Reasonable and Prudent Alternative (RPA) 63.2 of the FCRPS Biological Opinion calls for determining the effects of implemented hatchery reforms on salmon and steelhead populations. There is currently a specified gap in coverage for Upper Columbia River steelhead (RM&E workgroup June 2009 predecisional draft document and subsequent workgroups). This project provides for implementation and evaluation of major hatchery reforms identified by the RM&E workgroup for the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Winthrop National Fish Hatchery (WNFH).  The required transition to local broodstock requires hatchery reform actions that i) can accommodate a later return and spawn timing, ii) induce proper smoltification, iii) promote high survival, and iv) maintain natural levels of fitness in the hatchery stock. Simply, transition to local broodstock cannot be successful without effective implementation of the hatchery reforms described in this proposal, which is part and parcel to the HGMP being developed by the USFWS for WNFH.

Steelhead in Pacific Northwest hatcheries are typically reared for release as 1-year-old smolts, rather than the 2¬and 3-year-old smolt life history patterns found in nature. High growth rates associated with accelerated hatchery rearing to a 1-year-old smolt life history may contribute to maladaptive behavioral traits and reduced post-release survival, and may constitute a primary mechanism leading to reduced fitness in hatchery fish. The current proposal offers a unique opportunity to evaluate genetic, physiological, and life history impacts of rearing 1- vs 2-year-old steelhead smolts. The study is cost effective in that it will be conducted using groups of integrated steelhead already being reared in Washington tributaries of the upper Columbia River as part of ESA recovery efforts. The study will aim to provide husbandry solutions that will help increase fitness, and alleviate maladaptive traits of hatchery-reared steelhead. The design fills gaps identified in the FCRPS BiOp Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives 39, 63.2, 64.2. It will develop hatchery reform actions and best management practices for artificial production programs to make a net positive contribution to recovery of listed populations.

Nearly all steelhead intervention programs within the Basin will require non-conventional rearing methods in order to minimize the fitness loss described by Araki et al. (2008 and 2009) while achieving high smoltification and survival rates. The methods developed and tested under this proposal will be transferable in real time to other intervention programs wrestling with the same issues (e.g., Touchet, Tucannon, East Fork Salmon River). The RME workgroup indicated under RPA 64.2 that additional analysis may be needed to determine if supplementation programs are having a negative impact on recovery. Negative effects from ecological interactions constitute one of the primary concerns with hatchery programs. This project will focus on the effects of hatchery reform actions on residualism, which can exacerbate competition and predation effects on natural-origin fish survival. Hatchery-induced residualism caused by early male maturity would make it nearly impossible to implement hatchery reform alternatives because controlling the proportionate natural influence (PNI) and other important parameters included in HSRG models cannot be controlled if residuals are maturing and interbreeding with natural-origin fish.

The project has three biological objectives: 1) Improve survival and reduce fitness loss in Columbia River steelhead smolts by minimizing unnatural selection on body size and other smolt characteristics, 2) Identify behavioral and physiological traits under selection through laboratory-scale research and develop hatchery rearing methods to reduce selection, and 3) Evaluate both the reproductive traits and reproductive success of S1 and S2 adults returning to the Methow River and WNFH. Objective 1 was completed during the FY15 performance period.  The project will pursue objectives 2 by conducting mechanistic laboratory-based research of hatchery steelhead produced from the local natural broodstock at WNFH.  Objective 3, evaluation of S1 and S2 relative reproductive success and survival of their offspring for brood years 2015-2017, will occur in artificial stream channels constructed at WNFH, and with epigenetic, genetic, and egg quality evaluations will be conducted by NOAA and UW staff at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Laboratories.