This project addresses a key uncertainty for evaluating whether hatchery supplementation programs have a net positive contribution to recovery of listed populations. Specifically, what is the relative reproductive success of naturally spawning hatchery fish and what are causes of poor reproductive success of hatchery fish? We are addressing these questions by focusing on the spring Chinook salmon in the Wenatchee River, part of the endangered Upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon ESU. Our study design uses genetic parentage analysis to assign progeny (sampled at both the smolt and adult life stages) to naturally spawning hatchery and wild origin fish. The progeny counts for each spawner are a measure of reproductive success, and by comparing the mean reproductive success of hatchery and wild spawners, we obtain an estimate of the relative reproductive success (RRS) of the hatchery origin fish. A key part of the study is to include co-variables, such as age, size, run timing, spawning location, and spawning behavior, in the analysis so that the proximate causes of differences in RRS between hatchery and wild fish can be evaluated. The study was initiated in 2004, and we have sampled 10 years of adults and 8 years of smolts. In several papers and reports generated by this project, we have reported on the RRS of spawners sampled in 2004-2007, and 2010, and have found that spawning age, size, and location, in addition to hatchery/wild origin, are important co-factors explaining variation in reproductive success. This has been a highly influential study that addresses a critical uncertainty identified in both recovery plans and biological opinions and has had strong support from the West Coast Regional Office. Microsatellite data from spring run Wenatchee River Chinook salmon.

Assist Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) in determining the extent to which genetic introgression exists between Snake River hatchery steelhead straying into the John Day Basin and the local ESA-listed summer steelhead, and to verify the existing Technical Recovery Team (TRT) population designations within the John Day system. Results of this research will be used to inform the management and conservation of John Day River Basin steelhead. Genetics.

Assist Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) in determining the extent to which genetic introgression exists between Snake River hatchery steelhead straying into the John Day Basin and the local ESA-listed summer steelhead, and to verify the existing Technical Recovery Team (TRT) population designations within the John Day system. Results of this research will be used to inform the management and conservation of John Day River Basin steelhead. Genetics.

The goals of this study are to develop methods to reduce wandering and straying of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that are collected and barged from the Snake River to below Bonneville Dam. Salmon and steelhead that stray and spawn in non-natal streams are a significant conservation concern, because they may confound accurate assessment of the VSP parameters of recovering native populations and decrease the productivity of these populations through genetic introgression or ecological competition. These issues are a particular concern for listed mid-Columbia River stocks because salmon that are collected and barged downstream as juveniles have shown higher stray rates into these watersheds as returning adults relative to in-river migrants. However, while barging may contribute to elevated stray rates, there are substantial benefits from barging because transported Snake River steelhead consistently have higher smolt-to-adult returns than steelhead left to migrate in-river. Therefore, it is important to identify and develop strategies for reducing the stray rates of transported steelhead while maintaining the survival benefits consistently observed for barged steelhead. The specific aims of this proposal are as follows: 1) Conduct an analysis of existing coded wire (CWT) and PIT tag data to identify causative factors associated with straying by Columbia River salmonids, particularly as it relates to natural rates of straying and straying associated with transport. 2) Assess imprinting of barged and in-river migrants by monitoring imprinting associated changes in physiological function and gene expression as indicators of imprinting success. 3) Identify key environmental parameters (e.g. orienting current, water exchange rate, novel tributary water) that are important for imprinting barged fish and develop barging protocols to optimize imprinting success and thereby minimize straying using a controlled laboratory study. 4) Initiate tests of a modified barge protocol designed to maintain survival benefits while reducing wandering, delay, and straying behavior of returning adults. The work is being conducted by NWFSC scientists in collaboration with the University of Washington. Products for this project will include annual reports, peer-reviewed publications, presentation of results at local and national meetings, and consultation with the FCRPS managers. Physiological data on hatchery-reared steelhead.

This is a long-term (30-year) NWFSC Genetics and Evolution Program study to monitor the genetic characteristics and population dynamics of hatchery- and natural-origin Chinook salmon and steelhead in the Snake River Basin, which are both species listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act. Genetic tools are used to determine if naturally spawning hatchery fish are influencing the adaptive potential and viability of wild fish in the basin. This work involves long-term annual field work to collect DNA from threatened Chinook salmon and steelhead at numerous locations throughout the Snake and Salmon River Basin and analyze the genetic signatures from the collections in the context of a long-term historical baseline of hatchery production and natural variation in wild salmonid production there. Initiated in 1989, this study monitors genetic changes associated with hatchery propagation in multiple Snake River sub-basins for Chinook salmon and steelhead. We also derive estimates of reproductive success for individual families and groups of fish. The information obtained from this study directly addresses a critical knowledge gap identified by comanagers, which is: under what conditions does hatchery supplementation provide a sustained contribution to natural production? Co-managers are ODFW, CTUIR, NPT, WDFW, IDFG, and SBT. This type of monitoring work is now an essential part of hatchery reform and the goal of using widespread hatchery propagation in recovery of natural populations.

