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Future of Our Salmon A Vision of Restoration in the Columbia River Basin October 17-18, 2012. Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success Principles Tim Roth –USFWS CRFPO Deputy Project Leader. Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success.
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Future of Our Salmon A Vision of Restoration in the Columbia River BasinOctober 17-18, 2012 Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success Principles Tim Roth –USFWS CRFPO Deputy Project Leader
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • What constitutes hatchery “success” from a Service standpoint? • Meet production goals • Implement BMPs • Implement HSRG and HRT recommendations • Develop alternate strategies that provide similar beneficial results
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Conduct hatchery mgmt. decision making under the Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) Framework • Circular model with feedback steps • SHC Shorthand: “Set measurable objectives, monitor results, and implement adaptive management”
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Maintain “authorized purpose” • Most hatchery programs authorized under a mitigation purpose • “Fishery promise to the American public” – should not be diminished • Consider expanding current purpose or development of new programs towards a conservation or restoration focus Spring Creek NFH LWS NFH
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Where appropriate and needed, use hatcheries as a “conservation tool” to: • Implement carefully designed supplementation or restoration programs • Confer a positive demographic boost to the target population • Without causing long term deleterious effects • Manage as a fully integrated system.
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Implement a strong fish health policy and program • Critical for: • Releasing a healthy and productive hatchery product • Protecting naturally spawning stocks
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Implement a strong M&E program • Critical for: • Assessing risks and benefits • Determining if goals are being achieved • Developing adaptive mgmt. recommendations • Starts with comprehensive marking & tagging programs • “One size does not fit all” • CWT • AD Clip marking • PIT • Otolith • Genetic PBT
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Work collaboratively and coordinate with other partners • Northwest Power & Conservation Council (NPCC) • U.S. v. Oregon Production Advisory Committee (PAC) • Mitigation & supplementation program planning workgroups. • Other collaborative efforts.
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Support tribal trust and tribal fishing rights • Support tribal fishery and restoration programs, whenever possible • Unique responsibility and opportunity to coordinate and partner with tribes • “Government to Government”
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Seek full reimbursement for hatchery program costs • Mitchell Act – NMFS • John Day Mitigation – COE • Grand Coulee Mitigation – BOR • LSRCP – BPA • Dworshak Dam Mitigation – COE • NPCC Fish & Wildlife Program – BPA • Private & PUD Mitigation – Various Programs The Dalles Dam 1957 (USGS photo) John Day Dam 1968 (COE photo)
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Incorporate projected future landscape-scale environmental effects into hatchery program assessments • Currently conducting climate change vulnerability assessments • Begin planning for program adjustments • Make investments in programs with greatest likelihood of achieving long term goals
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Investigate opportunities to incorporate new conservation goals for non-traditional species • Potential mgmt. strategies to investigate: • Short-term ESA refugia • Short-term captive rearing • Assisted migration • Translocation • Other
Federal Policy Perspectives on Hatchery Success • Consider hatchery facilities within the context of acting as an extension to the natural habitat & productivity of the basins where they reside or release fish • Use this “management tool” to: • Achieve the authorized program goals • In ways that assist conservation & recovery of natural stocks, where needed • But at the very least, in ways that do not impede the recovery of natural stocks & species
Are We Headed in the Right Direction? “I think so ‘cause this new wild water sure is fun and reminds me of the stories about the good old days that our elders used to talk about. By the way, I’m damned sure that was the former site of Condit Dam that we just passed through a bit ago.” Credit - Thomas O’Keefe – Hydroreform Project Boom Credit – Andy Maser and Steve Stampfli