Spokane Tribal Hatchery, 2005 Annual Report.
- Spokane Tribe of Indians, Wellpinit, WA
Due to the construction and operation of Grand Coulee Dam (1939), anadromous salmon have been eradicated and resident fish populations permanently altered in the upper Columbia River region. Federal and private hydropower dam operations throughout the Columbia River system severely limits indigenous fish populations in the upper Columbia. Artificial production has been determined appropriate for supporting harvestable fisheries for kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Lake Roosevelt and Banks Lake (Grand Coulee Dam impoundments). The Spokane Tribe, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Colville Confederated Tribes and Lake Roosevelt Development Association/Lake Roosevelt Volunteer Net Pen Project are cooperating in a comprehensive artificial production program to produce kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) for annual releases into the project area. The program consists of the Spokane Tribal Hatchery, Sherman Creek Hatchery, Ford Trout Hatchery and Lake Roosevelt Rainbow Trout Net Pen Rearing Projects. The Lake Roosevelt and Banks Lake Fisheries Evaluation Program monitor and evaluates release strategies and production methods for the aforementioned projects. Between 1985 and 2005 the projects have collectively produced up to 800,000 rainbow trout and 4 million kokanee salmon for release into Lake Roosevelt and 1.4 million kokanee fry for Banks Lake annually. In 2005, the annual release goal included 3.3 million kokanee fry, 475,000 kokanee yearlings and 500,000 rainbow trout yearlings. Fish produced by this project in 2005 to meet collective fish production and release goals included: 3,446,438 kokanee fingerlings, 347,730 rainbow trout fingerlings and 525,721 kokanee yearlings. Kokanee yearlings were adipose fin clipped before release. Stock composition consisted of Meadow Creek and Lake Whatcom kokanee, diploid-triploid Spokane Trout Hatchery (McCloud River) rainbow trout and Phalon Lake red-band rainbow trout. All kokanee were marked with either thermal, oxytetracyline or fin clips prior to release. Preliminary 2004 Lake Roosevelt fisheries investigations indicate hatchery/net pen stocking significantly contributed to rainbow trout catch and harvest rates while the impact on the kokanee fishery was minimal. Success of the Lake Roosevelt kokanee artificial production program appears to be limited primarily owing to predation, precocity and high entrainment rates through Grand Coulee Dam. Recommendations for future hatchery/net pen operations include use of stocks compatible or native to the upper Columbia River, continue kokanee fry and post-smolt releases, 100% triploid hatchery stock rainbow trout used and adipose fin clip hatchery stock rainbow trout prior to release. The Spokane Tribal Hatchery is funded by the Bonneville Power Administration under directives by the Northwest Power Conservation Council Columbia River Basin Fish & Wildlife Program, Resident Fish Substitution Measures, 1987 to current (Subbasin Plan), as partial mitigation for anadromous and resident fish losses in the blocked areas above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams.
- Research Organization:
- Spokane Tribe of Indians
- Sponsoring Organization:
- United States. Bonneville Power Administration.
- DOE Contract Number:
- 00020783
- OSTI ID:
- 903209
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BP-00020783-1; R&D Project: 199104600; TRN: US200720%%211
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Spokane Tribal Hatchery, 2004 Annual Report.
Ford Hatchery; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish Program, Hatcheries Division, Annual Report 2003.