COWLITZ 2016 ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW MEETING. Centralia College, Walton Science Center May 19, p.m.

Transcription

1 COWLITZ 2016 ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW MEETING Centralia College, Walton Science Center May 19, p.m.

2 AGENDA Welcome and Introductions Cowlitz Fisheries Overview Perception Check Annual Project Review (APR) Process Fisheries and Hatchery Management Plan (FHMP) Process Wrap-up 2

3 GROUND RULES Begin and end on time Cell phones on stun No sidebars / interruptions Signal desire to speak by raising hand Option to write questions on 3 x 5 cards 3

4 4 COWLITZ FISHERIES OVERVIEW

5 COWLITZ RIVER PROJECT Mossyrock Dam built in 1968 Tallest dam in Washington (606 feet above bedrock) Forms 23-mile-long Riffe Lake (home to Mossyrock and Taidnapam Parks) Mayfield Dam built in 1963 Forms 13-mile-long Mayfield Lake (home to Mayfield Lake Park) 5

6 COWLITZ SALMON HATCHERY Rebuilt in 2010 In 2016, will release more than 7 million smolts (spring and fall Chinook and coho) 700 annual trips to haul adult fish to the upper basin Award-winning visitor center 6

7 COWLITZ TROUT HATCHERY Opened in 1968; prepping for remodel In 2016, will release 1.4 million smolts (winter-run and summer-run steelhead and sea-run cutthroat trout) Tacoma Power pays for the planting of 100,000 catchable-size rainbow trout in Mayfield Lake, South Lewis County Park Pond and Swofford Pond each year 7

8 NUMBER OF FISH PLANTED SPECIES RELEASE ROLL-UP 8 5,000,000 4,500,000 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000, , Cowlitz Hatchery Plants by Year (Segregated and Integrated) YEAR FISH PLANTED Spring Chinook Fall Chinook Coho Summer-Run Steelhead Late Winter-Run Steelhead

9 PERCEPTION CHECK Summer-run Steelhead Recycling Mayfield Net Pens 9

10 NUMBER OF FISH PLANTED 800,000 SUMMER-RUN STEELHEAD RELEASES Summer-Run Steelhead Plants by Year 700, , , ,681 5 Year Average 500, , , , , , , , , RELEASE YEAR

11 Number of Fish SUMMER-RUN STEELHEAD ( ) 14,000 12,000 10,000 10,609 12,255 Returns to the Separator Recycled 5 year average 8,895 8,000 7,027 6,000 4,000 3,880 3,293 2, , Years 11

12 ESTIMATES FROM CATCH RECORD CARDS RETURNED BY ANGLERS 35,000 Green Cowlitz River 30,000 below Mayfield Dam 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 combination of Cispus and Tilton Rivers, and the Cowlitz River between Mayfield Dam and Cowlitz Falls Dam Black - Cowlitz River upstream of Cowlitz Falls Dam and Lake Scanewa

13 2015 SUMMER-RUN STEELHEAD TOTAL TAG RECOVERIES Unaccounted, 1,618, 49% Angler Harvest CSH Strays Unaccounted Strays, 2, <1% CSH, 1,040, 32% Angler Harvest, 638, 19% 13

14 2015 SUMMER-RUN STEELHEAD TAG RECOVERIES BY LOCATION Blue Creek, 447, 26% Barrier Dam, 82, 5% Unknown, 12, 1% Toledo, 11, 1% Other, 2, >1% Barrier Dam Blue Creek CSH I-5 Mission Other Toledo Unknown Mission, 63, 4% CSH, 1,040, 62% I-5, 23, 1% 14

15 2015 SUMMER STEELHEAD HARVEST DISTRIBUTION Barrier Dam, 82, 13% Unknown, 12, 2% Toledo, 11, 2% Barrier Dam Blue Creek I-5 Mission Toledo Unknown Mission, 63, 10% Blue Creek, 447, 70% I-5, 23, 3% 15

16 Number of Steelhead SUMMER-RUN STEELHEAD RETURNS TO BARRIER DAM First Time Arrivals (Blue) 2015 Tag Returns (Red)

17 2016 SUMMER-RUN STEELHEAD RECYCLING PROGRAM 3,300 tagged fish recycled between June 15 Aug. 15 Seven tag return locations 1. Barrier Dam boundary 2. Barrier Dam Boat Launch kiosk 3. Blue Creek Boat Launch kiosk 4. Mission Bar 5. Toledo 6. I-5 Boat Launch kiosk 7. Olequa kiosk Creating new signs and an advertising campaign Barrier Dam Launch Box Barrier Dam Boundary Box 17

