1. Washington State Steelhead Status Review
PACIFIC COAST STEELHEAD MEETING
JON ANDERSON
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE
MARCH 9-11, 2010

2. NOAA Determination of Washington State Steelhead Status by DPS
Not Warranted for listing
Olympic Peninsula
Southwest Washington
Threatened
Lower Columbia River
Middle Columbia River
Snake River Basin
Puget Sound
Upper Columbia River
downlisted from Endangered 6/18/09
Parts of seven ESU’s exist in WA State: 3 have been designated as Not Warranted for listing (Healthy); 3 have been declared as being Threatened; and one has been listed as Endangered.

3. Steelhead – Washington State DPSs

4. Steelhead – Puget Sound DPS
Wild steelhead Total run size for 5 populations of winter sthd
Based on known escapements and sport – Tribal harvests

5. Steelhead – Olympic Peninsula DPS
Total run size for 4 runs
Olympic Peninsula is only region in Wash where retention of wild sthd is permitted fish/angler/year

6. Steelhead – Southwest Washington DPS
Chehalis total run size. No consistent escapement information for Willapa tribs

7. Steelhead – Lower Columbia River DPS
Winter run
Whereas PSnd, OlyPen, & Chehalis numbers trending downward; Kalama is dynamic & cyclic; Lewis & Washougal trending slightly upward.

8. Steelhead – Lower Columbia River DPS
Summer run
Similar pattern to LCol winters

9. Steelhead – Middle Columbia River DPS
Yakima numbers from Prosser
Touchet - eehh

10. Steelhead – Upper Columbia River DPS
Methow / Okanogan – benefitting from recovery efforts? Or ocean survival event ? Or good outmigration event ? Good luck ?

11. Steelhead – Columbia / Snake River Dams

12. Steelhead – Snake River DPS
Ice Harbor Dam – tracks with overall Snake Numbers -

13. Fish & Wildlife Comm. Adopted March 2008
STATEWIDE STEELHEAD
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Fish & Wildlife Comm. Adopted March 2008
Middle Columbia
Olympic Peninsula
Lower Columbia
Puget Sound
SW Washington
Upper Columbia
Snake River
Natural Production
Habitat Protection and Restoration
Fisheries Management
Artificial Production
We discussed this at the 2008 meeting; adopted by FWC;
Regulatory Compliance
Monitoring, Evaluation, & Adaptive Management
Research
Outreach & Education

14. The SSMP at work
Promote achievement of conservation and recovery goals in each watershed and support sustainable fisheries
Fisheries consistent with natural production policy
Promote selective harvest of hatchery steelhead
Manage in All-H strategy
Account for all sources of fishery related mortalities
Establish foundation for watershed steelhead planning
through:
protection and restoration of the diversity, spatial structure, abundance, and productivity of wild steelhead stocks
implement a cooperative management approach for fishery resources subject to both state and tribal management
provide diverse recreational fishing opportunities.
Manage Fisheries Consistent with Natural Production Strategies. Design, implement, and evaluate fishery management to assure consistency with the natural production policy and strategies in this plan.
1)     Promote Selective Harvest. Reduce impacts to non-target stocks and species.
a.     Steelhead Fisheries. Promote the use of fishing methods and regulations that focus harvest on hatchery-origin steelhead and provide for the conservation of wild steelhead.
Other Fisheries. Develop and promote the implementation of fishing methods and regulations that maximize the harvest of the target species while maintaining impacts to non-target species within allowable limits.
Develop Comprehensive All-H Strategy. Develop and implement comprehensive hatchery, habitat, hydro, and harvest management plans that link fishery management strategies within an “All-H” context.
Account for all Sources of Fishery Related Mortality. Incorporate all sources of fishing related mortality in fishery management.
Compute the total fishery related mortality of fisheries impacting steelhead. As a precautionary measure, assume and apply an overall mortality rate no higher than 10% for steelhead caught and released in recreational fisheries unless an ESA permit directs otherwise or empirical research shows a different overall mortality rate is applicable. The 10% mortality factor incorporates immediate mortality of fish caught and released, delayed mortality, potential mortality of fish that are hooked but not landed, potential reductions in reproductive success, potential effects of multiple encounters, and uncertainty in the number of encounters. For commercial fisheries, the Department will use a site-specific mortality rate.

