Issue paper: Master plan for Northwest Oregon Hatchery Project
June 7, 2000 | document 2000-8
- Introduction
The Master Plan, submitted by the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), is intended to
provide information for a plan to artificially incubate and rear spring
chinook salmon populations in the Imnaha and Grande Ronde rivers. These
populations are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)
and are at high risk of extinction. The Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife (ODFW), are co-managers of the current preservation/conservation and
restoration programs for Imnaha and Grande Ronde spring chinook salmon. These
programs currently are using conventional and captive broodstock techniques to
meet their intended purposes. These programs redirect production occurring
under the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) from mitigation to
preservation/conservation and restoration. Both the Imnaha and Grande Ronde
preservation/conservation and restoration programs are described in ESA
Section 10 permit applications and the co-managers refer to the fish
production from these programs as the Currently Permitted Program (CPP).
Recently, co-managers have determined that it is impossible to produce the
CPP at Lookingglass Hatchery, the LSRCP facility intended for production, and
that without additional facilities, production must be cut from these
conservation and restoration programs. The Master Plan describes alternatives
considered to meet the facility needs of the CPP so the
preservation/conservation and restoration program can be fully implemented.
Co-managers considered three alternatives: modify Lookingglass Hatchery;
use existing facilities elsewhere in the Basin; and use new facilities in
conjunction with a modified Lookingglass Hatchery. Each alternative was
evaluated based on criteria developed for rearing fish for a conservation
program. After this review, the Nez Perce Tribe determined the only
alternative that meets the needs of the program is the alternative to use new
facilities in conjunction with a modified Lookingglass Hatchery.
- Relationship to the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program
The initial measure for establishing the Northeast Oregon Hatchery was
originally identified for funding in the Northwest Power Planning Council's
(Council) 1987 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. First steps in
this process began in 1988 when the NWPPC authorized the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT),
the Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) and the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to submit a master plan for review
This project is currently authorized by Columbia Basin FWP (NWPPC 1994)
Measure 7.4L1 which directs the Bonneville to "fund planning, design,
construction, operation, maintenance and evaluation of artificial production
facilities to raise chinook salmon and steelhead for enhancement in the Hood,
Walla Walla, Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers and elsewhere."
As part of the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program, the Northeast Oregon
Hatchery Program (NEOH) was the initial planning effort by the fishery
co-managers to restore anadromous fish runs in Northeast Oregon. Part of NEOH
planning was an effort to restore spring chinook into the Grande Ronde
Subbasin. After a time this effort evolved into one of the 15 high-priority
supplementation projects approved by the Council in March 1996. Unfortunately,
co-managers could not agree on an appropriate production strategy for Grande
Ronde spring chinook, given the ESA issues, Oregon's Wild Fish Policy, Lower
Snake River Compensation Plan requirements, Treaty and trust responsibility
issues, and other considerations. An independent scientific panel was formed
and asked to review the proposed strategies and provide a determination on
what would be appropriate. The panel recommended that an endemic broodstock be
developed for supplementation uses in the Grande Ronde Subbasin.
In discussions between the co-managers on how to implement an endemic
broodstock approach for Grande Ronde spring chinook, two strategies were
proposed: captive broodstock and conventional broodstock. The co-managers
agreed on the strategy for implementation of the captive broodstock component
and initiated an emergency program in 1994. The captive broodstock component
became the Grande Ronde Captive Broodstock project; the project the Council
approved for emergency funding in the fall of 1997. It consists of an
expansion at Bonneville Hatchery for the needs of the captive broodstock
component, and improvements to Lookingglass Hatchery. As this project evolved,
other projects under NEOH evolved with it and were modified to encompass the
development of the conventional broodstock component of the overall endemic
broodstock approach for Grande Ronde River, which was initiated in 1997. The
needs for the endemic component became the Grande Ronde Basin Endemic Spring
Chinook Supplementation project and was approved by Council on June 10 1998.
The approved action recommended funding for the construction of adult
collection weirs and juvenile acclimation facilities at three sites ?
Catherine Creek, Upper Grande Ronde River and Lostine River.
