Evaluation of Recovery Options for Cheakamus River Steelhead Josh Korman Carl Walters Steve Martell Eric Taylor

Key Components to Develop a Science-Based Recovery Strategy Define Problem –Extent of mortality due to spill –Time to recovery Clarify Objectives –Recover population to pre-spill abundance –Wild population, fishery Identify Recovery Actions –Habitat enhancement, hatchery supplementation, fishery closures, do nothing Analyze and Screen Recovery Actions –Probability of success, risks, costs Implement and monitor

The Problem McCubbing, Melville, Wilson, and Foy, 2006 (Draft)

The Problem (con’t) McCubbing, Melville, Wilson, and Foy, 2006 (Draft)

The Problem (con’t) CN Spill2003 Flood ? ?

Pessimistic (35 yrs, 2041) Optimistic (15 yrs, 2021)

Recovery Objectives Wild population recovery (don’t count hatchery fish). Minimize recovery time to reduce risks to population viability.

Bad   Good Natural Recovery WoodFertilizeAngling Closure Hatchery Time to Recovery slow fast Genetic risklow Population risk due to low abundance moderate low Feasibilitylow high Community Impact high low CN Costhighlow high

Relative Fitness of Hatchery-Origin Fish Spawning in the Wild

Winter Run Steelhead on Hood River (Blouin 2003) Hatchery-born breeders averaged 93% of fitness of pure wild breeders over 3 brood years (one generation). Hatchery would have provided major demographic boost as each wild fish taken into hatchery produced 5 to 14-fold more wild-born fish than did a wild fish left to spawn naturally. Smolts/spawnerMarine survival rate Adult returns per spawner Adult returns per spawner after fitness adjustment Wild 454%22 Hatchery %1312

Conservation Fish Culture as defined by MoE Policy “a specialized and experimental form of hatchery intervention designed to prevent extinction of a population or species…..the primary focus of conservation fish culture is to protect the natural genetic integrity of the population. Such a program requires a carefully designed breeding plan and release strategy to mimic what would happen in the wild. These programs are planned to be “temporary”, usually lasting for one generation.”

Key Elements of Experimental Short- Term Hatchery Supplementation Program wild spawners taken in both 2006 and 2007 (?) Smolts released in 2007 and yr) producing adult returns in Repeat 2-yr cycle with brood from if necessary based on return rate of wild fish and science objectives Independent panel to design and evaluate program Predetermined ‘hatchery stopping’ rules and criteria to determine when recovery has occurred

Large Woody Debris and Fertilization B. Ward, MoE Keogh River

Arithmetic of Proposed 2-Yr Hatchery Program in 2010 HatcheryWild (with hatchery) Wild (without hatchery) Spawners (2006)40 Smolts (2007)40000 Returns (2009/10)47040 F1 Smolts (2011/13)6, ,200

Monitoring Elements of Hatchery Plan Genotype all fish spawned in hatchery Matrix-spawn and ensure representative releases for each cross by sampling juveniles (rear in aggregated groups) Continue escapement estimates Determine wild:hatchery ratio of returns and obtain DNA samples for natural spawners via coordinated angler program Determine reproductive success of natural spawning hatchery-origin fish from outmigrant surveys, and DNA samples Radio tag wild and returning adults (spawning behaviour, wild-hatchery interactions, improved escapement estimates) Radio/acoustic tag hatchery smolts to evaluate residualization and improve outmigrant estimates for steelhead

Feasibility of Proposed Habitat Improvements for Cheakamus is Very Low Likelihood of structures remaining in place Scale of habitat additions is too small LWD-boating conflict River is already productive Average invertebrate density across all seasons and locations was 31,151animals/m2 in 1996, and 52,959 animals/m2 in Densities are very high and are at the top end of values found in other oligotrophic systems receiving some level of nutrient enrichment (Perrin 2001) Nutrient addition? Conflict between proposal and Whistler STP upgrade-Squamish residents

Those that support use of a short-term steelhead hatchery program to speed recovery and/or more transparent, science-based decision making Squamish First Nation District of Squamish BC Federation of Drift FishersCN Environment BC Wildlife FederationDept. Fisheries and Oceans North Vancouver Outdoor SchoolSport Fish Advisory Board Pacific Salmon FoundationSport Fish Institute Squamish River Watershed SocietyResort Muni. of Whistler South Coast Steelhead Coalition Squamish Anglers Association Squamish Streemkeepers Whistler Angling Club Squamish Environmental Conservation Society

The Problem (con’t) McCubbing, Melville, Wilson, and Foy, 2006 (Draft)

Be careful of making an “Apples to Oranges” comparison re. Cheakamus and other evaluations