February 5, 2003 Integrating Fisheries Management Into Comprehensive Recovery Planning Jeff Koenings, Randy Kinley Mike Grayum, Curt Kraemer, Kit Rawson

February 5, 2003 Washington's Goals for Salmon Recovery Statewide Strategy to Recover Salmon: “Restore salmon, steelhead, and trout populations to healthy harvestable levels and improve those habitats on which the fish rely.” Shared Strategy Objective: "Recover and maintain an abundance of naturally spawning salmon at harvestable levels"

February 5, 2003 In Puget Sound: 74% of coho & 85% of chinook caught are hatchery origin Hatchery fish predominate in harvest Wild chinook, coho, sockeye, pink and chum also contribute significantly to fisheries In the Columbia River: 95% of coho & 78% of chinook caught are hatchery origin

February 5, 2003 Economic role of fisheries in Washington Washington sport fishers spend $854 million per year Washington ranks 8th in nation in spending by sport fishers Washington commercial landing values average $145.3 million per year Washington ranks 7 th in nation on commercial fishery landing values

February 5, 2003 Economic role of fish & wildlife in Washington  48,107 related jobs*  $4.83 billion in related expenditures per biennium** * 2001, Washington Employment Security Department and Southwick Associates ** U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

February 5, 2003 Where have we been? Less than half of Snohomish chinook returned to spawn

February 5, 2003 Pacific Northwest Chinook Salmon are Widely Distributed Less mixture of stocks & species Least mixture of stocks & species Greatest mixture of stocks & species

February 5, 2003 Salmon Management Forums are Coordinated Coastwide Coastwide: Pacific Salmon Treaty Ocean: Pacific Fisheries Mgmt. Council Puget Sound : WDFW & tribes

February 5, 2003 WDFW & Tribal activities require ESA Authorization State-tribal harvest management plans obtained ESA section 4(d) sanction for Puget Sound chinook salmon and summer chum, in addition to 3 concurrent Section 7 applications for fisheries affecting these fish & EIS. Hatchery Management Plans: 128 plans submitted for state, tribal and co-operative hatchery operations, seeking section 4(d) determination, in addition to nine existing Section 10 permits & EPA permits. Research authorization: Submitted for more than 50 fish research projects in Puget Sound & the Columbia River. Fishery Management and Evaluation Plans: 3 plans submitted for 4(d) determination on non-salmon fisheries that could impact listed fish. Section 6 cooperative agreement for hatchery & research impacts to bull trout.

February 5, 2003 Impacts on Puget Sound salmon have been substantially reduced  Then Less than 50% About 75% Now 

February 5, 2003 Tools for Managing Fisheries Fishing location Timing & duration of seasons and openings Sub-area Closures Special area ("bubble") fisheries Size limits Gear restrictions (mesh size, bait, lures) Selective release (species, marked fish) Gear types (beach seines, traps, fish wheels, tangle nets, weirs)

February 5, 2003 Coded-Wire Tags provide critical scientific information Chinook and coho stock identification Help estimate migration routes, population size & fisheries impacts Evaluate fisheries plans such as Comp. Chinook & PST

February 5, 2003 Puget Sound Hatcherie s with CWT programs 10 New chinook CWT Programs Coho CWT programs

February 5, % of Listed Stocks Show Increasing Spawners 45 listed salmonid populations, representing 51% of those surveyed, showed improved spawner numbers in the period from as compared with averages. Has the number of progeny from these additional spawners increased?

February 5, 2003 Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) January March 2003

February 5, 2003 PDO Up Close: PDO Up Close: January March 2003

February 5, 2003 Oregon Coho Marine Survival Rate

What does it all mean? 1. Fisheries are impacting fewer listed fish so more return to spawning grounds 2. ESA compliance concerns are being, or have been, addressed such that fisheries are not precluding recovery of listed salmon 3. Increasing marine survival through the PDO will deliver still more spawners over near term 4. Opportunity: Jumpstarting recovery

February 5, 2003 Integrating fisheries management into recovery planning Aspects of salmonid life history that are fundamental to how we manage fisheries How does the Puget Sound chinook harvest plan work? How does harvest affect recovery? The H's MUST work together!