In 1998, the NPT focused on how they might more realistically phase in
rebuilding goals with limited regional funding and broodstock limitations as
it related to the development of the master plan. The original concept for the
NEOH Master Plans called for "new" production that would be
additional to the LSRCP production currently occurring at Lookingglass
Hatchery. However, with the continuing decline of salmon runs and the
subsequent overload this caused on Lookingglass (i.e. with the additional
burdens placed on the facility), as a tool to forestall extinction of
Northeast Oregon chinook, the NPT concentrated their planning efforts on
alleviating stress at the facility and restructuring where existing production
would occur. The goal was not new production, but address the current levels
of production (i.e. currently permitted program) under LSRCP using new and
improved techniques.
- Description of Subbasin and Status of Salmon
The Imnaha River Subbasin is located in northeastern Oregon and encompasses an
area approximately 980 square miles. The mainstem Imnaha River flows in a
northerly direction for 80 miles from its headwaters in the Eagle Cap
Wilderness Area (elevation about 10,000 feet), to its confluence with the
Snake River at river mile (RM) 192, (elevation 945 feet). The entire Imnaha
Watershed is within the area established for sole Nez Perce occupancy under
the Treaty of 1855. The Imnaha River is part of the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System.
The Imnaha River Subbasin once supported healthy runs of spring chinook
salmon, approximately 6,700 adults. Returns to the Imnaha River subbasin have
declined precipitously during the past three decades. Peak escapement of
spring chinook salmon to the Imnaha River was estimated at 3,459 adults in
1957. Recent returns of natural origin fish have declined to levels below 150
individuals.
The Grande Ronde River Subbasin encompasses an area of about 3,950 square
miles in the northeast corner of Oregon and a small portion of southeast
Washington. The mainstem Grande Ronde River extends 212 miles from its
headwaters in the Blue Mountains (elevation 7,700 feet) and the Wallowa
Mountains (elevation 10,000 feet) to its confluence with the Snake River in
Washington at RM 169 (elevation 820 feet). The subbasin is characterized by
two major river valleys, the Wallowa and Grande Ronde, surrounded by rugged
mountain ranges. Major tributaries include Joseph Creek, Wenaha River,
Lookingglass Creek, Wallowa River and Catherine Creek.
The Grande Ronde River historically supported diverse and healthy runs of
spring chinook salmon. Escapement of naturally produced chinook salmon to the
Grande Ronde River was estimated at 12,200 fish in 1957. Historically, the
major spring chinook salmon production areas within the Grande Ronde Subbasin
were the Minam, Wenaha, Wallowa, Lostine (a tributary to the Wallowa River)
and upper Grande Ronde rivers. Present escapement level and recent trends
indicate that Grande Ronde spring chinook salmon are in imminent danger of
extinction. Progeny-to-parent ratios have been below 1.0 (replacement) for the
past eight completed brood years. Current adult escapement levels for the
Lostine River have been between 34-152 from 1994 to 1998. Escapement levels of
the Wenaha and Minam rivers (designated Wilderness areas with pristine
habitat) show similar declining trends. Trend analyses of spring chinook
salmon redds in index areas on the Wenaha, Lostine, and Minam rivers
illustrate the negative trend in redd counts and the low spawner escapement
levels.
- Summary of the Proposed Production Project
The Proposed Alternative would construct new facilities and modify existing
facilities for a preservation/conservation, integrated restoration production
program for spring chinook salmon in the Imnaha and Lostine rivers. These
facilities would make it possible to meet the already-approved production
program for spring chinook salmon in the Imnaha and Lostine rivers. The proposed
alternative includes the following.
- Construction of a new incubation and rearing facility in the Imnaha River
and modifications of the existing Gumboot facility to accommodate the Imnaha
component of the Lookingglass Hatchery production.
- Construction of a new incubation and rearing facility in the Lostine River
to accommodate the Lostine component of the Lookingglass Hatchery
production.
- Modification of Lookingglass Hatchery to accommodate the Catherine Creek
and Upper Grande Ronde component of the Lookingglass Hatchery production.
