Spawning Distribution and Run Timing of Chinook Salmon in the Copper River,

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1 Spawning Distribution and Run Timing of Chinook Salmon in the Copper River, James Savereide, Salmon Research Alaska Departme nt of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish ( ) A Cooperative Study with the Native Village of Eyak and LGL Research Associates ( ) 2004) Funded by: Fed. Aid Sport Fish Restoration and US Forest Service

2 Use Radiotelemetry: Objectives 1. Determine the distribution of spawning Chinook salmon in the Copper River drainage, Describe the stock specific migratory timing of the Chinook salmon run,

3 Chistochina River Middle Fork Gulkana River Gakona River Upper Copper River Glennallen Tazlina River Copper River Klutina River Tonsina River Chitina River Valdez Chitina fishery Sonar Station Miles Lake

4 Study Design 1) Capture and radio-tag 500 chinook salmon with dip nets below the Chitina fishery ( ) or two large fishwheels in Baird Canyon ( ). 2004). 2) Utilize a network of ground-based receiving stations to monitor all radio-tagged fish 3) Conduct a series of three aerial flights over entire drainage to locate radio-tagged fish

5 Study Design Probability of capture varied = radio tags were not distributed in proportion to the run : Weighted by tagging rate and hours fished Chinook : 2004: Weighted according to their probability of capture at Canyon Creek Typically the case on the Copper River

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9 : Target Sample Size = 500

10 Chistochina River Middle Fork Gulkana River Gakona River Upper Copper River Glennallen Tazlina River Copper River Tracking station 30 km Klutina River Tonsina River Chitina River Valdez Chitina fishery Sonar Station Miles Lake

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12 Study Design: Aerial Flights Late June Late July Late August

13 Results: Radio Tag Fates Total Number Radio-Tagged Failed to Enter Chitina Fishery Radio Tags Into Chitina Fishery Harvested in Chitina Fishery Harvested in Subsistence Fishery Harvested in Sport Fishery Total in Spawning Streams Total Accounted For

14 Results: Radio Tag Fates Total Number Radio-Tagged Failed to enter Chitina Fishery Radio Tags into Chitina Fishery Harvested in Chitina Fishery Harvested in Subsistence Fishery Harvested in Sport Fishery Total in Spawning Streams Total Accounted For

15 Spawning Distribution of All Major Stocks Percentage of total escapement 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% UpCopper Gulkana Klutina Tonsina Chitina Tazlina 0%

16 tt Bo ne Creek Su s lositna Creek P orcup ine Cree k reek lota C S us ta Na t Creek Rufu s Cr eek Drop Creek Caribou Creek Tanad a Cr eek Lo st Cree k k C ree Gr a ni t e W est Fork A hte l l Creek rk t Fo s W e r k Fo East East Fork Indian Cre Chi s ek to china Sinona Creek River Cr eek Y okneda olf Cre ek W n a Cr let uls o L i Sinona Lake Mankomen Lake Long Lak e Upper Copper Drainage 1999 Mentasta Lake Ri ver Sl ana Suslota Lake C op per River Copper Lake Tanada Lake To bey Cr eek A lt er atio n Cre e k iddle Fork M J a me s Cre e k Bo ulde r C reek i ver Copper R eek Tu lson a C ree k Ex c elsi o r C re e k Klaus Creek Gakon a River tt er Cre e k iver Gakona R O Spring Creek

17 West F ork Dickey Lake Monsoon lake Fish Lake Middle Fork Victo r Cree k Keg Creek Gulkana River Drainage Gulkana River Twelvemile Creek Paxson Lake Hungry Hollow Creek Haggard Creek Sourdough Creek

18 reek Tazlina River Drainage Moose Creek Old Man Lake Sucker Lake Twin Lakes Island Lake Mud Lake M endel tna C reek Nikoli Lake ina River Tolosona Lake Hudso n L ake Tazlina River ickel Creek Durh am C N Kiana Creek lch Ne Little N el china River Tazlina Lake Bo ttley Creek

19 Manker Creek Mahlo River Klutina River St. Anne Lake Klutina Lake St. A nne Cr ek Klutina River Drainage

20 Tonsina River Drainage Little To nsina River Bernard Creek Dust Creek Willow Creek Greyling Creek Quartz Creek Squirrel Creek Tonsina River Tonsina River 2004

21 Chitina River Drainage Tebay Lakes Gilahina River Hanag it a River Tebay River Lakina River Chakina R iver Tana River W. Fork T ana M onhahan Creek Chitina River Chitina River Kuskulana River Nizina River McCarthy Creek Young Creek West Fork Summit Lake Kiagna River Klu River Fourth of July Creek 2004

22 Run Timing All Major Stocks 1999 Cumulative Percentage 100% 75% 50% 25% Uppe r Copper Gulkana Klutina Tonsina Tazlina Chitina 0% 5/19 5/31 6/12 6/24 7/6 7/18 7/30 Date Past Capture Site

23 Run Timing All Major Stocks % Cumulative Percentage 75% 50% 25% 0% Uppe r Copper Gulkana Klutina Tonsina Tazlina Chitina 5/19 5/31 6/12 6/24 7/6 7/18 7/30 Date Past Capture Site

24 Run Timing All Major Stocks % Cumulative Percentage 75% 50% 25% 0% Uppe r Copper Gulkana Klutina Tonsina Tazlina Chitina 5/19 5/31 6/12 6/24 7/6 7/18 7/30 Date Past Capture Site

25 Run Timing All Major Stocks % Cumulative Percentage 75% 50% 25% Uppe r Copper Gulkana Tazlina Chitina Klutina Tonsina 0% 5/19 5/29 6/8 6/18 6/28 7/8 7/18 Date Past Capture Site

26 Run Timing All Major Stocks 2003 Cumulative Percentage 100% 75% 50% 25% Uppe r Copper Gulkana Tazlina Chitina Klutina 0.00 Tonsina 5/13 5/23 6/2 6/12 6/22 7/2 Date Past Capture Site

27 Run Timing All Major Stocks 2004 Cumulative Percentage 100% 75% 50% 25% Uppe r Copper Gulkana Tazlina Chitina Klutina Tonsina 0% 5/20 5/25 5/30 6/4 6/9 6/14 6/19 6/24 Date Past Capture Site

28 Run Timing of All Major Stocks ,000 4,500 Weighted number of radio-tagged Chinook salmon 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, UpCopper Gulkana Tazlina Chitina Klutina Tonsina 0 21-May 28-May 4-Jun 11-Jun 18-Jun 25-Jun Date Past Capture Site

29 In conclusion: 1) Radiotelemetry provides accurate and precise estimates of spawning distribution and run-timing 2) Estimates of spawning distribution fairly consistent, variability observed could be due to varying levels of exploitation in the commercial and inriver fisheries 3) Estimates of run timing have shown a consistent pattern where upriver stocks pass early and downriver stocks pass late 4) Radio tag weighting procedure based on probability of capture by time provided improved estimates of distribution and run timing

30 Thanks for your time