The goal of this project is to tag Coho and Chinook salmon from each hatchery such that accurate estimates of total survival and major catch area information can be made. These data will allow for more accurate assessments of the proportion of wild and hatchery stocks in the Basin and further allow for among project groups.  Survivals of fish released in this project can be used for comparison with coded-wire tag groups originating from other projects throughout the region. The expected outcome of this project is to provide a long and consistent time series of survival and distribution data that can be used to measure trends in abundance of hatchery fish and be used as surrogate data for critical wild stocks. The project is consistent with the 1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program goals for monitoring and evaluation (Section 3), restoration of wild stocks (Sections 4 & 7), increased hatchery effectiveness (Section 7), and improved stock assessment and harvest management (Section 8).

Fish managers, researchers, mitigation agencies and others use the CWT release and recovery data to evaluate a number of administrative, management and environmental effects on salmon and steelhead.  For example, the harvest management agencies combine CWT data with other data and information to estimate the effects of harvest regulation on populations of salmon and steelhead.  Others use CWT data to estimate the rates of escapement into the wild of a population of hatchery fish.  Others, including BPA, use CWT data to determine survival of different hatchery operations, hence the effectiveness of the hatchery programs they fund.  

CWT recovery data also provide critical information for evaluating stock rebuilding programs under measures now sponsored by the 2000 FCRPS Biological Opinion, and to assess a wide variety of studies designed to improve survival of hatchery-produced salmonids.