- Project management structure and process
The proposed incubation and rearing facilities on the Imnaha and Lostine
rivers would be managed in conjunction with the existing adult
collection/juvenile acclimation and release facilities, with the intent to
restore and increase natural production of anadromous fish resources in the
Imnaha River and the Lostine River, respectively. Co-managers of the Imnaha
and Lostine Complexes would be the Nez Perce Tribe and Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife. Co-managers agree to work cooperatively to achieve project
goals. Co-managers agree to operate these facilities in a prudent and cost
effective manner. The Nez Perce Tribe would function as the lead agency for
the Imnaha River and Lostine projects and therefore, would be primarily
responsible for planning, operation and maintenance, and monitoring and
evaluation of the facilities described in the master plan. Bonneville would be
primarily responsible for construction of the facilities.
- Potential production goals
The production goal for Imnaha spring chinook salmon is 490,000 smolts and the
goal for Lostine spring chinook salmon is 250,000 smolts as authorized by NMFS
through Section 10 of the ESA.
The CPP reflects the redirection of the LSRCP program from mitigation to a
focus on preservation/conservation and restoration. To develop alternatives to
implement full production of the CPP, NPT and ODFW first developed management
goals and objectives for the program. The co-managers defined goals as the
endpoint toward which effort is directed. Objectives are smaller, measurable
steps taken to attain the goal. Objectives are measurable but are not
necessarily time-limited. The time necessary to achieve objectives and
transition from one goal to the next will depend on improvements made in the
major limiting factor for program success - smolt-to-adult survival rates. It is
unknown at this time just how long these improvements will take. Current SARs
for wild/natural Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon generally average 0.36
percent, with hatchery-reared chinook salmon from Lookingglass Hatchery
averaging 0.13 percent. Following are the goals and objectives for the program.
1. The short term goal focus on the preservation/conservation of populations
and is assumed to take one to two salmon generations or 5 to 10 years. The
short-term goal has two components that attempt to prevent extinction of Imnaha
and Lostine spring chinook salmon, and provide potential for recovery once out
of basin (smolt-to-adult) survival improves.
The short-term goal has two objectives:
- Maintain an annual escapement of chinook salmon from natural and
artificial production of no less than 700 adults in the Imnaha River; and
250 adults in the Lostine River. Time necessary to reach objective ?
Imnaha River has met the objective in 3 of the last 5 years. It is expected
that the Lostine will reach its objective 4-5 years after implementation of
full production.
- Maintain genetic attributes and life history characteristics of the
naturally spawning chinook aggregate.
2. The mid-term goal will focus on restoration of the populations. Initiation of
actions to meet the mid-term goal is dependent on results of monitoring and
evaluation. The mid-term goal has one part that emphasizes the restoration of
the natural populations of Imnaha and Lostine spring chinook salmon above ESA
delisting levels and provide an annual sport and tribal harvest.
The mid-term goal has three objectives:
- Achieve an annual escapement of 2,000 adult chinook salmon in the Imnaha (ESA
delisting level) and 500 in the Lostine from natural production. The ESA
delisting level for the Grande Ronde is 2,500 naturally produced adults of
which the Lostine River spawning aggregate is a component.
- Maintain genetic attributes and life history characteristics of the
naturally spawning chinook aggregate.
- Provide tribal and sport harvest opportunity consistent with recovery
efforts.
3. The long-term goal is the original intent of the mitigation purpose, which
would be permanent for the foreseeable future. At this point the program would
take on LSRCP program goals. The long-term goal has one part that emphasizes the
Imnaha and Grande Ronde spring chinook salmon escapement and harvest to historic
levels.
The long-term goal has four objectives:
- Utilize natural and artificial production to provide benefits expected
from the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan ? 3,210 adults for the Imnaha
River and 1,625 adults for the Lostine River returning annually.
- Maintain natural self-sustaining population of 3,820 in the Imnaha and
1,716 in the Lostine River.
- Maintain genetic attributes and life history characteristics of the
naturally spawning chinook aggregate.
- Provide harvest of naturally and artificially produced adults additional
to natural spawning, nutrient enhancement, and hatchery broodstock goals.