Salmon are inherently productive 10 7 Survival Under Good Freshwater Conditions ~22% 990 ~1% ~70% (based on Seiler, et al., April 1998, 1997 Skagit River Wild Chinook Production Evaluation, research funded by Seattle City Light; project ongoing 1989-present) 4,500 Life Stage Survival 3.5 returns per spawner

"Capacity" & "Productivity" Productivity: Proportion of fish that survive from one life stage to another: e.g., from egg to smolt or spawner to adult return Capacity: Number of spawners that fit into the spawning habitat

Productivity is affected at every life stage Life Stage Factor Hatcheries, Freshwater & Estuarine Habitat Marine Survival Fisheries

Freshwater conditions have dramatic effects on productivity (based on Seiler, et al., April 1998, 1997 Skagit River Wild Chinook Production Evaluation, research funded by Seattle City Light; project ongoing 1989-present) 10 7 Survival Under Good Freshwater Conditions ~22% 4, ~1% ~70% ~3% 4,500 ~1% <1 135 Poor Freshwater Conditions Less than 1 return per spawner Life Stage Survival

Spawners Returning Adults 1:1 Replacement Line healthy population declining population Harvestable Salmon populations are density dependent

Key messages Salmon are inherently productive With good habitat conditions, sufficient fish are produced to provide harvest without reducing future production Productivity is affected at every life stage Health & capacity of habitat can dramatically affect population productivity & abundance Fisheries must be responsive to a population's underlying productivity, which is dependent upon the quality & quantity of its habitat

February 5, 2003 What do we mean when we say “harvest" & "impacts” Landed Catch Fish that die as a result of their encounter with fishing gear: Hooking mortality Fish dropping out of nets All fishing-related mortality

February 5, 2003 What do we mean when we say “harvest" & "impacts” Each fishery catches fish from many different streams Impacts are examined at the scale of the population E.g. Skagit coho impacts differentiated from Hood Canal coho impacts Impacts are examined throughout migration (Alaska, Canada, southern U.S. coast, Puget Sound, instream)

February 5, 2003 Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan To ensure that harvest does not impede recovery, need a plan that … … Ensures sufficient spawners to maintain population stability, given current habitat productivity … Sets maximum allowable recovery harvest rates Plan must allow populations to expand as habitat improves

February 5, 2003 Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan Hypothetical Puget Sound Chinook Stock Proportion of adult population harvested Extreme low abundance Max. fishery restrictions Low abundance threshold Number of Spawners

February 5, 2003 Low Abundance Threshold Low abundance threshold safeguards against extremely low numbers of spawners Ensures sufficient spawner numbers to maintain population stability Low abundance threshold triggers maximum fishery restrictions

February 5, 2003 Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan Hypothetical Puget Sound Chinook Stock Proportion of adult population harvested Rebuilding Extreme low abundance Max. 30% harvest Max. fishery restrictions Low abundance threshold Current estimate of habitat productivity & capacity Number of Spawners Habitat productivity & capacity increases

February 5, 2003 Maximum harvest rates during recovery … Provide sufficient spawners to take advantage of improving quality & quantity of habitat, &... Avoid risk of stock instability by employing population size (abundance) thresholds Provide sufficient spawners to enable recovery even during worst-case marine survivals

February 5, 2003 Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan Puget Sound Chinook Harvest Plan Hypothetical Puget Sound Chinook Stock Proportion of adult population harvested Rebuilding Extreme low abundance Max. ?% harvest Max. 30% harvest Max. fishery restrictions Recovered Low abundance threshold Current estimate of habitat productivity & capacity Number of Spawners Habitat productivity & capacity increases Recovery is achieved

February 5, 2003 Snohomish Chinook "Then" & "Now" Source: Fishery Regulation Assessment Model, 2001 Calibration spawners harvest 2001 maximum % of Adult Population Harvested

