its purposes and it is displayed online in an interactive mapper on their web site.
• Hatchery populations defined as integrated or segregated by the Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG) during the Columbia Basin Hatchery Reform Process.  CRITFC built spatial data sets of these populations and the data is currently displayed in an interactive mapper on the Hatchery Reform web site.
• Salmonid Stock Inventory (SaSI) dataset from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Available online, but presented in linear distribution and not as polygons.
• Other datasets of fish pop/units.  It is expected that as the crosswalk comes online and as regional managers begin to use it, other datasets not already included will want their fish p/u data represent in the crosswalk.  And other data may include fish p/u outside the Columbia Basin.
• VSP parameters and any other information or statistics on the fish pop/units (, etc.) that managing entities wish to share could also be included in this crosswalk.