Hatchery Reform Project

1
West Coast Steelhead Meeting March 10, 2004 Port
Ludlow, Washington
2
(No Transcript)
3

• Assumptions
• Management strategies for the stock in question
  has been adopted by policy makers.
• Legal agreements (if any) are in place.
• Habitat status now and in the future is
  understood.
• Next steps
• Assess the status of the anadromous stocks in the
  watershed, both wild and hatchery origin.

4

• TRANSLATE POLICY -gt GOALS
• Goals for steelhead?
• Harvest
• Conservation
• Combination harvest/conserve
• Cultural significance
• Goals for habitat?
• Research needs?
• Goals of local landowners, citizen groups?

5
GOALS DEVELOPED IN THE WATERSHED FOR THE FISH
6
Understanding of Current Status
7
Steelhead smolt grow-out pond
8
Assess hatchery attributes, deficiencies, current
uses
9

• Ask questions
• How does current program mesh with goals?
• What will it take to establish new programs?
• What is the process for changing agreed upon
  rearing programs (legal agreements)?
• Is it be possible to properly evaluate current
  program? (If not possible, think about evaluation
  of future programs)

Next steps beyond paralysis
10

• Conservation program wild fish life history
• Two year smolts means twice as many rearing
  units. New rearing strategy needed.
• Integrated program means number of smolts
  released will be in concert with existing
  carrying capacity of river. Back calculate for
  program.
• Evaluation means ??? Define success.

Example conservation program
11

• Harvest program fish caught right place time
• Integrated or Segregated program? Different
  brood stock management plans.

Example - Segregated harvest program
12

• Integrated program understanding population
  viability and abundance
• Requires planning before the smolts are released.
  
• Tissue samples for genetic sampling?
• Otolith marking?
• External marks?
• Hatchery staff must be involved.

Spawning ground surveys
13
Goal for the Future
14

• Plan what will get you to your goal.
• Start changing what you can.
• Identify needs for implementation of new program.
  
• Include hatchery staff.

15
Hatchery biologist taking scale samples from
summer chum
16
Results