15. The SSMP at work
The plan provides a framework for statewide steelhead management for each watershed through:
Clear goals
Identified objectives
Strategies
Establishing clear goals and policies
Identifying objectives
Conveying strategies that, when implemented, are designed to meet those goals.

16. and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Stillaguamish/Snohomish Steelhead
Resource Management Plan
Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, The Tulalip Tribes
and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
An example of Watershed Plans – based on guidelines & frameworks laid out in the overall SSMP
Developed cooperatively with Co-Managers

17. Steelhead watershed planning
Development of watershed management plans for steelhead:
Develop watershed template
High risk populations initial focus
Use recovery plans where developed as guide
Habitat Conservation Plans
Other Resource Management Plans
Puget Sound is at standstill; Current focus is in Upper Columbia tributaries; synthesizing components of SSMP with existing harvest, hatchery, hydro, and habitat planning agreements.

18. Steelhead watershed planning
Stock abundance, distribution, timing, genetic information and status
Natural production – goal same as statewide policy guidance
Viable salmonid population goals = viability (>95% probability of persistence in 100 years)
Stock abundance, distribution, timing, genetic information and status
Natural production – goal same as statewide
Big thing: Viable salmonid population goals = viability (<95% probability of extinction in 100 years), as well as production of harvestable surplus in most years…consistent with current regional recovery plan language eg. Healthy and harvestable.

19. Steelhead watershed planning
Define wild steelhead viability stressors for each H.
Document current factors impacting wild steelhead viability
Include alternative solutions that may be appropriate to achieve the desired outcomes
Define wild steelhead viability stressors for each H.
Summarize current factors and identify possible solutions – link to recovery plans
This table provides an example based upon the harvest viability stressor and alternative solutions.

20. Example of hatchery stressor
Hatchery Viability Stressor – Management Strategies
VSP Parameter addressed
Stressor
Alternative Solution(s)
A & P, D & S
Broodstock not from Genetically Distinct Unit (GDU) and has been in culture more than three generations
Develop native based program
Reduce program size and/or
More effective trapping/harvest and/or
Discontinue altogether
Other

21. Example of habitat stressor
Habitat Viability Stressor – Management Strategies
VSP Parameter addressed
Stressor
Alternative Solution(s)
A & S
Loss of 0 – 24% of historical distribution of winter steelhead and 0 – 23% of summer steelhead (Science Paper 2006)
1) Improved enforcement of instream work; especially culvert replacements/road building – DFW, DNR, DOT
Majority of streams have lost more than 20% of habitat historically accessible
1) Enforcement of CAO, SSMP, Land Use Codes relating to stream crossings

22. Steelhead watershed planning
Artificial production
Defined goals for programs
Program modifications based upon viability stressor and alternatives identified

23. Steelhead watershed planning
Harvest Management
How conducted in future to support conservation needs
Threshold abundance levels for instituting different management strategies in lieu of single MSH escapement goal (e.g. abundance based management)
Allocation of harvest
Schedules/implementation of fisheries
Going away from MSH toward an approach based on Exploitation rates and RERs
Allocation based on Federal Treaty Obligations
Example would be the Puget Sound Steelhead Resource Management Plan Harvest Component

24. Steelhead watershed planning
Habitat
Define actions necessary to improve rebuilding of wild steelhead
Limiting factors
Recovery Plan actions
Priority areas to protect and restore within watershed

25. Steelhead watershed planning
Adaptive Management
Develop plan and describe frequency for review and assessment
Assess results with original intent or goal for all Hs.
Use current data to inform decision making

26. Roles and Responsibilities
WDFW Regions – develop DRAFT watershed plans
Lead for coordination with respective tribes and federal government
Fish – hatchery and harvest sections
Habitat – habitat sections
Headquarters
Regional roll-up of watershed plans
Coordination with Steelhead-Cutthroat Policy Adv. Grp.
Analyses – harvest rate etc.
Feedback for SSMP and Science Paper consistency

28. And Now, Our Next Presentation