1. Objectives

This project has a general objective of improving PIT-tag technology, but specific goals and objectives have changed over time. The current primary goals are to develop interrogation systems to detect PIT-tagged juvenile and adult salmonids in high-velocity areas in tributaries and dams, evaluating new PIT-tags and detection arrays for instream applications, detectors for deeper water (estuary) applications, and evaluation of PIT-tag loss.

The project’s overall objective is to develop PIT tag interrogation equipment that can be used in diverse environments (e.g., spill-way and stream detection systems). Solutions appear to be site-specific, but once a solution has been developed it is often applied in similar situations. However, it was unclear how activities are prioritized. They also use measurable criteria to test whether their designs are functioning as desired. Although the timelines of testing activities are broadly stated (e.g., in spring 2019), the proponents do not indicate any specific end-dates and it is likely difficult to do so with any precision.

Improvements in tag detection are relevant to the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program because PIT tags are widely used to measure survival and migration timing salmonids and other species in the Basin.

2. Methods

The narrative indicates the project uses two approaches to develop new PIT tag technology. In some instances, engineering and design work is subcontracted to outside vendors. In other cases, in-house expertise is used to solve specific problems. A combined approach is appropriate for this type of project as it allows the proponents to bring in outside expertise when needed but still provides opportunities for in-house solutions. Scientific hypotheses are not being addressed by the project. Instead the project seeks solutions to engineering problems as they are identified.

3. Results

In its 35-year history, this project has continually addressed management questions by developing technologies to detect fish. For example, they developed and tested equipment that will be used to monitor the passage of juvenile PIT-tagged fish in dam spillways and advanced the design of flexible antenna configurations. They are also testing new detection methods in the lower Columbia River via a PIT tag detection barge. Future work will include: (a) designing new PIT tag detection arrays at the Bonneville Dam Ice and Trash Sluice and spill way, (b) testing of a satellite modem and data compression methodology for remote tag interrogation, and (c) testing of the new CANbus/power cable. Results are used throughout the Columbia River Basin in virtually any project that relies on PIT-tagged fish, and in some cases, these technologies represent important advances in PIT-tag detection and interrogation.

Presumably, their office is the "go to" place to receive information or resolve problems with PIT-tags in the Basin. Nonetheless, the project proponents need to formalize and improve on the sharing of their results. Annual reports have been spotty and brief, and there is no information on how managers and researchers in the Basin and rest of the world can access their products and expertise.

The proponents plan to study loss of PIT-tags at their research station in Alaska. It should be explained how that study will be integrated with the PIT/CWT study that is being conducted as part of the CSS on similar issues?

4. 2017 Research Plan uncertainties validation

While this project does not directly address any of the 2017 Research Plan critical uncertainties, it enables many other projects to do so. For example, improved detection of juvenile and adult salmonids increases the reliability of SARs developed through the Comparative Survival Study, and, in so doing, it provides managers information to manage Columbia River flows (e.g., spill) for the benefit of migrating salmonids.

The proponents indicate that detection and interrogation methods need to be developed for large and deep streams and rivers. The ISRP agrees and hopes that research and development of both new detection arrays/antennas and tag designs can be started to address this important monitoring need in the future.

All the current work involves detections in freshwater. Other projects are interested in survival studies in the saltwater. Is there any contribution from this project to these other projects?

 

This project addresses the need for a skilled and experienced team to support research and development (R&D) of passive integrated transponder (PIT) technology. The two qualifications listed below are intended to formalize what are likely ongoing but informal channels of communication in the Basin and clarify the process by which activities are prioritized: • Formal reporting of results and progress requires immediate improvement. Project proponents need to promote the sharing of information to a wider audience via annual reports, published detection efficiency trials, published research papers, published engineering solutions, published laboratory vs. field performance comparisons, and web site postings. • Establish a more formal method to prioritize the many issues with PIT-tags currently under investigation. These issues range from engineering solutions (e.g., spill way detectors), evaluating and improving existing technology (e.g., testing PIT-tag arrays especially for freshwater streams and the estuary), and long-term research (e.g., PIT-tag loss). A key question is how the current activities are chosen (e.g., based on data-gap analysis in other projects, based on interests and skills of the project team, based on funding from outside sources, etc.). A holistic overview of the PIT-tag uses in the Basin, data gaps where PIT-tags could provide information is needed but is wanting, and the value of information currently missing would be helpful in deciding among activities that have low value vs. activities that are needed to fill important data gaps.

