1. Methods for analysis of Chinook scales coastal and interior Oregon The Fish Life History Analysis Project Ben Clemens Lisa Borgerson Kanani Bowden Stephanie Gunckel

2. Fish Life History Analysis Project Project history Project transitions Bottom-line: Chinook (and other spp.) monitoring “Small, developing project with a big (and growing) plate”

6. Scale Preparation Most scales mounted on gummed cards Plastic impressions made with a heat press Scales of juveniles mounted on glass slides Viewed with microfiche projector Digital image system (Image Pro Plus, FlashPoint frame grabber, Leitz microsope, Cohu B&W camera)

7. Age salmon by the number of winters Fall/winter spawning salmon: Add “1” for the first winter Fish Age

8. Accuracy and Precision Accuracy Test readers with known age scales--tagged fish (CWT, PIT) Multiple readers (catch recording errors, lapses in judgment) Precision Multiple readers-agree on interpretation diffs Train by reading scales read by prev. readers Test on a standard set of scales

9. Validation Known age tagged fish Natural marks Pedigree study Mark and recapture Marks on structure, chemical or temperature induced Beamish, R.J. and G.A. McFarlane. 1983.. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. Campana, S.E. 2001. J. Fish Biol.

10. Challenges Sample sizes Scale quality Resorption/regeneration Unclipped hatchery fish Within-basin life history diversity Ocean entrance: check vs. annuli “Reservoir” life histories South-migrating stocks: less distinct annuli Lack of “known” age/disposition samples: Validation

11. Challenges “Small, developing project with a big (& growing) plate” Ability to adapt (learn, grow, train new staff): challenging, given workload.