FY 2007-2009 F&W Program Project Solicitation
Section 10. Narrative
Project ID: 199801001
Title: Grande Ronde Captive Brood O&M
A. Abstract
The Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Program is a gene conservation program designed to rapidly increase numbers of salmon from populations in Catherine Creek, the upper Grande Ronde River and Lostine River, northeast Oregon, that are in imminent danger of extirpation. This proposal will fund activities of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which collaborates with the other three co-management agencies (Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and NOAA Fisheries) to cooperatively conduct this program. We collect wild Chinook salmon parr from each of the program streams and rear them to the smolt stage at Wallowa Fish Hatchery. At smoltification, one-half will be transferred to Bonneville Fish Hatchery (BOH) for freshwater rearing and the remainder to Manchester Research Station for saltwater rearing. At maturation, the salmon are spawned at BOH and their offspring reared at Lookingglass Fish Hatchery to the smolt stage, when they are released into their parents’ natal streams to complete their life cycle in nature. We also monitor the F1 and F2 generations in nature, as part of the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan, with which the Captive broodstock program is integrated. The program contains four components. Fish culture rears the fish at each facility. Fish health provides diagnostic services and prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for disease. Fish transport moves salmon between facilities. Monitoring and evaluation oversees the program and collects and analyzes data to evaluate the program’s success. Imbedded in the program are research projects to develop innovative methodologies that can be used in future captive rearing programs. We are currently evaluating pre- and post-smolt rearing regimes, the effectiveness of ultrasound and near infrared spectroscopy for determining maturation and sex at an early stage and strategies for better detection, prevention and treatment of bacterial kidney disease.
B. Technical and/or scientific background
The Grande Ronde Basin once supported large runs of Chinook salmon, with estimated escapements in excess of 10,000 as recently as the late 1950s (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1975). Subsequently, natural escapement declines in the Grande Ronde Basin have paralleled those of other Snake River stocks and have primarily been attributed to increased mortality associated with downstream and upstream migration past eight dams and reservoirs in the Snake and Columbia rivers. Escapement levels in Catherine Creek and the Grande Ronde and Lostine rivers, historically three of the most productive populations in the basin, dropped to alarmingly low levels in 1994 and 1995 and recent trends indicated that Grande Ronde Basin spring Chinook salmon were in imminent danger of extinction. Progeny-to-parent ratios had been below replacement level and we were in an emergency situation where dramatic and unprecedented efforts were needed to prevent extinction, as well as preserve any future options for use of natural fish for artificial propagation programs.
The Chinook salmon stocks cultured for this Captive Broodstock Program are genetically and/or ecologically distinct. The Interior Columbia Basin Technical Recovery Team (ICBTRT) considered the Grande Ronde and Imnaha rivers to be a grouping separate from others in the Snake or Columbia River basins (ICBTRT 2003). The Independent Scientific Panel for the U.S. v Oregon dispute concluded “that a substantial component of the native spring chinook salmon populations in the Grande Ronde Basin still exists” and found “real biological differences” between Catherine Creek and upper Grande Ronde River populations (Currens et al. 1996). Within the Grande Ronde Basin, the ICBTRT found genetic and/or ecological differentiation between Wenaha River, Minam River, Lostine River, Catherine Creek and upper Grande Ronde River spring Chinook salmon populations.
The initial management plan under the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan (LSRCP) program called for hatchery supplementation of Chinook salmon populations in Catherine Creek and the Grande Ronde and Lostine rivers. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Nez Perce Tribe decided to begin immediate development of broodstocks from local natural populations for genetic conservation and natural production enhancement. This decision was the result of a number of factors including: increased emphasis on natural production and endemic stock recovery; consultations and requirements resulting from listing of Grande Ronde Chinook salmon populations as endangered; our lack of success in using non-local hatchery stocks for supplementing Grande Ronde Basin Chinook salmon populations; and preferred strategies for use of artificial propagation identified in the NMFS draft recovery plan.
However, there were insufficient numbers of adults returning to these streams to support a conventional hatchery program (collect and spawn returning adults and release their offspring as smolts). So, a captive broodstock program was developed to collect wild parr, rear them in captivity to maturation, spawn them and release the offspring as smolt stage into their parents’ natal stream to complete their life cycle in nature. This would allow us to rapidly increase the number of returning adults by dramatically increasing survival from parr to adult. We expect that Captive Broodstock offspring (F1 generation) spawning in nature would produce a sufficient number of naturally-produced returning adults (F2 generation) to support a Conventional Broodstock Program, which would replace the Captive Broodstock Program.