Comment:

The ISRP encourages continued efforts to respond to 2018 review qualifications (ISRP 2018-8). Specifically, the project proponents should continue efforts to provide more supporting data to back up detection efficiency test results for new systems. Details of methods for each deliverable including the PIT tag retention study and the PIT barge are encouraged.

The ISRP also encourages collaboration with NOAA's trawl efforts to increase sampling coverage. In addition, increased detection at Bonneville is needed because the current data from the corner collector are not adequate.

The ISRP does not need to review a response on these items.

1. Objectives, Significance to Regional Programs, and Technical Background

The project's overall objective is to continue to develop and implement technologies and infrastructure that can be used throughout the Basin to detect PIT-tagged fish. The project is tasked with solving specific issues that deal with tag detection, logging tag detections, PIT tag modifications, antenna modifications, and with designing, testing, and evaluating tag detection equipment that can be used at dams, large rivers and in small tributary systems. Consequently, project objectives are specific, clearly defined, measurable, and have proven to be testable and achievable as well as time-based.

Improvements in tag detection are relevant to the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program because of the wide use of PIT tags to measure survival and migration timing of the Basin's salmonids. Projects in the mainstem RM&E program rely on information gathered from PIT-tagged fish, so implementation of this project is important for increasing accuracy and precision of data that are necessary for monitoring and improving fish passage.

2. Results and Adaptive Management

The proposal provides a list of results produced by the project in the past. These results are used throughout the Columbia River Basin in projects that depend on PIT-tagged fish.

Adaptive management is described in terms of the effect of the new technologies the project develops on other projects in the RM&E program. The assumption is that the improved data collection has been instrumental in many management decisions made over many years. However, it is unclear how new developments inside and outside the Columbia Basin are monitored so that new technologies may be considered for use. Is there a group that is assigned this task?

3. Methods: Project Relationships, Work Types, and Deliverables

Projects in the mainstem RM&E program rely on information gathered from PIT-tagged fish. Success of these projects depends on implementation of this project. The methods are appropriate and appear able to deal with the realities of working in large river systems. Work types are 100% RM&E and Data Analysis. The proposal states that the proponents are working to publish protocols for various parts of this project. The ISRP encourages the proponents to do so.

The ISRP believes that this project has assisted in providing significant monitoring tools for listed salmonids and other stocks and species in the Columbia River Basin, and there is a continuing need for further development and evaluation of these PIT tag technologies. The project proponents have a long history of involvement that contributes to collection of valuable data and the proposed expansions of PIT tag detection systems and capabilities are welcomed. However, the ISRP has two qualifications that the project proponents need to address:

Qualification 1: The project proponents need to provide more supporting data in the proposal to back up detection efficiency test results for new systems. More detailed methods need to be provided in the proposal for each of the proposed deliverables (location maps and diagrams would help).

Qualification 2: Reporting of results and progress has been limited and the project proponents need to improve on timely release of information to a wider audience via annual reports, published research papers, and web site postings. A timeline for completion of reports, papers, and postings should be scheduled during contracting.

The ISRP does not need to review a response on these items.

Other specific ISRP comments:

1. Purpose, Significance to Regional Programs, Technical Background, and Objectives

The ubiquitous application of PIT tagging in the region explains the significance of the project to regional programs, and the proponents list the project as responding to the 2008 FCRPS BiOp (RPA 52.2, RPA 53.5, RPA 54.9, RPA 54.13, RPA 54.14, RPA 54.1, RPA 55.4, RPA 55.5, RPA 55.9, RPA 55.7, RPA 55.8), the 2010 Draft Columbia River Basin Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Reporting Plan, the 2004 UPA, and the Fish and Wildlife Program. Instead of just a list, the proponents could improve the proposal by providing a brief explanation of how the project relates to each of these programs and plans.

The proponents have a long history of PIT tag technology development as shown by the technical background of the project. However, the proposal offers little evidence of how the technical background relates to the cutting edge of fish-tracking technologies.

The objectives of expanding PIT tag detection capabilities in the Columbia River Basin are clearly explained and supported with a list of deliverables and supporting work elements.

2. History: Accomplishments, Results, and Adaptive Management

The proponents include a list of significant accomplishments including successful development of a full flow PIT tag system at McNary Dam, development and successful testing of a flat plate detector at the B2 corner collector, development of detection systems for many Columbia River Basin tributaries, and assistance with improvements in the PIT tag (e.g., the ISO tag and the new 9 mm tag). However, the proponents do not include details on these accomplishments or provide summary results but rather note that results of the project are implemented by others in the region such as project #200100300 involving installation and evaluation of PIT tag technologies. It does appear that project #198331900 helps make useful and relevant data collection possible. The proposal contains several examples of a philosophy of flexibility and advance planning when proposed technologies fail to perform adequately. This strategy is quite useful for this research and development project.