- Experimental goals and approach
The master plan outlines a conceptual framework that describes a monitoring and
evaluation approach that will help co-managers determine whether they were
successful in preserving and recovering chinook salmon in the Imnaha and Lostine
rivers. Program success will be gauged primarily by changes in abundance and
distribution of the supplemented chinook salmon spawning aggregates. Information
gathering strategies are proposed to monitor and evaluate the results of the
Northeast Oregon Hatchery (NEOH) supplementation program specific to the Imnaha
and Lostine rivers so that operations can be adaptively managed to optimize
hatchery and natural production and minimize ecological impacts. The conceptual
monitoring and evaluation plan provides a framework that will guide development
of a detailed monitoring and evaluation plan that integrates new activities with
ongoing monitoring and evaluation efforts.
The plan is grouped according to three categories: Stock Status, Biological
Interactions and the Natural Environment. Stock Status refers to both the
hatchery and wild components. This category comprises genetic, life history and
population viability subcategories. Monitoring and evaluation activities
associated with these subcategories will be directed at detecting genetic and
life history differences between wild and hatchery fish and changes in
population abundance over time. Biological processes that affect stock status
will be investigated under the Ecological Interactions category. This category
involves both intraspecific and interspecific interactions, which includes
competition, reproduction and disease transmission between wild and hatchery
chinook populations and other species of fish. The third category of interest is
the natural environment. Abiotic factors capable of influencing or limiting
production, abundance and survival of wild and hatchery fish are considered.
Streamflow, water temperature and quality and habitat carrying capacity have the
potential to affect stock status and program success in the Imnaha and Lostine
rivers.
- Fishery Benefits
Spring chinook salmon populations in the Imnaha and Grande Ronde rivers are at
high risk of extinction because of low productivity and a low abundance of
spawners. The primary benefit expected from this program is a reduction in the
demographic risk of extirpation, which will ensure the persistence of these
populations. Although there are inherent risks to wild populations from
artificial propagation, the greatest short-term risk to these populations is
the risk of extinction. The preservation/conservation and restoration programs
described in the master plan would provide an increase in the number of
natural spawners to forestall extinction while the primary factors affecting
the productivity of these populations are corrected.
Spring chinook salmon restoration in the Imnaha River has demonstrated that
the hatchery program has provided a substantial survival advantage above
natural rates and has increased the total number of returning chinook salmon
adults and number of natural spawners in the basin.
If this program and others are successful at stabilizing and preserving the
genetic resources of the Imnaha and Lostine chinook salmon populations, and
other factors are addressed to improve productivity, the hatchery programs
should help accelerate the restoration of these populations.
Other expected outcomes include ecological and social benefits: increased
nutrients in the ecosystem from salmon carcasses, increased potential to
achieve restoration and delisting under ESA, improved ability to meet LSRCP
mitigation goals if productivity improves, and increased potential to
reestablish tribal and sport fisheries. The program will also provide a better
understanding of the role supplementation can play in the recovery of chinook
salmon populations.
- Facilities
1. Imnaha
The proposed alternative would construct a new incubation and rearing
facility in the Imnaha River Subbasin and modify or expand the existing Gumboot
adult collection and acclimation facility to accommodate spawning and
potentially egg incubation.
a. Adult Collection Facility
Adults will be collected at the existing LSRCP weir facility at Gumboot
Creek. The facility is located approximately 29.5 miles south of Imnaha, Oregon
at RM 49 and at an elevation of 3,760 feet. Access is provided by U.S. Forest
Service Road 3955. A main power line parallels the Imnaha River at the site.
Trapping began at this site in 1982 and the facilities were completed in 1988.
The facility was constructed with two weirs (electric and a picketed lead), fish
ladder, and adult holding pond, which is also used for juvenile acclimation and
release. Adults moving upstream in the Imnaha River are currently impeded by a
Daishin floating weir and diverted to the fish ladder. They swim up the ladder
and are trapped in an adult holding area until sampled.
