Overview of PNP Salmon Production In Alaska

The PNP Program Began in the Late 70’s

Salmon Enhancement Program The Hatchery Program was initiated by the State of Alaska in the early 1970’s to rehabilitate declining salmon harvests The Enhancement effort included the creation of the FRED Div. of ADFG as well as the creation of the PNP Program by the Alaska Legislature in 1975 The current Enhancement program consists of 2 state hatcheries, 5 PNP Regional Assoc, 2 non-Regional PNPs, and 3 Federal or BIA hatcheries. The state hatcheries are operated by Sport Fish Division and produce salmonid species to target sport fisheries. Alaska’s Fishery resources have have reached record levels in recent years

What Guidelines are Used by Alaska to Insure the Protection of wild stocks and to regulate fisheries enhancement ? Genetics Policy Salmon Escapement Goal Policy Transportation, Possession, & Release of Live Fish Policy for Management of Mixed Stock Salmon Fisheries

Management of Mixed Stock Salmon Fisheries Conservation of wild stocks is given highest priority

Private Non – Profit Regional Aquaculture Associations In 1975 the Alaska Legislature passed an act allowing for the creation of Private Non-Profit Regional and Non Regional Aquaculture Assoc with Fishery Revolving Fund loans Places the burden of producing commercial salmon for harvest directly on the user groups benefiting from that harvest – commercial fishermen Regional Aquaculture Associations –Cook Inlet Regional (CIAA) –Prince William Sound Regional (PSWAC) –Kodiak Regional (KRAA) –Northern SE Regional (NSRAA) –Southern SE Regional (SSRAA)

FISH TRANSPORT PERMIT FTP PERMIT NO. 99

FISH TRANSPORT PERMIT FTP PERMIT NO. 99

PNP Program Funding Capital Improvement and Operating Loans provided by the State of Alaska (“Revolving Fund”) Assessment Taxes Terminal and Special Harvest Areas Cost Recovery Contract Rearing to ADF&G

Enhancement Methods Hatchery Releases Remote Release Sites Lake Plants of Fry and Smolts Lake Fertilization Streamside Incubation Eyed Egg Plants

Hatchery Site Selection Quality and quantity Consider the location and accessibility of the site. Pathology of indigenous stocks Are there wild stocks in the area that will be impacted by straying, are they using the water supply selected for the hatchery. Who will benefit from the production? Does the site have a good Terminal Harvest Area? Locating a Suitable Water Supply

Types of Hatchery Water Supplies Barriered Lake Systems (Neets Bay Hatchery) –Many hatcheries in Alaska use barriered lakes at remote locations. –Water quality is generally good to excellent but varies from lake to lake –All have resident fish species but are not accessible by returning adults. –Lake depth determines the amount of temperature control available. –Available head lends itself to installation of a hydroelectric unit to provide site power. –Most locations are remote, expensive to develop, operate and difficult to staff. –Pressurized pipes need pressure reducing valves.

Types of Hatchery Water Supplies Barriered Lake with Municipal HydroPower Utility (Crystal Lake Hatchery) –If an existing site is available pipeline would already be in place. –Some are located near urban areas and facilities may be available for housing staff. –Reduced capital costs, utilities and power readily available –Temp. control is difficult, most hydro projects pull from one depth. –Water may only be available after power generation or there may be a cost. –Hatchery operations must be coordinated with utility operations.

Hatchery Design Production Plan Bio Criteria Water Supply/Quality Supply Lines to Hatchery and Valve Control Feed Handling Stock Rotation – Transfers, sorting, disease treatments Predator Control Buildings – Incubation, Shop, Office, Housing Raceways, Circular tanks or other. Indoor/Outdoor Alarm Systems Saltwater Net Pens, Transfer system and facilities Fish Ladder

Many hatcheries function as Central Incubation Facilities where fish and eggs are cultivated for a variety of programs and releases sites. The attached diagram describes SSRAA's programs and releases administered from each facility.

Whitman Lake Hatchery Production –Central Incubation Facility –750,000 chinook smolts –1.725 million coho smolts –24 million summer chum fry Water Supply –Gravity feed, dual pipelines/two intakes –Excellent temp. control Physical Plant –Pressure reducing valves –Degassing Tower, Vacuum degassers, O2 generation –20 raceways

Review – Elements of a Successful Program Production does not adversely impact wild stocks. –Genetics Policy Does not complicate management of existing fisheries. –Salmon Escapement Goal Policy –Policy for Management of Mixed Stock Salmon Fisheries Water source is clean and abundant, meets minimum water quality standards developed by ADFG. Evaluate site for construction costs. Site and water supply allow for future expansion. Location provides suitable terminal harvest area for hatchery operator.

SSRAA Remote Rearing Sites Kendrick Bay Nakat Inlet Anita bay Long Lake Hugh Smith Lake Neck Lake and Neck Creek Remote release sites are programs put in place to target a specific fishery or fisheries for commercial as well as sport fishermen. These programs are used for a variety of reasons. Most of SSRAA’s remote releases target specific fisheries such as summer chum releases at Kendrick Bay for the seine fleet. The purpose of the summer coho release at Neck Lake is to provide SSRAA with cost recovery funds to finance operational costs of the Burnett Inlet Hatchery.

Why Use Net Pens Primary reason is to expand rearing potential in salt or freshwater Inexpensive versus developing upland sites Better survival through increased growth Remote releases

Site Selection for Net Pens Tidal flow (.6m/sec max) Anchoring Danforth type –The best anchoring is attachment to bedrock whenever practical regardless of pen size –Use a shore tie whenever possible, very secure and easily inspected –The effects of tide and a storm event bring to bear incredible stress on a pen system that will surely fail (in the middle of the night) unless properly designed –Use quality materials for attachment hardware. Deep anchors are not possible to inspect Salinity and Temperature Freshwater Influence for Imprinting

140M pink Xms=4.5% 179M pink Xms=6.4% 9.3M sockeye Xms=9.9% 22M sockeye to 3 lakes Xms=3.5% 77M pink Xms=7.5% 74M chum Xms=3.2% 2M coho Xms=8.1% M=millions released;Xms= mean smolt to adult survival for last decade

Gillnet Seine

Hatchery releases also provide fish for cost recovery in the Terminal Harvest Area (THA) after passing through the commercial fishery. Fish and roe are sold under contract to processors Cost recovery funds in addition to funds generated from assessment taxes are used by the Regional Assoc. to meet operating expenses and debt reduction. Cost recovery is not performed at all hatcheries so the primary goal is to maintain a broodstock. SSRAA cost recovery earned $3.5 M in In any program broodstock is priority one. COST RECOVERY

Contribution of PNP Enhancement ( ) PWSAC: in PWS salmon fisheries, 49% of volume and 35% of value due to PNP enhancement SSRAA: 12% of volume and 31% of value Chinook from PNPs are exempt from Pacific Salmon Treaty Quotas Stable Value of Limited Entry Permits Salmon Fishermen have received $17 for each dollar of Enhancement Tax Paid

Benefits of PNP to Alaska Converted finite oil resource revenue into renewable fishery resource PNPs pay back their loans Commercial fishery income remains locally Processing industry more stable Sport fishery benefits to tourists have expanded charter fleet Enhancement has not come at the expense of wild salmon through selective harvest