Reporting of results and progress has been limited, and the project needs to improve on timely release of information to a wider audience via annual reports, published research papers, and web site postings. A timeline for completion of reports, papers, and postings should be scheduled during contracting.

The PIT tag is central to many of the major RME projects, and management decisions are frequently based on data from those projects. However, there is no specific description(s) of how the project has adapted by developing new technologies to improve precision of detecting pit-tagged fish. Examples of this type of adaptive management could be provided.

3. Project Relationships, Emerging Limiting Factors, and Tailored Questions for Type of Work (Hatchery, RME, Tagging)

The project directly interacts with the PITAGIS Project (#199008000) and Installation and Evaluation of Established PIT-tag Technologies (#200100300). More information is needed on how the project is coordinated with the USACE and others developing PIT tag detection systems. Is there unnecessary overlap and duplication of work?

The proponents do not believe that emerging limiting factors, such as climate change, will have a direct effect on their work, but limiting factors regarding new applications for PIT tag detector arrays are very well described. That is what this project is about.

This is an RME tagging project with a long history of mostly successful projects, which have improved the PIT tag systems, and RME data collected. However, under the study design section, the proponents state that they do not do RME. This needs clarification.

4. Deliverables, Work Elements, Metrics, and Methods

The deliverables are linked effectively to the overall objective with metrics and methods clearly associated. Some standards of performance are vague such as stating that a new configuration could “potentially increase detection rates significantly.” Inclusion of informed numerical targets for performance would be useful. In addition, when such targets are mentioned, such as a precision level of plus/minus 3%, some justification or history of use of the target would be useful.

More detailed methods need to be provided for each of the proposed deliverables (location maps and diagrams would help). Metrics for evaluation of effectiveness of project deliverables need to be developed.

The ISRP believes that this project has assisted in providing significant monitoring tools for listed salmonids and other stocks and species in the Columbia River Basin, and there is a continuing need for further development and evaluation of these PIT tag technologies. The project proponents have a long history of involvement that contributes to collection of valuable data and the proposed expansions of PIT tag detection systems and capabilities are welcomed. However, the ISRP has two qualifications that the project proponents need to address:

This is a strong proposal with high priority application of the technology in the basin, good personnel, and an excellent track record. The project sponsors have been responsive to past ISRP reviews.

The proponents plan to explore the application of PIT tag technologies to surface bypass systems (RSWs, Bonneville corner collector, even spillways and turbines). The evaluation of the G2 transceiver for instream interrogations will require development of new antenna arrays and even new tags (A-PIT). These efforts are tied in generally to the BiOps, UPA, and systemwide passage program summary, although particular elements are not listed. Effective PIT tag systems underlie much of the salmon recovery efforts in the Columbia River Basin, and the extensive history presented in this proposal leaves no doubt of the importance of the work to answering questions about the survival of anadromous salmonids in the Columbia River Basin.

The proposal does a good job relating the technologies developed in the past to ongoing and future projects. Less information is provided about the need for the advanced technologies they propose to develop, and specifically which projects might employ these developments. That is, they are necessarily a bit ahead of many of the projects that will use new PIT tags and transceivers. The investigators should be aware of work being done by the mid-Columbia Public Utility Districts (PUDs).

The value of this long-term effort is well established. Continued improvement in tags and antennas is expected to further improve the knowledge of salmonids in the basin and the ability to carry out adaptive management. Some of this work is necessary because increased downstream passage through surface bypasses, RSWs, and spill has reduced the numbers of fish that are detected through the conventional PIT-tag interrogation systems. So development of detectors for these alternative routes is needed in order to collect the juvenile fish passage data for management actions.

The proposal provides a well-detailed listing of work elements, with a systematic, step-by-step approach that allows for periodic feedback from outside experts and changes in direction as necessitated by the results from each step.

Past work has produced a handful of publications, some of them describing older, outmoded technologies. Equipment development and testing is the primary focus of this proposal (with the product being efficient tags and antennas). However, it would be good to see more of this information get out into the primary fisheries (and electronic) literature in order to inform scientists and engineers outside of the basin about the possibilities.