This is a good project that should be funded to completion through FY 2007, as apparently proposed. (The budget portion of the form is incomplete. If this is incorrect, the sponsors need to respond.)

Technical and scientific background: The first two sentences after the Abstract show the importance of this project to the region: "The contribution of hatchery-origin fish to natural production and population growth over time is the major issue our project is focused on. This issue is important for determining the role hatchery-produced fish can play in recovery of declining populations, and for managing hatchery production activities to minimize risks to wild populations." There is no clear mention, however, that one objective is to help refine the estimation of productivity for natural populations when the hatchery fraction is known, but their reproductive contribution is unknown.

Project history: There are abundant, and well described, results for a project that started in 2003. This project is making reasonable progress. At this time, the analysis of data collected is insufficient to determine whether the relative reproductive performances of fall Chinook can be estimated from the data.

Tasks (work elements) and methods: Work elements are sound and will answer the question of whether this approach can be used to estimate the hatchery contribution to natural Snake River fall Chinook production.

Information transfer: The principal investigators have published the findings of their work in peer-reviewed journals, made presentations at regional and national meetings, and briefed managers to inform decision making.

Benefits to focal species: Regardless of whether the reproductive contribution of hatchery Snake River fall Chinook is accurately estimated, a significant uncertainty will have been addressed, which will benefit the focal species.