This presentation was given by, Manfred Kittel, CDFW, at a meeting of the Statewide Coho Recovery Team, June 26-27, 2013
Coho Salmon Captive Rearing South of San Francisco The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project and NOAA Fisheries Captive Broodstock Program California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bay Delta Region June 2013
Program Goal: “To facilitate a sustained recovery of southern coho salmon … consistent with the Recovery Strategy for California Coho Salmon”
Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project Located on Big Creek (tributary to Scott Creek) Started as a conservation hatchery in 1982 Previously operated as a coho hatchery from Scott Creek watershed area 194 km 2 (15 IPkm) Classified as a dependent population by NOAA Life cycle monitoring station with weir (adult trap) and downstream migrant trap NOAA SWFSC coho broodstock program since 2000
Kingfisher Flat Hatchery 20-ft. tank for broodstock rearing Tanks for YOY Raceways for smolts Hatchery building
Kingfisher Flat Hatchery Tray stacks and Moist Air Incubator for egg incubation Troughs for early rearing
Kingfisher Flat Hatchery Big Creek (trib. to Scott Creek) Year-round water supply from Big Creek for outdoor tanks and raceways. Indoor hatchery systems use water from smaller Berry Creek (upstream tributary) which may dry up in low-water years.
Recent Improvements to MBSTP Moist Air Incubator Dramatic reduction in fungal egg infection Use of 20’ rearing tanks and new krill diet Significant increase in length (>8%) and weight (>100%) of broodstock
Recent Improvements to MBSTP Outbreeding with Olema Creek/Russian River coho (since 2010) Helped identify fertilization problems With Scott Creek females and improved survival Increased number of broodstock in captivity (120 360) Significantly increased production and resulted in potential release of YOY and adult coho salmon SC RR X OC
NOAA Fisheries Coho Salmon Captive Broodstock Program Goals 1. Reduce the extinction risk of the southernmost populations of coho salmon by continuing production of adult broodstock in our laboratory facilities. 2. Expand ongoing research efforts to provide information necessary to support, improve and adapt recovery plans, with the objective of restoring viable coho salmon populations within the Santa Cruz Mountains Diversity Stratum.
NOAA Fisheries Coho Salmon Captive Broodstock Program
NOAA Fisheries CBP General Research Areas Coho salmon husbandry Genetic and molecular investigations Coho salmon life history, behavior and ecology Studies in Progress 1. Effects of LWD addition to San Vicente Creek with or without coho fry releases ( ) 2. Timing of release of coho smolts in Scott Creek NOAA Coho Broodstock Program
MBSTP / NOAA Fisheries CBP Broodstock Rearing, Spawning and Release KFH (100)NOAA CBP (80)WSH (180) Kingfisher Flat Hatchery Coho Releases Scott Creek, San Vicente Creek, other regional streams
Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project Coho Smolt Releases (Scott Creek) YearNumber Scott Creek Coho Escapement
Captive Rearing and NOAA Recovery Targets South of San Francisco Watershed IP-km (Depens.-N a) Captive Rearing Target * NOAA Delisting Target Recent Escapement ** Scott Creek A: 132/10/3 B: 15/16/1 C: 4/1/15 Pescadero Creek ,300 Functionally extirpated San Lorenzo River ,800 Functionally extirpated Gazos Creek Functionally extirpated Waddell Creek Functionally extirpated Soquel Creek ,122 Functionally extirpated San Vicente Creek Some recent releases Total 2481,2908,429