Currently, after sampling occurs, fish selected for broodstock are
transported 3-4 hours to Lookingglass Hatchery. Under the proposed alternative,
fish selected for broodstock will not be transported off station but would be
moved into the juvenile acclimation pond on site. Dimensions of the pond are 25?4"
x 125? x 5?7". Although the pond was originally constructed to
accommodate adult holding as well as juvenile acclimation, it has not performed
this function satisfactorily. In addition, the existing weir and fish ladder
have not performed their function satisfactorily, which has resulted in an
inability to fish the entire run, as well as some adult mortality in 1999. The
existing weir is not able to fish effectively during high flows and typically
more than a quarter of the adult return passes by the facility before the weir
is installed. This is a concern for broodstock collection protocols and
monitoring and evaluation of the program. Some modifications will be necessary
at the facility. The feasibility of locating a weir to intercept adults
elsewhere in the subbasin will be examined during the design phase of this
project. The potential for developing a pathogen-free water source to incubate
eggs at the facility will also be analyzed during the design phase.
b. Incubation and Rearing Facility
The proposed site is on the Marks property located approximately 6 miles
upstream from the town of Imnaha, Oregon at RM 24.25 and at an elevation of
approximately 2400 ft. This site was selected from 10 potential sites on the
Imnaha through the screening process conducted by the NEOH Technical Work Group.
c. Acclimation and Release Facility
The existing acclimation and release facility at Gumboot does not have
sufficient space to accommodate the entire production of 490,000 smolts at one
time. As a result, current operations "double-load" or consecutively
run two groups of fish through the facility, which reduces acclimation time for
each group to about two weeks (preferred acclimation time is about 4 weeks).
Co-managers are considering two options under the proposed alternative to
address this situation:
- Continue to double-load (acclimate two groups) in the existing facility or
direct stream release small groups of fish upstream of the acclimation
facility. Since fish will be reared for the majority of their life on Imnaha
River water at the new incubation and rearing facility, acclimation in the
upper watershed prior to release may not be critical.
- Modify the existing facility (construct additional ponds) or construct new
facilities to accommodate full acclimation of the full program.
Co-managers agreed that the most beneficial location for additional acclimation
facilities would be upstream of the existing facility because most of the
spawning habitat is upstream. However, winter conditions in the Imnaha Subbasin
are typically severe, making access and operation of a facility in this location
difficult. During the preliminary design phase of this process, the biological
benefit of each option will be compared to the cost to determine the preferred
option.
2. Grande Ronde
The proposed alternative would construct a new incubation and rearing
facility in the Lostine River Subbasin. The existing Lostine River adult
collection and acclimation facilities are part of the Grande Ronde Basin Endemic
Spring Chinook Supplementation project that was approved by Council on June, 10
1998 and constructed by Bonneville in 1997 and 1998.
a. Adult Collection Facility
Adults would be collected at an existing temporary, picket-style weir
installed in the Lostine River approximately one mile upstream of the confluence
with the Wallowa River. The weir spans the complete river channel at a near
45-degree angle to river flow. It consists of tripods constructed from 2"
diameter steel pipe, connecting steel stringers, and aluminum pickets. The
trap/holding facility consists of a V-trap structure encased on three sides by
aluminum panels to create a holding pen. The weir is a movable facility that is
installed in April to June of each year and dismantled and removed in September
or October. In an effort to collect adults during high flows an auxiliary weir
is located approximately 1 mile upstream from the existing facility and being
operated as the principal site.
b. Incubation and Rearing Facility
The proposed site for this facility is on the Lundquist property at River
Mile 12, at an elevation of about 3,680 feet and approximately 6 miles upriver
from the town of Lostine. This site is directly upstream from the preferred site
selected during the NEOH screening process of 4 possible sites on the Lostine
River. This site is above all irrigation diversions on the Lostine River and is
immediately upstream of the Lostine Acclimation facility.
c. Acclimation and Release Facility
The existing acclimation and rearing facility is located on the private
property of Stuart Coleman, slightly downstream of the proposed incubation and
rearing facility. Smolts will continue to be acclimated at the facility until
the incubation and rearing facility is operational. After the incubation and
rearing facility is operational, fish can be released directly from their
rearing containers. The existing facility may become a component of the
incubation and rearing facility or be dismantled.
