Status and Managementof Coastal Cutthroat Trout

in Washington StateJon. Anderson

Cutthroat Life History

• Resident• Potamodromous• Fluvial• Adfluvial• Amphidromous• Anadromous

Factors Affecting Stock Status:

Habitat

Factors Affecting Stock Status:

Species Interactions

Photo: Mid Vanc. Is. Habitat Enhancement Soc

Photo: Mid Vanc. Is. Habitat Enhancement Soc

Photo: Mid Vanc. Is. Habitat Enhancement Soc

Photo: Mid Vanc. Is. Habitat Enhancement Soc

Factors Affecting Stock Status:

Harvest And

Hatchery

Coastal Cutthroat Populations -NOAA Status Review 1999

Coastal Cutthroat SaSI- - Salmonid Stock Inventory- - June 2000 - - Ann Blakley, Bob Leland, Jim Ames- - Identified 40 “Stock Complexes”

• - - One is “Healthy”• - - Seven are “Depressed”• - - None are “Critical”• - - Thirty-Two are “Unknown”

Photo Courtesy BC Fly Fisher Guides

Stock Complexes and Stock Status

• Puget SoundCutthroat “ESU”

Photo courtesy Nate Mantua

Puget Sound SaSI Stock Status

Big Beef Creek Smolt ProductionBig Beef Creek Cutthroat

0500

1,0001,5002,000

1978

1981

1984

1987

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

Year

Estim

ated

Sm

olt

Prod

uctio

n

Data: Dave Seiler WDFW

• Olympic PeninsulaCutthroat “ESU”

Photo Courtesy Nate Mantua

Coastal Washington SaSI Stock Status

West Fork Hoquiam RiverGrays Harbor

West Fork Hoquiam Trap

0

50

100

150

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

Year

Num

ber A

dults

Data: Quinault Indian Nation DNR

Bingham Creek Smolt Production East Fork Satsop River

Bingham Creek Cutthroat

050

100150200250

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Year

Estim

ated

Sm

olt

Prod

uctio

n

Data: Dave Seiler, WDFW

• SW Washington/Columbia River

Cutthroat “ESU”

Columbia River SaSI Stock Status

Juvenile Cutthroat at Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility

Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility

0500

1000150020002500

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

Estim

ated

Sm

olt

Prod

uctio

n

Data: Serl and Morrill 2004

Adult Cutthroat at Toutle River Trap

Toutle Collection Facility

0

50

100

150

200

89\90

91\92

93\94

95\96

97\98

99\00

01\02

03\04

Year

Cut

thro

at A

dult

Num

bers

Data: Bryce Glaser, WDFW

Adult Cutthroat at Kalama River Trap

Kalama River Adult Trap

0102030405060

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Year

Num

ber A

dult

Cut

thro

at

Data: Hulett & Wagemann, WDFW

Juvenile Cutthroat at Kalama River TrapKalama River Juvenile Traps

0

5000

10000

15000

2000019

80

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Year

Estim

ated

Juv

enile

C

utth

roat

Data: Hulett & Wagemann, WDFW

Cedar CreekLewis River

Cedar Creek Wild CutthroatGrist Mill Ladder

050

100150200250

98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04

Year

Adu

lt C

utth

roat

Data: Bryce Glaser, WDFW

Cedar Creek Smolt Data

010002000300040005000

2001 2002 2003 2004

Year

Estim

ated

No.

Sm

olts

B. Baker, WDFW 2000 Allozyme Analysis

Cutthroat Genetics

Suggest:

SW Washington Coast and Columbia River cutthroat may be in separate population segments

Mid-Columbia very distinct from lower Columbia pops. USGS Map

Harvest Management• WDFW Strategy Designed to:• Allow Female Trout to Spawn at least Once

Prior to Becoming Available for Retention

Photo courtesy BC Fly Fisher Guides

Statewide Trout Regulations• In Non-Anadromous Streams:• 2 Fish – Minimum 8 Inches in Length

Statewide Trout Regulations• In Anadromous Streams:• 2 Fish – Minimum 14 Inches in Length

Photo courtesy BC Fly Fisher Guides

Regulations – Cowlitz Hatchery Cutthroat

• Up to 5 Fish – Minimum 12 Inches in Length• Selective Fishery – Wild Cutthroat Release

Photo courtesy BC Fly Fisher Guides

Statewide Trout Regulations• In Marine Waters:• No Retention of Cutthroat Trout

Cowlitz Trout Hatchery

Mitigation for Loss of Habitat and Salmonid Production

Mayfield and Mossyrock Dams on the Cowlitz River

Mitigation or Dams

Release Goal: 160,000 Smolts

Return Goal: 5,000 Adults4 Fish / Pound

What’s in the Future?• Maintain Healthy

Cutthroat Populations

Photo courtesy Olga Water Users Inc.

Photo courtesy Olga Water Users Inc.Photo courtesy Olga Water Users Inc.

What’s in the Future?• Maintain the

Recreational Fishery• On Healthy

Populations

Photo Courtesy BC Fly Fisher Guides

Photo Courtesy Emerald Water Anglers, LLC

What’s in the Future?• Necessary to

Determine Status• Need Basic Life-

History Information• Need Understanding

of Hybridization, other Species Interactions

CTT

CTT

RBT

52cm FKL; 4 yr. old, spawned twice

Cutthroat and rainbow trout in Lake Washington from coho gillnet harvest by-catch, October 2004

Photo courtesy Hal Michael

Photo courtesy Hal Michael

Photo courtesy Anne Marshall WDFW

The End

Photo courtesy Marty Chaney, USDA NRCS

With Thanks to all the RealBiologists at WDFW who provided data for this paper