Captive breeding programs have been used extensively in recovery efforts for fishes, as well as other vertebrates. Only recently has this type of propagation approach been attempted with Pacific salmon in the Northwest. Similar broodstock programs are underway for a number of other listed salmonids including: Sacramento River winter Chinook salmon (California), Redfish Lake Sockeye salmon and Salmon River spring Chinook salmon (Idaho) and Chinook salmon from the White, Tucannon and Dungeness rivers (Washington). To design the Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Program, we used the knowledge and experience gained in these other programs, as well as the results of the captive broodstock comprehensive review conducted by Flagg and Mahnken (1995) to develop the culture, research, and monitoring and evaluation for this program.
Program success is dependent on achievement of adequate survival, growth, maturation, gamete viability, smolt-to-adult survival and reproductive success. Recovery of these populations is dependent on improved juvenile and adult survival through mainstem reservoirs and dams. Detailed assumptions used to develop the production program are described below:
1. We anticipated a 1:1 sex ratio at collection for each population.
2. That 50% of the parr we collect would survive to spawn (Smith and Wampler 1995.)
3. We predicted that approximately 6% of the females will mature at age 3, 78% at age 4 and 16% at age 5 (adapted from Nielson and Geen 1986; Hankin et al. 1993; Burck 1994; Appleby and Keown 1995).
4. Based on information reported in Flagg and Mahnken (1995), we expected fecundities to be approximately 1,200, 3,000, and 4,000 eggs for age 3, age 4, and age 5 females, respectively.
5. The production model assumed a 75% embryo viability (see Smith and Wampler 1995), and 80% viable embryo to smolt survival (unpublished data from the program at LFH).
6. Typically, Chinook salmon reared at and released from LFH returned at a 0.1% smolt-to-adult survival rate.
7. Data from previous programs at LFH suggested that 10%, 60%, and 30% of the adults will return at ages 3, 4, and 5, respectively.
8. From modeling based on the above information, we concluded that 500 parr or less would be sufficient to produce the target of 150,000 smolts per year.
These became the benchmarks for success of the Captive Broodstock Program and are the targets against which we have been and will evaluate the program.
The Grande Ronde Basin Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Program was developed to achieve a sustained annual return of at least 150 wild Chinook salmon to each program stream (150,000 smolts and an SAR of 0.1%). The program is in its eleventh year and has increased the number of returning adults in each stream so that conventional broodstock programs have been established, although the numbers of returning adults cannot yet support a full conventional program in any of the program streams. It has also provided and continues to provide substantial new knowledge regarding rearing protocols for captive broodstock programs and the use of artificial propagation to enhance natural production. The ISRP, in their Review of Captive Propagation Program Elements, Programmatic Issue 12 for the Mountain Snake and Blue Mountain Provinces (2004), stated, “The Grande Ronde experimental design has the potential to provide meaningful insight into whether or not captive propagation can provide anything more than hatchery-origin adults returning from the ocean.” Bacterial kidney disease (BKD) is the greatest source of mortality in the Captive Broodstock Program and it has become uncertain whether a captive broodstock program can be successful without better methods to detect, prevent and treat this disease than are presently available. As such, the Technical Oversight Team for the Captive Broodstock Program has decided to address this issue and shift the M&E focus of the program from rearing strategies to treatment and prevention of BKD.
C. Rationale and significance to regional programs
Grande Ronde Basin spring Chinook salmon are part of the Snake River ESU and were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1992. The Grande Ronde Basin Spring Chinook Salmon Captive Broodstock Program is designed to rapidly increase the numbers of adults and prevent extirpation of the populations in the three program streams, while conserving their genetic diversity. Our goal is to prevent extinction of the three program populations and provide a future basis to reverse the decline in stock abundance and ensure a high probability of population persistence.