- Capital Costs
- Schedule for Development
Planning so far has cost $3,162,000. Construction of the Imnaha and Lostine
rivers incubation and rearing facilities is estimated to cost $13,860,000.
Annual operation and maintenance costs after all new facilities are fully
developed would cost approximately $928,000. The monitoring and evaluation costs
are estimated to cost about $760,000. These cost figures are based on estimates
from Montgomery Watson engineers, biologist, project leaders and are described
in the master plan. Cost of preliminary and final designs for the proposed
facilities is estimated to be about $1,964,000.
- Harvest Management
Salmon destined for the Snake River Basin are not managed as individual stocks
until they reach the mouth of the Snake River. Columbia River fisheries
recognize and manage all Snake River Basin tributary runs as an aggregate.
Since 1974, tribal and non-tribal commercial fisheries targeting upriver
spring chinook occurred only in 1977, although incidental catch does occur in
winter fishery targeting sturgeon and steelhead (February 1 ? March 21). Since
1993, incidental catch of upriver spring chinook salmon in these fisheries has
averaged 11 salmon annually. Incidental harvest of upriver spring chinook
occurring in non-Indian lower river sport and commercial fisheries were limited
by the Columbia River Fish Management Plan (CRFMP) to a combined rate of 4.1
percent and in no event was the harvest rate to exceed 5.0 percent. The 4.1
percent upriver chinook harvest limitation allowed mainstem harvest
opportunities for lower river stocks that are timed somewhat earlier than
upriver stocks in most years. From 1978-1996, the combined incidental harvest of
upriver spring chinook in lower river fisheries averaged 2.4 percent of the
upriver run; the 5 percent rate was exceeded twice, in 1988 (6.9 percent) and
1990 (5.4 percent).
As described in the CRFMP, the Columbia River treaty tribes? Ceremonial and
Subsistence (C&S) harvest of adult upriver spring chinook salmon would not
exceed 5.0 percent on runs of 25,000 to 50,000 fish, and would not exceed 7.0
percent on runs of 50,000. Since 1974, Treaty Indian commercial fisheries
targeting spring chinook occurred only in 1977. From 1978-96, the total harvest
averaged 5.9 percent of the upriver run. The tribes enacted regulations closing
all or portions of the spring C&S fishery in 1989 and from 1994-1996. The U.S.
v. Oregon Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) reported that, with the
exception of 1997, the recent five-year (1994-98) average harvest rates for
these fisheries have been 5.6 percent of spring chinook salmon.
Because so few fish return to these subbasins, harvest within either subbasin
is not considered a limiting factor. Tribal harvest is not significant. Sport
harvest of spring chinook has been prohibited in the Imnaha River since 1979 and
in the Grande Ronde River since 1973.
- Key Questions and Issues
1. Concepts
The Council could decide that there are still significant concerns, and risks
that are still unacceptable and need to be further addressed at this step level.
This could be due to the relationship of this project to Lower Snake River
Compensation Plan (LSRCP) and the needs to ensure that the project and the LSRCP
Program work closely together on common goals and joint uses of the facilities,
or its relationship to other projects (e.g. endemic and captive propagation
projects) that have been initiated in the basins. Is there a need for the Nez
Perce Tribe to take the lead, during step two, to ensure that the appropriate
strategy for facility modifications at Lookingglass Hatchery are made part of
this planning effort, and that this effort addresses the other components to the
currently permitted program in the subbasins?
The proposal outlined is attempting to improve current hatchery practices
through the implementation of NATURES and other hatchery guidelines that attempt
to be consistent with the life history of the cultured fish and the
environmental conditions of the specific watershed. This concept is based on
principles that minimize unintentional human influence on the cultured fish.
This seems also to be based on the need to rehabilitate the artificial
production initiatives in the subbasins in an effort to assist the natural runs.
By targeting natal stream water sources for the new facilities should the NPT
emphasis the use of the treated surface water to take full advantage of their
efforts to address needs of the life history of the cultured stock and the
environmental conditions of the watershed?