18 MAYFIELD LAKE NET PEN PROJECT

19 MAYFIELD NET PEN PROJECT Funded in biennium Net pen purchase Operation funds Raise 2 million fall Chinook smolts Permitting Placed at Mayfield forebay

20 GROW-OUT PLAN Populate net pens at 200 fish per pound (fpp) - March Rear to 80 fpp - March, April, May Release to lower river - June 1 15,000 lbs of fish not part of the production cap

21 NET PEN OVERVIEW Late start, June - July March - June Additional funding Populate net pens in March Currently rearing in net pens

22 22 ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW

23 ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW (APR) What is it? Fish Production Plan Why should you care? Sets number of fish reared and released 23

24 FOUR STEPS Identify Key Assumptions Set Biological Targets Establish Decision Rules Adopt Action Plan 24

25 ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW NEED Choices managers make to determine hatchery production levels: Natural population size Size of smolts released Natural origin fish used in hatchery programs Timing of smolt releases Weirs Hatchery origin fish removals

26 HATCHERY PROGRAM PRODUCTION Maximize hatchery production within limits established by the: Cowlitz River Hydroelectric Project Settlement Agreement (SA) Fisheries and Hatchery Management Plan (FHMP) Updates WDFW Fishery and Hatchery Reform Policy Lower Columbia Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan 26

27 ANNUAL PROJECT REVIEW How do we achieve recovery and still support harvest fisheries? Long-term goal for natural populations is to achieve healthy and harvestable levels. Current natural populations are generally depressed. During transition period how can we manage hatchery programs to: Improve the health of natural populations Provide fishing opportunities 27

28 DECISION MAKING PROCESS Identify sideboards limiting hatchery program size Receive input from WDFW Ad Hoc advisory committee and Cowlitz Fisheries Technical Committee Analyze hatchery program size options Final production plan proposed annually in APR process

29 APR PROCESS ANNUAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Key Assumptions Status and Trends Decision Rules In-Season Biological Targets (ACTION PLAN) Annual Project Review Results from Research and M&E, External to Program Results from Program M&E Post-Season Performance Review --Run Reconstruction Conservation and Harvest Goals Pre-season Forecast In-Season Updates 29

30 APR THOUGHTS TODAY 1) Maintain the course 2) Final results not in yet 3) We want to hear from you if you think there is a problem with this strategy 30

31 31 FISHERIES AND HATCHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (FHMP)

32 FHMP Production Guidelines For Cowlitz Complex Goals Number of spring Chinook released Strategies Integrated hatchery population with natural origin fish Reduce hatchery release numbers through credit mechanism More natural origin fish return, less hatchery production Establish monitoring and evaluation requirements Juvenile fish collector Overriding Principle A fisheries management strategy consistent with the priority objective of maximizing the natural production of wild indigenous fish stocks in the basin. 32

33 FISHERIES AND HATCHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN (FHMP) Why should you care? You have an opportunity: Tell us what is important to you We will do what we can to achieve your desires To Paraphrase Our charge is to recover fish and provide harvestable surplus. 33

34 2016 HATCHERY PRODUCTION PLAN Changes in fish released due to implementation of FHMP Species Before 2011 FHMP Update 2015 APR 2016 APR (DRAFT) Fall Chinook 4,800,000 3,500,000 3,500,000 Spring Chinook 900,000 1,796,781 1,798,515 Coho 2,800,000 2,178,000 2,280,522 Winter-run steelhead 660, , ,877 Summer-run steelhead 550, , ,000 Cutthroat 160, , ,268 34

35 FHMP THE BASICS Six-year review process Recorded with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Developed in collaboration with Cowlitz Fisheries Technical Committee (FTC) and YOU New plan due February

36 HOW ARE WE STARTING THE PROCESS? 1) The FTC has prepared 12 Issue Papers 2) They cover concerns we have heard from you, the WDFW Ad Hoc Committee and the FTC 3) The FTC created sub groups to define each issue and propose recommendations 4) Papers are out for public review Copies of the papers are available here You can also get them on our website (the address is on tonight s agenda) 5) Three are in final review now 36

37 ISSUE PAPERS OVERVIEW 37 Satellite Rearing Facilities Cowlitz Hatchery Programs Mayfield Lake Net Pens Cowlitz Hatchery Production Cap Cowlitz Harvest & Adult Disposition FHMP Goals & Objectives FHMP Process Population Designations Monitoring, Evaluation & Research Juvenile Marking Nutrient Enhancement Resident Fish

38 NEXT STEPS June 30 - Public Meeting (same time/location TBD) Share final APR decision Further conversation about the FHMP This Fall Draft FHMP released Public meeting (time/location TBD) 38

39 WRAP-UP Any additional questions? Meeting survey Send your feedback to Thank you for attending! 39