February 5, 2003 Current harvest plan provides for recovery of wild salmon … Ensures sufficient spawners to maintain population stability Ensures sufficient spawners to take advantage of improving habitat during recovery Avoids risk of stock instability by employing abundance thresholds Accounts for all fishing-related impacts across all fisheries Incorporates uncertainty in data & the environment, & minimizes risk

February 5, 2003 Total abundance of Snohomish chinook has declined despite stable spawner numbers Source: Comprehensive Chinook Management Plan DRAFT Dec Numbers of fish Declining productivity

February 5, 2003 photo

Natural Skykomish Chinook Catch

Spawners = 1 – (harvest rate)

North Fork Stillaguamish Supplementation Program Spawners Supplementation Spawners

North Fork Stillaguamish Natural Origin Spawners Natural Spawners

North Fork Stillaguamish Supplementation fish increasing; Natural fish stable Natural Spawners Supplementation Spawners

North Fork Stillaguamish Supplementation fish increasing; Natural fish stable Natural Spawners Supplementation Spawners

North Fork Skykomish Bull Trout Redds Number of redds

Key messages Harvest can only be expected to do so much Reduced harvest may buy additional time while we implement changes in the other "H's"

February 5, 2003 How does harvest management relate to local recovery planning?

February 5, 2003 Frequently asked questions Why should I cut back on fishing when there isn’t any decent place in the river for the fish to go to anyway?

February 5, 2003 Frequently asked questions Why should I leave a buffer when they aren’t letting any fish through the nets to use the river anyway?

February 5, 2003 How do harvest and habitat management work together for recovery? Habitat condition determines height of the production curve Harvest determines where you are on the production curve Both must be managed for recovery to happen

Example: NF Stillaguamish Production Curves

February 5, 2003 Transition to recovery Habitat improvement Harvest reduction

February 5, 2003 How do harvest and hatchery management work together for recovery? Hatchery production can: Maintain fishing opportunity Substitute for wild fish and therefore reduce harvest of wild fish Help “jump-start” depressed runs Hatchery fish must not: Contribute to increased harvest of wild fish Overpopulate limited natural habitat Therefore: Hatchery/Harvest/Habitat plans must be coordinated

February 5, 2003 Example: Snohomish hatchery chinook Problem: Low harvest rates lead to high abundance of hatchery fish in river. Solution: Provide selective harvest opportunity on hatchery fish. Mark all hatchery fish with adipose finclip Allow harvest of marked fish only in limited time and area where hatchery fish predominate Coordinated management plan must: Account for impacts to wild fish Assure enough hatchery fish pass through to perpetuate hatchery run

February 5, 2003 Example: Tulalip hatchery chinook Problem: Declining wild runs threaten traditional tribal fisheries Solution: Provide concentrated return of hatchery fish to Tulalip Bay Time and area fishery management Coordinated management plan needs Account for impacts to wild fish

February 5, 2003 Example: Tulalip hatchery chinook Results Fishery is 95% Tulalip hatchery fish 90%+ of Tulalip hatchery fish are harvested

February 5, 2003 Example: NF Stillaguamish supplementation Problem: Poor productivity suggests Stillaguamish chinook need a “jump start” Solution: Provide hatchery production that can return to natural spawning areas Coordinated management plan needs Harvest rates on these hatchery fish are kept low – they are not marked Adjust program level appropriate for available habitat Scale back program when natural productivity improves

All H’s contribute to recovery but at different time scales Harvest reduction Habitat improvement effect Harvest reduction effect

February 5, 2003 The “H’s” work together Harvest plan designed to not impede recovery Habitat protection and restoration facilitate recovery Hatchery programs do both A recovery plan must integrate the “H’s” Don’t be fooled by marine survival fluctuations

Jon. Anderson WDFW Archives Debbie Preston For information, contact: Mike Grayum, NWIFC Curt Kraemer, WDFW Kit Rawson, Tulalip Tribes