Fisheries Production Division

CONTACT INFORMATION

Lapwai       208-843-7320 PHONE      208-843-2351 FAX

VISION

Assist in restoring the historic fish species, stocks, and populations to a healthy abundance throughout the Nez Perce Treaty Territory so fish are found in all available habitats in order to provide fishing for present and future Tribal generations.

GOALS

Help restore a healthy, anadromous ecosystem consisting of a complete composite of aquatic and terrestrial species while incorporating a complementary human management behavior.  Integrate the use of a NATURES modified artificial production tool along with other fisheries management opportunities to achieve this program vision.

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

The Production division focuses on utilizing artificial production to help restore natural spawning runs and to create harvest opportunities.  We are involved with 15 hatchery facilities; three are Tribal and 12 others are State and Federal facilities.  In 2004, the Tribe out planted 5,113,712 juveniles and 4,865 adult chinook, steelhead and coho.  We anticipate similar production in 2006.

STAFF

R. Ed Larson, Division Director

Rebecca Ashe, Production Coord.

Bruce McLeod, Hatchery Coordinator

Sylvia Mitchell, Admin. Spec. II

Presently, 42 persons are on staff in the Production division.  Tribal offices supporting the division are located in McCall, Idaho, Enterprise, Oregon and at Lapwai and Orofino, Idaho.  Production staff work at the following hatcheries; Nez Perce Tribal, Dworshak, Kooskia, Clearwater, McCall, and Lookingglass.

PROGRAMS COMPONENTS

Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery (NPTH):

"NI MII PU CUY'EEMNIM SEPEEPYIMNIWEES"  anticipates a releases of 625,000 (spring chinook 100% of goal) and 900,000 fall chinook juveniles (64% of goal) during the year.  The Yoosa (Lolo Creek) and Newsome Creek spring chinook satellites are beginning their third year and anticipate releasing 225,000 presmolts in October.  The other 400,000 spring chinook fingerlings will be released late June into Meadow Creek, Selway River.  All fall chinook subyearling smolts will be released from Site 1705 in late May due to low-water conditions this year.

In May spring chinook broodstock trapping will begin at Lolo and Newsome Creek weirs and at the NPTH-Site 1705 adult ladder near Cherrylane.  We also obtain spring chinook adults from the Idaho Department of Fish Game Powell satellite (Lochsa River).  Beginning in September, fall chinook adults will be trapped at Site 1705 and Lower Granite Dam for broodstock.

Northeast Oregon Hatchery (NEOH) Spring Chinook: 

Final design planning work has begun for new Northeast Oregon hatchery facilities.  This project will construct a new hatchery on the Lostine River, build a new adult fish weir and trap on the Lostine River, repair Lookingglass Hatchery and the Imnaha Gumboot satellite facility.  We anticipate construction to being early in 2006.

Lostine River Supplementation Project: 

 In March 2006, a total of 164,819 spring chinook salmon smolts (66% of goal) were released into the Lostine River from the acclimation facility.  In May, the Lostine River weir will begin trapping returning adult salmon; the run is expected to have upwards of 1,500 adults reach the weir.

Northeast Oregon Coho Master Plan: 

A final master plan was submitted to BPA in December.  The plan proposes reintroduction of coho salmon in the Wallowa River.  This plan would provide an avenue for funding the release of 500,000 smolts annually from Wallowa Hatchery.  This program is being coordinated with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and is being negotiated in U.S. vs. Oregon.

Johnson Creek Artificial Propagation Enhancement (JCAPE): 

 In March 105,230 summer chinook salmon smolts (105% of goal) were released into Johnson Creek March 14-16, 2006; this was the 7th release year.  Just over 40 adults were collected at the weir last August for broodstock.  Eggs will be incubated and reared at McCall Hatchery; presently 89,101 juveniles (89% of goal) are being reared for release in 2007.  The project is located at the McCall, Idaho field office.

Fall Chinook Acclimation Project (FCAP): 

Yearling smolt production is down to 300,000 due to predation at Lyons Ferry Hatchery (67% of goal).  Approximately 150,000 each were released from Pittsburg Landing and Big Canyon.  In May, 1,400,000 subyearling smolts (100% of goal) will be acclimated; 400,000 at Pittsburg and 500,000 each at Captain John and Big Canyon satellites.  FCAP releases have increased adult fall chinook returns above Lower Granite Dam to more than 18,000 for the last 4 years.  Redd counts in the Clearwater River exceeded 600 last fall, the 2007 run is anticipated to again be high.

Clearwater Coho Restoration: 

 This project is funded by the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund.  Yearly releases since 1999 have been 1.1 million juveniles consisting of 830,000 smolts and 270,000 parr (100% of goal for all but one year).  In 2004, adult returns reached a high of 3,898 at Lower Granite Dam and 2,104 were trapped at Clearwater weirs with 419 females spawned to produce almost 900,000 eggs.  At least 35 redds were counted in tributary streams; 498 adults were passed at weirs to spawn naturally.  A master plan for expanding the program was submitted to BPA in September 2004 that would release acclimated smolts to achieve higher adult numbers.