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Title: Assessment of the Fishery Improvement Opportunities on the Pend Oreille River, 1988 Annual Report.

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5233003· OSTI ID:5233003

The purpose of this study is to assess the fishery improvement opportunities on the Box Canyon portion of the Pend Oreille River. This report contains the findings of the first year of the study. Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum)) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss (Richardson)) were present in the Pend Oreille River prior to the construction of Grand Coulee Dam. The river also contained native cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki (Richardson)), bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus (Walbaum)) and mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni (Girard)). Rainbow trout were planted in the river and some grew to lengths in excess of 30 inches. With the construction of Box Canyon Dam, in 1955, the most productive section of the river was inundated. Following the construction of the dam the trout fishery declined and the populations of spiny ray fish and rough fish increased. The objectives of the first year of the study were to determine the relative abundance of each species in the river and sloughs; the population levels in fish in the river and four selected tributaries; fish growth rates; the feeding habits and abundance of preferred prey; the migration patterns; and the total fishing pressure, catch per unit effort, and total harvest by conducting a year-round creel survey. 132 refs.

Research Organization:
Eastern Washington University
Sponsoring Organization:
United States. Bonneville Power Administration.
DOE Contract Number:
AI79-88BP39339
OSTI ID:
5233003
Report Number(s):
DOE/BP-39339-1; ON: DE90004544
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English