The goals of this study are to develop methods to reduce wandering and straying of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that are collected and barged from the Snake River to below Bonneville Dam. Salmon and steelhead that stray and spawn in non-natal streams are a significant conservation concern, because they may confound accurate assessment of the VSP parameters of recovering native populations and decrease the productivity of these populations through genetic introgression or ecological competition. These issues are a particular concern for listed mid-Columbia River stocks because salmon that are collected and barged downstream as juveniles have shown higher stray rates into these watersheds as returning adults relative to in-river migrants. However, while barging may contribute to elevated stray rates, there are substantial benefits from barging because transported Snake River steelhead consistently have higher smolt-to-adult returns than steelhead left to migrate in-river. Therefore, it is important to identify and develop strategies for reducing the stray rates of transported steelhead while maintaining the survival benefits consistently observed for barged steelhead. The specific aims of this proposal are as follows: 1) Conduct an analysis of existing coded wire (CWT) and PIT tag data to identify causative factors associated with straying by Columbia River salmonids, particularly as it relates to natural rates of straying and straying associated with transport. 2) Assess imprinting of barged and in-river migrants by monitoring imprinting associated changes in physiological function and gene expression as indicators of imprinting success. 3) Identify key environmental parameters (e.g. orienting current, water exchange rate, novel tributary water) that are important for imprinting barged fish and develop barging protocols to optimize imprinting success and thereby minimize straying using a controlled laboratory study. 4) Initiate tests of a modified barge protocol designed to maintain survival benefits while reducing wandering, delay, and straying behavior of returning adults. The work is being conducted by NWFSC scientists in collaboration with the University of Washington. Products for this project will include annual reports, peer-reviewed publications, presentation of results at local and national meetings, and consultation with the FCRPS managers. Physiological and field data on barged and in-river migrant steelhead.

This population historically migrated as subyearling smolts, but in recent years, the yearling life history has become more common. Environmental conditions associated with dams and reservoirs might be exerting strong selection for alteration of life history traits that evolved over millennia. This project attempts to determine the extent to which these life history changes are due to evolution (genetic change) as opposed to phenotypic plasticity (non-genetic response to different environmental conditions). Snake River fall Chinook reproductive success.

The CalFish Abundance Database contains a comprehensive collection of anadromous fisheries abundance information. Beginning in 1998, the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the National Marine Fisheries Service, began a cooperative project aimed at collecting, archiving, and entering into standardized electronic formats, the wealth of information generated by fisheries resource management agencies and tribes throughout California.Extensive data are currently available for chinook, coho, and steelhead. Major data categories include adult abundance population estimates, actual fish and/or carcass counts, counts of fish collected at dams, weirs, or traps, and redd counts. Harvest data has been compiled for many streams, and hatchery return data has been compiled for the states mitigation facilities. A draft format has been developed for juvenile abundance and awaits final approval. This CalFish Abundance Database shapefile was generated from fully routed 1:100,000 hydrography. In a few cases streams had to be added to the hydrography dataset in order to provide a means to create shapefiles to represent abundance data associated with them. Streams added were digitized at no more than 1:24,000 scale based on stream line images portrayed in 1:24,000 Digital Raster Graphics (DRG).These features generally represent abundance counts resulting from stream surveys. The linear features in this layer typically represent the location for which abundance data records apply. This would be the reach or length of stream surveyed, or the stream sections for which a given population estimate applies. In some cases the actual stream section surveyed was not specified and linear features represent the entire stream. In many cases there are multiple datasets associated with the same length of stream, and so, linear features overlap. Please view the associated datasets for detail regarding specific features. In CalFish these are accessed through the "link" that is visible when performing an identify or query operation. A URL string is provided with each feature in the downloadable data which can also be used to access the underlying datasets.The steelhead data that is available via the CalFish website is actually linked directly to the StreamNet website where the databases tabular data is currently stored. Additional information about StreamNet may be downloaded at http://www.streamnet.org. Complete documentation for the StreamNet database may be accessed at http://www.streamnet.org/def.html

The Hood Canal Steelhead Project is a 17-year before-after-control-impact experiment that tests the effects of supplementation on natural steelhead populations in Hood Canal. There are three supplemented and four control (non-supplemented) populations that are being monitored for adult and juvenile abundance, life history, and genetic diversity. The project also quantifies early marine survival and behavior and ecological interactions between hatchery- and natural-origin steelhead. Project data, parr and smolt data set from 2007-2015.

Conduct captive brood stock gene rescue program for Elwha River odd-year class pink salmon. The fork length to the nearest mm and weight to the nearest gram of a subsample of fish is recorded on an approximately quarterly basis.