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steelhead and 90+ percent of the chinook salmon smolts passing Lower Granite Dam in <br />recent years, (1988 and 1989), are of hatchery origin.l Also, during the past 20-30 years <br />wild/natural escapement has declined., <br />The Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Plan of 1987 established the goal of doubling the <br />salmon and steelhead runs from 2.5 million to 5 million. A cornerstone of this program <br />is to fully utilize available habitat to increase wild/natural production. Although we <br />have been producing hatchery fish for many years in the Columbia River Basin, there <br />are still many unanswered questions concerning the use of hatchery fish for <br />supplementation. The 1987 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, Section, <br />700 (h), recognizes this problem and stated, "Bonneville shall fund research to determine <br />the best methods of supplementing naturally spawning stocks with hatchery fish, <br />particularly in the upper main stem Snake and Columbia rivers." This analysis of <br />supplementation was undertaken to assist in directing which areas of research needs to <br />be prioritized for supplementation in the upper Columbia River. Priority species are <br />upriver chinook salmon and steelhead. The Snake River is the drainage of highest <br />priority. <br />RESULTS <br />General <br />Our review points out the importance of a potential genetic impact from <br />supplementation with hatchery fish. The concern expressed in the published literature <br />review (Steward and Bjornn 1990) and from interviews, indicate that hatchery fish <br />introduction could adversely impact the natural stock. <br />Researchers are attempting to document -any genetic impacts of supplementation. <br />Procedures which are being used to minimize adverse genetic impacts include: <br />1. Using a proportion of the adults in the wild or natural run as broodstock. <br />2. Stocking practices should mirror the natural environment, i.e., size, timing, stocking <br />density, and donor stock. <br />3. Limit the density of stocked fish to prevent displacement or competition with <br />wild/natural fish. <br />There are different perceptions to which supplementation procedures work. The <br />adequacy of supplementation procedures vary regionally. Alaska hatcheries produce and <br />1Larry Basham, Fish Passage Center, Portland, Oregon, pers. comm., March, 1989. <br />3 <br />