1. Release Strategies to Improve Post-Release Performance of Hatchery Summer Steelhead in Northeast Oregon. Lance Clarke, Michael Flesher, Shelby Warren, and Richard Carmichael By

2. STUDY DESIGN 1.Acclimation vs. Direct-Release: One group released after a 16-57 day acclimation, the other group direct-released on same day.  14 paired groups. Spring Creek, (1987-1990) Deer Creek, (1991-1996) Little Sheep Creek, (1993-1996) 2. Volitional vs. Forced Release following Acclimation: Both groups acclimated for at least 27 days,1 group provided a 14-21 day volitional release the other group forced from acclimation pond.  6 paired groups. Spring Creek, (1996-1999) Deer Creek, (1998-1996)

3. LOWER GRANITE DAM Snake River Washington Oregon Grande Ronde River Wallowa River Imnaha River Little Sheep Cr. N Spring Cr. Deer Cr. 0 20 40 Kilometers SNAKE RIVER BASIN STUDY AREA Col umbia R.R.

4. COMMON METHODS 1. Rearing in hatchery raceways to yearling stage, water temperature range = 10 -14  C. Fish trucked 3.5 to 4.5 h to acclimation sites. 2. Release groups of 25,000 to 50,000. Fish were freeze-branded or PIT-tagged to measure outmigration travel time and survival to dam. All fish received coded-wire-tags; tag recoveries used to estimate smolt-to-adult survival and straying. 3. Acclimation ponds are rectangular and concrete, supplied with stream water. Response Metrics 1.Outmigration Travel Time 2.Outmigration Survival 3.Smolt-to-Adult-Survival 4.Stray Rate Index

5. PIT Tagging and Coded-Wire-Tagging at Irrigon Hatchery

6. Big Canyon Acclimation Pond

7. Adult Returns to Wallowa Hatchery

8. ACCLIMATION VERSUS DIRECT-RELEASE RESULTS

9. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Acclimated Direct 1991 199219941995 1996 Deer Creek 1996 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 1993 1994 1995 Little Sheep Creek TRAVEL DAYS SIMILAR TRAVEL TIME TO LOWER GRANITE DAM N = 163-509 (Paired t-test, P = 0.649)

10. RELEASE YEAR % SURVIVAL 0 20 40 60 80 100 1987 198819891990199119921993199419951996 Spring Deer Little Sheep AC Creek DR SIMILAR OUTMIGRATION SURVIVAL TO DAM P = 0.874 Vertical lines = 95% CI

11. % SMOLT-TO-ADULT SURVIVAL 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 RELEASE YEAR 1987 88 8990 91 92 93 94 95 1996 Spring Deer Little Sheep AC Creek DR ACCLIMATED GROUPS HAD HIGHER SURVIVAL TO ADULTHOOD (P = 0.013) N = 8,260

12. 93 RELEASE YEAR % STRAY RATE 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 19878889909192 94 951996 35 Creek ACCLIMATED GROUPS HAD LOWER STRAY RATES (P < 0.001) Spring Deer Little Sheep ACDR N = 861

13. 54% Direct-Release 59% Direct-Release above Sherars Falls 56% of recoveries after 1 February were Direct-Release

14. % SURVIVAL TO LOWER GRANITE DAM % SMOLT-TO-ADULT SURVIVAL 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 0 10 2030405060708090 r 2 = 0.1122 P = 0.1096 N = 24 DOES OUTMIGRATION SURVIVAL MATTER?

15. VOLITIONAL RELEASE FORCED VERSUS

16. 0 20 40 60 80 0 20 40 60 80 Volitional Forced Spring Creek Deer Creek 199719981999 1998 TRAVEL DAYS SIMILAR TRAVEL TIME TO LOWER GRANITE DAM N = 46-189 N = 40-61 P = 0.316

17. % SURVIVAL 0 20 40 60 80 100 Deer Spring VOL Creek FR 1997 19981999 RELEASE YEAR OUTMIGRATION SURVIVAL WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR VOLITIONAL RELEASE (P = 0.035) Vertical lines = 95% CI

18. 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 SURVIVAL TO ADULTHOOD WAS NOT DIFFERENT (P = 0.658) 199619971998 1999 RELEASE YEAR % SMOLT TO ADULT SURVIVAL N = 1,896 Deer Spring VOL Creek FR

19. 30 0 5 10 15 20 25 199619971998 1999 RELEASE YEAR % STRAY RATE Deer Spring VOL Creek FR VOLITIONAL RELEASE DID NOT REDUCE STRAYING (P = 0.852) N = 194

20. Use of Volitional Release to Remove Residuals Big Canyon FacilityLittle Sheep Facility Release Year% Male Number removed Stream Density (no./100 m 2 )% Male Number removed Stream Density (No./100 m 2 ) 2003762,0147.0 20046509.2 2005-- 5.6928,47013.8 2006724,9686.8739,18714.7 200767021.3819,70110.6 2008732,3616.059014.3 2009842,4575.6784,7338.2 201068010.965027.7 20117003.565016.8

21. 2.0 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 MEAN % SMOLT-TO-ADULT SURVIVAL.. Survival to Adulthood, Four Month vs. Two Month Acclimation Two-factor ANOVA; P <0.005 Four Month Two Month 20002001 2002 2003 20042005 RELEASE YEAR (Spring Chinook, Umatilla Hatchery Program)

22. CONCLUSIONS 1.Acclimation increased survival to adulthood and decreased straying.  Acclimation appears to ameliorate affects of stress. 2. Volitional release did not increase survival to adulthood or decrease straying.  Survival results consistent with similar studies. 3. Juvenile outmigration survival did not correlate well with survival to adulthood.  Judge the success of release groups based on adult returns.  Survival results not consistent with other steelhead acclimation studies.  Management action: all releases are now acclimated.  Management action: retain some volitional releases to remove residuals.

23. Adjust Acclimation Protocols to the Hatchery Program 1.Acclimation locations, length, timing, feeding protocols, etc., can affect success of release groups. Hatchery specific investigations are needed.  Unpublished data from the Wallowa program suggests that straying is 30-40% higher for fish acclimated at Wallowa Hatchery than those at Big Canyon. 2.For supplementation programs, small temporary acclimation ponds spread throughout the watershed may promote a better distribution of returning adult spawners. 3.Acclimation is an ideal time to develop behavioral traits (i.e. prey or predator recognition training) that may improve survival. 4.Volitional release used as a tool to remove residuals; however, difficult to judge the success of that strategy.

24. For More Information Clarke, L.R., M.W. Flesher, T.A. Whitesel, G.R. Vonderohe, and R.W. Carmichael. 2010. Post-release performance of acclimated and direct-released hatchery summer steelhead into Oregon tributaries of the Snake River. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:1098-1109. Clarke, L.R., M.W. Flesher, S.M. Warren, and R.W. Carmichael. 2011. Survival and straying of hatchery steelhead following forced or volitional release. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 31:116-123. Clarke, L.R., W.A. Cameron, and R.W. Carmichael. 2012 Performance of spring Chinook salmon reared in acclimation ponds for two and four months before release. North American Journal of Aquaculture 74: 65-72

25. NOW, WHAT DID HE SAY?