Hooking mortality & behavior of a Puget Sound population

1. Hooking mortality & behavior of a Puget Sound population Charmane Ashbrook, Michael Mizell, & Ken Warheit Tomelleri

2. ESA listing Sport selective fishery impacts?

3. More reasons • Variable survival estimates • Use a control to extricate effects of handling and tagging

4. Plan • Part A, estimate survival • Part B, estimate encounter rate Together, these estimates enable us to estimate the impact of sport selective fisheries on wild steelhead. Example: • Yearly escapement --1000 wild fish return • 50% encounter rate --500 captured with sport gear • 95 % survival rate -- 475 lived following release from sport gear • 5% mortality rate --25 killed by sport gear

5. Plan • Part A, estimate immediate and post-release survival • Part B, estimate encounter rate Together, these estimates enable us to estimate the impact of sport selective fisheries on wild steelhead. Example: • Yearly escapement --1000 wild fish return • 50% encounter rate --500 captured with sport gear • 95 % survival rate -- 475 lived following release from sport gear • 5% mortality rate --25 killed by sport gear

6. Plan • Part A, estimate immediate and post-release survival • Part B, estimate encounter rate Together, these estimates enable us to estimate the impact of sport selective fisheries on wild steelhead. Example: • Yearly escapement --1000 wild fish return • 50% encounter rate --500 captured with sport gear • 95 % survival rate -- 475 lived following release from sport gear • 5% mortality rate --25 killed by sport gear

7. Methods • Capture 30 wild winter steelhead on hook and line • Capture 30 control fish • Radio tag –small population, follow movement • Insert tags surgically, potential iteroparity • Track fish using fixed and mobile (vehicle) receivers • Two year study • Tag fish regardless of wounds, bleeding • Collect photo, length, scale, DNA, and weight data • Use GIS to track fish

8. Methods II Three parts to survival Immediate : from capture until release Post-release: from release until presumed spawning Out-migration: from presumed spawning until out-migrate from river (kelt)

11. Pre-season 2009: Little water problem

12. Results I Control fish (trap) 2008: 12 2009: 7 Control X fish (previously hooked) 2008: 7 2009: 1 Treatment fish (sport) 2008: 27 2009: 27

13. Estimating survival Conceptual example : Immediate + post-release = total survival by Keeley, E.R.

14. Results II --survival

15. Estimating survival--take two Conceptual example using out-migration as proxy for spawning: Immediate + post-release + out-migration = total survival

16. Results III --survival There is a cost to being captured with sport gear.

17. Results IV--age structure Samish steelhead can spawn multiple times but most spawn only once and after 1 year in saltwater.

18. Results V --Gender 2008 more females out-migrated (kelted) than males. Consistent with other studies and evolutionary theory. 2008 Chi square test p=0.08 2009 Chi square test p=0.56

19. Results VI--DNA analysis • 2009 group had 5 fish with hatchery parentage • 3 controls and 2 treatment • 3 kelted • 2 with 2.1+ age structure; 2 spawn check • Feb 23rd to Mar 28th • 2008 group had 8 fish with hatchery parentage • 7 controls and 1 treatment • 7 kelted • 3 with 3+ age structure; 1 spawn check • Feb 7th to Mar 6th

20. Comparison with other research • Evolution of hooking mortality studies, technology & statistical improvements • Recent studies • California, summers, n=126 hook location & temperature >21C. 1995 & 1996. Fish observed for 36 hours. • British Columbia, winters, n=226 radio tag. Tag regurgitation, no control, bleeding fish not included?

21. Conclusions • There is a biological cost to sport fishing, 15% • Relatively high kelting rate may be typical for this kind of stream, low gradient and near saltwater • Fair % of “wild” fish had hatchery influence • Despite high kelting rate, relatively few fish were > first time spawners based on scale analysis

22. Further explorations • Evaluate in higher gradient, further in-river system; fish that must travel further may have a lower survival • In estuary environment survival will likely be lower • Estimate recapture survival • Kelt migration and movement patterns in saltwater • Consider if management objective to separate hatchery and wild fish based on return timing is successful • Summer steelhead survival may be lower because of warmer water and longer time in freshwater • Estimate encounter rate to estimate impact to population

23. Acknowledgements • Samish Hatchery Crew • Bob Leland & Steve Schroder • Equipment: USGS, University of Idaho, & Pete Hahn • Technicians: Jen Mertes, Ryan Regner, Jim Crook, Faith Sandretzky, and Kyle Gulbranson • Earl Steele and his fisheries class at Bellingham Technical College; Jim Naranovich • Fishermen: Brett Barkdull, Curt Kraemer, and local volunteers

24. Hook location Treatment (sport caught) 34 maxillary 1 behind eye 3 snout 1 top of head 1 no data Control X (hatchery weir, previously hooked) 6 maxillary 1 no data

25. Fishing gear Artificial bait Corky Eggs Float Sand shrimp Yarn

26. Gender