The Captive Broodstock Program and other captive propagation projects for Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon are supported by recommendations in the Snake River Recovery Team's report (SRSRT 1994), NMFS draft recovery plan (NMFS 1995) and the Northwest Power Planning Council's Fish and Wildlife Program (NPPC 1994). This project addresses numerous objectives identified in the 1994 Fish and Wildlife Program including: 7.1B which addresses conservation of genetic diversity; 7.2 which identifies the need for improvement of existing hatchery production; 7.3B which directs implementation of high priority supplementation projects (the Captive Broodstock Program is a high priority project); 7.4A which specifies the need to evaluate and implement new production initiatives; and 7.4D, directing implementation of captive broodstock programs. The NMFS draft recovery plan states "captive broodstock and supplementation programs should be initiated and/or continued for populations identified as being at imminent risk of extinction, facing severe inbreeding depression, or facing demographic risks." The recovery plan also states "considering the critical low abundance of the Grande Ronde spring/summer Chinook salmon, impacts to listed fish should be avoided and LFH should be operated to prevent extinction of local populations. Consequently indigenous broodstock should be immediately transferred to LFH (natural fish collected in 1995), and production should be maximized to supplement natural populations."
Use of non-local broodstock is inconsistent with sound conservation principles and, in 1996, an Independent Scientific Review Panel under the U.S. v. Oregon Grande Ronde Chinook salmon dispute resolution recommended development of local broodstocks. This project is directed by the conceptual premise that identifies maintenance within and between population variations in genetic and life history characteristics as essential for long term fitness and population persistence. As such, it is an integral part of the LSRCP in-kind and in-place mitigation program.
The goals and objectives of the Captive Broodstock Program are completely consistent with the overarching objectives of the Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program (Northwest Power Planning Council 2000) to mitigate “adverse effects to fish and wildlife caused by the development and operation of the hydrosystem,” produce “sufficient populations of fish and wildlife for abundant opportunities for tribal trust and treat right harvest and for non-tribal harvest” and “recovery of the fish and wildlife affected by development and operation of the hydrosystem that are listed under the Endangered Species Act,” as well as it’s objectives for biological performance to halt declines in salmon abundance, restore naturally reproducing populations and increase salmon runs above Bonneville Dam by 2025. The Captive Broodstock Program is also consistent with the Artificial Production Strategies of the 2000 Fish and Wildlife Program, to “complement habitat improvements by supplementing native fish populations,” and it’s Implementation Recommendation that “artificial production must be implemented within an experimental, adaptive management design that includes an aggressive program to evaluate the risks and benefits and address scientific uncertainties.”
The Grande Ronde Subbasin Summary (2001) contains at least 36 objectives of agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (and LSRCP), Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that support the Captive Broodstock Program. The pertinent objectives pertain to increasing spring Chinook salmon populations in the Grande Ronde Basin, particularly Catherine Creek and the upper Grande Ronde and Lostine rivers, meeting tribal trust responsibilities, restoring recreational fisheries, maintaining the genetic integrity of these populations and complying with the Endangered Species Act. The Grande Ronde Subbasin Plan (2004) contains management objectives regarding enhancing natural production and maintaining genetic diversity and life history characteristics of the Grande Ronde Basin Chinook salmon populations. These are some of the goals of the Captive Broodstock Program.
The NMFS Biological Opinion (2001) concludes that the proposed actions by BPA, Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers are unlikely to improve conditions for Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon and “are likely to jeopardize the continued existence of this ESU.” NMFS states that “other measures for survival and recovery that affect other life stages are required to ensure a high likelihood of survival and a moderate-to-high likelihood of recovery.” The Captive Broodstock Program is designed to rapidly increase numbers of smolts and returning adults, while maintaining genetic diversity in the populations. It is a safety net program to maintain sufficient numbers of genetically diverse, locally adapted salmon that can later be used to restore self-sustaining runs when habitat problems are resolved. The Captive Broodstock Program addresses several Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives of the Biological Opinion. It is the spring/summer Chinook salmon safety net program called for by Hatchery RPA 176 and supplies much of the data needed for the Grande Ronde Chinook salmon Hatchery Genetic Management Plan, called for under Hatchery RPA 169. Some of the hatchery modifications called for under Hatchery RPA 170 are part of the Captive Broodstock Program. Progeny from the Captive Broodstock Program are being and will continue to be used to evaluate reproductive success of hatchery vs. natural salmon called for under RME RPA 182. Lastly, Captive Broodstock progeny have been and will be used in studies to define downstream migration survival for transported and nontransported migrants and smolt-to-adult survival rates, as called for under RME RPA 195. The Final Updated Proposed Action for the FCRPS Biological Opinion Remand (2004) and the BPA Decision Document Following the 2004 FCRPS NOAA Fisheries Biological Opinion both mandate BPA to continue to fund safety-net programs, including the captive broodstock program in the Grande Ronde River.