The Path Forward to Local Adaptation and Sustainability
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Hatcheries
Habitat Hatcheries
Harvest Hydropower
Factors Affecting Decline
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Factors affecting the biological status of Nisqually Chinook
• Loss of critical
habitat
features.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Forestry
Development
Factors affecting the biological status of Nisqually Chinook
• Hydroelectric
facilities
historically
caused
dramatic
changes in
streamflow
patterns.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Factors affecting the biological status of Nisqually Chinook
• Introduction of outside genetics from
hatcheries, outplanting.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Factors affecting the biological status of Nisqually Chinook
• Decades of
overfishing -
fisheries not
managed to
ensure natural
production
escapement
until 2000.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Nisqually – resulting impacts on biological status of the stock
• Probable extinction of wild native Nisqually
Chinook genetics.
• Current stock is not locally adapted, same
genetics as hatchery stock.
• Current habitat supports reduced
productivity, capacity, and life history
diversity.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Nisqually Chinook Recovery Plan released in August 2001
• Submitted to the regional Puget Sound Chinook
Endangered Species Recovery Plan in 2005
• Adopted as official plan by the federal govt. in 2007
• Using adaptive management process the plan is updated
yearly and resubmitted to the region and federal science panel
for review
Nisqually Chinook RecoveryPlan
August 2001
Prepared by the
Nisqually Chinook Recovery Team
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Strategy for Success :Outlines a path to meet 15 year,
50 year and 100 year goals
Integrated Approach:
1. Habitat Action Plan
2. Hatchery Operation Guidelines
3. Harvest Management4. Adaptive Management Strategy - plan is dynamic and flexible as new information is available, annual reports and meetings ensure continual reevaluation of the plan
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Clear, specific stock goals
• Based on biological status of the stock.
• Based on specific community goals.
• Make a significant contribution to
recovery of ESU.
• Clear prioritization of goals when they
might be in conflict.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Nisqually Goals – long term (next 100 years)
• Assure natural production of fall Chinook in
perpetuity by providing high quality functioning
habitat and by promoting the development of
locally adapted, functioning populations.
• Assure sustainable harvest opportunities.
• Provide significant contributions to ecosystem
functions
• Secure and enhance natural production of all
salmonids
• Assure the economic, cultural, and social benefits
are perpetually sustained.
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Priority Areas and Projects
Estuary Restoration
Mainstem Protection
Ohop Restoration
Mashel Restoration
Hatchery Stray Reduction
Goals
Estuary Restoration (Acres)
Mainstem Protection(% Protected)
Ohop Restoration (Miles)
Mashel Restoration (Miles)
90
Hatchery Stray Reduction(% Hatchery Origin Strays)
30
1
6
3
840
10
Progress to Date
Estuary Restoration (Acres)
Mainstem Protection(% Protected)
Ohop Restoration (Miles)
Mashel Restoration (Miles)
6
140
700
Goal
Projected
70
20
2
1
900
1
5
Nisqually Priority Areas:Progress by end of 2011
2.5
0.5
Hatchery Stray Reduction(% Hatchery Origin Strays)
1010
Nisqually Estuary Restoration:Over 900 acres restored since 2002
Nisqually Estuary
June 2009
Nisqually Estuary
March 2010
• Result of this work – 60% increase in fall Chinook potential
-
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
Locally adapted Hatchery dominated
Abu
ndance
Recovery Plan
Current 2010
Baseline 2009
Baseline 2001
Unrealized Potential
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Since 2001 – colonization– Fully seed available habitat– Increase abundance and natural
production
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• We are now ready and committed to moving away from colonization to local adaptation– Require changes to harvest management– Effective operation of a weir– Modification of hatchery program to support
natural population
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Nisqually Fall Chinook Terminal Area Management PlanJanuary 2011Prepared by the
Nisqually Chinook Recovery Team
• Framework contains three key elements:– Clear, specific conservation and harvest
goals– Monitoring and Evaluation program– Annual process to review, adapt, and
implement
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Conservation goals– Ensure natural production of fall Chinook
by providing high quality habitat– Achieve a self-sustaining, locally
adapted natural population
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Harvest goals– Terminal Treaty net fishery: 10,000-
15,000 annual Chinook harvest– Ensure a sustainable sport fishing
opportunity targeting hatchery fish
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Key Indicators– Habitat conditions– Abundance, distribution, and
composition of escapement– Hatchery brood stock composition– Annual estimates of catch by all
fisheries for hatchery and natural origin
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Management Action Response– Key to success: timely inclusion of
information– Annual audit of key assumptions– Guide decisions and plan activities for
coming year
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Nisqually Chinook Annual Review– Review previous year’s performance– Update and review status & trend
analysis– Update key assumptions from M&E
results– Apply the decision rules to generate
targets for upcoming season– Develop annual action plan for harvest,
hatcheries, and habitat
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• Decision Rules– Harvest Management
• Maintain high harvest rate on hatchery fish• Reduce terminal area harvest rates on natural fish,
consistent with recovery• Manage all fisheries not to exceed recovery
exploitation rate for natural fish
– Hatchery Management• Modify hatchery program to support conservation
– Escapement management• Utilize mainstem weir to manage escapement
composition
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• 2011 Action Plan – transition from colonization to local adaptation– Agree on actions for hatchery, harvest, habitat,
and weir operations
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
• This represents a commitment to:– Integration of Hs– Local adaptation– Contribution to the ESU– Transparency of decision making– Innovative approach to adaptive
management
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
Nisqually Fall Chinook Stock Management Plan
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