The Nez Perce Tribe and the ODFW undertook an intensive planning process
using existing knowledge of the habitat and the fish runs. The planning process
involved the review of other alternatives and rebuilding strategies. The master
plan has focused and elaborated on a proposed alternative. Given this, is there
any reason not to move forward with this proposed artificial production
initiative? Do the potential benefits from the project outweigh the associated
risks? Are the risks associated with doing nothing equal to or greater than what
might be expected from the proposed project? Are there other less risky
alternatives the fishery managers should consider that would meet their
management goals for the spring chinook? Could the production of spring chinook
needed to meet the management goals outlined in the master plan be produced
somewhere else at less cost and with no substantial increase in risks? Is there
some other way to achieve the production objectives (management goals) in the
subbasins for spring chinook that is less costly?
2. Genetic Risk
Is there a significant increase in genetic risk(s) to the wild/natural stocks
of spring chinook from the proposed alternative? If there are, what other
actions to those proposed in the master plan could the fishery managers take to
further reduce the genetic risk(s)?
3. Subbasin Planning
The Council anticipates that subbasin plans will be developed over the next
three years for the basins in the Columbia River. These plans will be consistent
with APR purposes, policies, and recommend actions. The Nez Perce Tribe has
addressed many of the principles and guidelines of the Artificial Production
Review (APR) into their planning process. Should a decision on this master plan
be delayed until there is a comprehensive subbasin planning process, guided in
part by basin and province-level goals and objectives, and the overarching
policies of the APR?
4. Harvest Management
An important element in any production program should be how artificially
produced fish will fit in with existing
harvest management constraints and conditions as outlined above. Projections
with regards to where, how and when artificially produced fish will be harvested
and utilized must be clearly delineated. Examples of questions that could be
asked are: Will harvest conditions limit the success of the program? Will
contributions to a mixed stock fishery exacerbate an existing problem with wild
stocks? How will fish be utilized when harvest rates are low? How will fish be
protected when harvest rates are high? How will the fish be harvested in the
subbasin, Columbia Basin and ocean? Do the artificially produced fish mesh well
with other hatchery programs in the region? Should a harvest management plan
should be developed that examines these issues and outlines possible actions
under differing conditions?
Northeast Oregon Hatchery Master Plan ? Step 1
Review Process
Week Description
-
1 (April 17, 2000, Monday) NPT/Bonneville submits Master
Plan to NWPPC
- NWPPC staff review
-
3 (May 1, 2000, Monday) Bonneville/NWPPC
initiates Peer Review
- 4 (May 10, 2000, Wednesday) NWPPC staff
Comments regarding Master Plan and draft Issue Paper to Fish
and Wildlife Committee (packet)
- 5 (May 16, 2000, Tuesday) NWPPC Fish and
Wildlife Committee reviews the Master Plan and draft Issue
Paper
- 7 (May 31, 2000, Wednesday) Fish and
Wildlife Committee Recommendation to Council (packet)
- 8 (June 7, 2000, Wednesday) NWPPC
considers releasing Master Plan and Issue Paper for review
and comment
- 11 (June 28, 2000, Wednesday) NWPPC takes
comments on Master Plan at Council Meeting
- 12 (July 7, 2000, Friday) Peer Review
findings submitted to NWPPC
- 14 (July 19, 2000, Wednesday) NWPPC takes
public comments at Council Meeting
- 16 (August 4, 2000, Friday) Due date for
all written comments on Master Plan
- 17-19 NWPPC staff prepares a summary of
comments and potential alternatives for decision
- 19 (August 23, 2000, Wednesday) NWPPC
staff provides summary of comments and potential
alternatives to Fish and Wildlife Committee to consider
recommendation (packet)
- 20 (August 29, 2000, Tuesday) Fish and
Wildlife Committee considers potential alternatives for
recommendation
- 22 (September 13, 2000, Wednesday) NWPPC
staff provides Decision Memo with Fish and Wildlife
Committee recommendation to Council (packet)
- 23 (September 20, 2000, Wednesday)
Council considers approval of Master Plan
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