There may be benefits from adding SNPs to the suite of gene markers to evaluate salmon. However, this proposal does not provide compelling evidence that more research effort is needed, and that this is the best lab and set of personnel to perform the task. The technical and scientific background section provides only a historical review of the various molecular/biochemical techniques as they have evolved. There is very little introduction to salmon conservation issues and how this proposal would participate in the larger salmon restoration program.

Specific subbasin and regional plans and programs that would use, or have called for this data are not identified. A weakness in this proposal is that although the genetics work may be of value somewhere down the road, the proposal is not well linked to other ongoing agency/co-manager activities in the basin. Specifically, the other projects developing and using genetic markers are not identified, and it is not apparent that other projects need this one to develop SNP markers for them. As a result, the application of this work is not clear.

The objectives as stated are more a simple list of tasks, not a set of strategic objectives. Although some details on the methodology are given (which are standard protocols), not enough experimental design details are given to evaluate this proposal adequately.
How monitoring and evaluation will occur is very sketchy and must be interpreted between the lines.

Facilities seem adequate, but experience of the personnel seems quite limited. For example, there is no track record to evaluate the sponsor's performance in information dissemination.