Lakelse Sockeye Recovery Program The Ninth Annual BC Interior Stewardship Workshop May 7 th and 8 th, 2013 DFO North Coast Resource Restoration Unit
Presentation Overview History/background Stock and habitat status what lead to recovery plan Sockeye Recovery Plan Research factors limiting sockeye production Enhancement fry outplant project Habitat Restoration (highlight 2 projects) Stock Assessment Partners/stakeholders Presentation Review
Lakelse Watershed
History Lakelse was a DFO sockeye research watershed in 1940 s through 1960 s good documentation of historical stock status & habitat productivity Significant habitat disturbance due to human development and unstable geology in the 1960 s through 2000 s Logging, linear development, large sediment movement, unstable reaches
Spawning Escapement 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 ESCAPEMENT Problem? (identified in ~2003) 45,000 SUBAREA TOTAL: LAKELSE SOCKEYE 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 Very low escapements in recent years (< 1000) 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 YEAR Very low juvenile densities relative to rearing capacity (<5%) 10000 1000 100 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 Year 92% escapement decline over last 3 generations (12 years) (slide courtesy of Steve Cox-Rogers, 2005)
Initiated Lakelse Sockeye Recovery Plan in 2003 DFO-driven, multi-stakeholder process to document historical and current knowledge of stock and habitat status Identify and address data gaps Determine factors limiting Lakelse sockeye production Develop an action plan to address limiting factors with specific prioritised projects
Recovery Plan Findings Substantial background information available Currently low-modest fishery exploitation due to early migration of stock (late June) Healthy but underutilized lake rearing environment for fry Significantly impacted spawning habitat in main spawning tributaries Poor incubation survival in some streams
Prioritized Approach Protect existing habitat and stocks Enhance population through smallscale, short term hatchery production Restore impacted spawning habitat Assess stocks and restoration effectiveness
Habitat Protection Some industry participation and $ in recovery planning process (MOF, BCTS) Very active stewardship group (Lakelse Watershed Society) Education/awareness generated by media, info kiosks, brochures and public meetings Lakeshore mapping, photo-documentation and education Lake Management Plan, active enforcement Liquid waste management plan underway
Stock Enhancement ~300,000 hatchery-produced fry released annually in Williams Creek since 2006 Due to disease transfer concerns with sockeye in a conventional hatchery setting, eggs are flown to Bella Coola where sockeye are reared in isolation Initial hatchery returns appeared to be poor, but preliminary data for 2012 estimate the hatchery component to be in the 20% range
Lakelse Fry Outplant
Habitat Restoration Adult access improvement Beaver management Mainstem spawning habitat creation on smaller tributaries Off-channel spawning habitat creation on Williams Creek (main spawning tributary with unstable reaches)
Williams Creek Formerly productive spawning habitat adjacent to upper spawning channel Gravel scoured by higher water events and bedload movement
Upper Williams Spawning Channel Start of excavation - 2011 Undercut bank Excavation continues Lock block sill & weir for enumeration
Upper Williams Spawning Channel Installing intake valve and manhole Installing intake pipe and infiltrator Intake excavation Intake completed
Upper Williams Spawning Channel Intake valve open Opening the channel Channel complete First adult (coho) in channel
Scully Creek Small groundwaterfed spawning tributary Impacted by diverted surface-water flows, beaver activity and significant bear predation
Scully Creek Habitat Restoration Beaver dam before removal Beaver dam after hand removal Beaver dam after excavator removal Start of undercut bank creation
Scully Creek Habitat Restoration 60 cedar logs donated by City of Terrace Undercut bank excavation cont d Lock blocks in place Logs placed on lock blocks
Scully Creek Habitat Restoration Filter cloth overlay on logs Logs covered with soil and planted Completed undercut bank First sockeye using cover habitat
Stock Assessment and Project Effectiveness Monitoring Adult returns DFO Stock Assessment Smolt assessment DFO & external partners Fry surveys - Hydroacoustic studies by Skeena Fisheries Commission Egg incubation studies DFO & consultant
1937 1940 1943 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 Adult escapement estimates for Williams and Sockeye Creeks (2012 numbers preliminary) 40000 35000 30000 Williams Sockeye 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0
Thank-you to our many partners and stakeholders Lakelse Watershed Society Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (formerly MOF and MOE) Kitselas Fisheries BC Timber Sales Kitimat-Stikine Regional District City of Terrace Skeena Fisheries Commission Pacific Salmon Commission Northern Fund
Presentation Review Lakelse sockeye history/background Overview of Sockeye Recovery Program Fry Outplant Project Habitat Restoration Stock Assessment & Effectiveness Monitoring Questions?