Hatchery Reform in the Pacific Northwest: Applying Science to Hatchery Management Applying Science to Hatchery Management, August 2008 Hatchery Scientific Review Group

WDFW Tribe USFWS

1.helping to conserve naturally spawning populations; and 2.supporting sustainable fisheries. The Hatchery Reform Project is a systematic, science-driven review of hatchery programs to achieve two goals:

Hatchery Scientific Review Group Puget Sound Columbia River Unaffiliated John Barr (Vice Chair) Lee Blankenship (Vice Chair) Trevor Evelyn, Ph.D. Lars Mobrand, Ph.D. (Chair) Lisa Seeb, Ph.D. Steve Smith William Smoker, Ph.D. Agency Donald Campton, Ph.D. Mike Delarm Dave Fast, Ph.D. Thomas Flagg Jeff Gislason, Ph.D. Paul Kline Conrad Mahnken, Ph.D. George Nandor Peter Paquet, Ph.D. Paul Seidel

GOALS SCIENTIFIC DEFENSIBILITY INFORMED DECISION MAKING Principles for Hatchery Management

Priorities for Implementing Hatchery Reform Broodstock management Compliance with environmental regulations

Historical hatchery problem: Unknown gene flow between two environments Hatchery spawn Wild spawn ? ? Unknown gene flow

HSRG 101 Broodstock Management Strategies –Integrated, Segregated Population Designations –Primary, Contributing, Stabilizing

Integrated Goal: 1 population, 2 environments Solution: Genetically Integrated or Segregated Broodstocks Hatchery Wild HatcheryWild Segregated Goal: 2 populations, 2 environments IntegratedSegregated

Genetic risks vs. gene flow Hatchery Wild Integrated HatcheryWild Segregated Natural Spawning Genetic Risk :

HSRG 101 Broodstock Management Strategies –Integrated, Segregated Population Designations –Primary, Contributing, Stabilizing

Population Designations Why are they important? –Describes different levels of risk tolerance. –Not all populations are created equal. –Evaluation - apples to apples. –Balance - helps to ensure an ESU has diversity, spatial structure, resiliency.

Population Designations What the HSRG uses –Primary—biologically significant, core, key, highly viable, important to recovery. Historically were a large segment of the population structure. Need to be at low risk of extinction. –Contributing– of some significance, are viable but lower in abundance than Primary. Contribute to diversity. –Stabilizing—a population, but may not have ever been a large segment of the population structure.

Definition of Terms pNOB=% Natural Origin fish in the hatchery broodstock pHOS=% Hatchery Origin fish on the spawning grounds PNI = pNOB/(pNOB+pHOS)

Designation Standards Primary Integrated hatchery programs: PNI > 0.67; pHOS <30% Segregated hatchery program: pHOS < 5% Contributing Integrated hatchery programs: PNI > 0.50; pHOS <30% Segregated hatchery program: pHOS < 10% Stabilizing Integrated hatchery programs—current condition Segregated hatchery programs—current condition

Progress The HSRG has completed reviews of populations and hatchery programs for anadromous salmonids in Washington's Puget Sound and Coast (State, Federal Tribal) Resulted in 1181 recommendations

Progress for Columbia River The HSRG moved to the Columbia in fall It has completed field reviews of populations and hatchery programs for anadromous salmonids. –Draft Final products by October 2008 –Report to Congress due December 2008

Keys to Conservation Develop local broodstocks (even if not native) –Increased performance Control risks to natural populations caused by the unintended presence of hatchery-origin adults on spawning grounds –Acclimation –Adult recapture facilities –Use selective fisheries (gear or time and area) –Reduce program size –Wild Fish Management Zones

Keys to Conservation cont. Develop properly integrated hatchery programs or - maintain effective, segregated hatchery programs (HSRG has no preference) Place the resources in the hands of the managers to complete facility and monitoring reforms

Background - Importance of Habitat Benefits associated with habitat improvement increase as Hatchery Reforms are made by providing better adapted fish to occupy the new (better) habitat.

Estimated harvest under current and HSRG management scenarios