Ocean - estuary coupling or how does FW/estuary history affect ocean traits? (Hatchery rearing strategies) January 19, 2017 Brian Beckman, NWFWC brian.beckman@noaa.gov Focus on yearling Chinook salmon
Outline Brief review of NMFS juvenile salmon survey Hatchery yearling Chinook salmon vary in the Columbia River Hatchery yearling Chinook salmon vary in the Ocean Size, growth and ocean variability Size selective mortality Survival window
NOAA Juvenile Salmon Ocean Survey
Alaska Survey Grid Canada US Seattle Columbia River
NMFS/BPA Juvenile salmon - Plume Survey 1998 test sampling/el Nino 1999 2005 May: June: Sept: 2006 2012 May: June: Sept: 2013 2014 June: 3 transects 5-9 transects 6-9 transects 5-7 transects 8-9 transects 7-9 transects 8 transects 2015 2016 May: June: May: June: 4 days 8 transects 7 days 8 transects
Outline Brief review of NMFS juvenile salmon survey Hatchery yearling Chinook salmon vary in the Columbia River Hatchery yearling Chinook salmon vary in the Ocean Size, growth and ocean variability Size selective mortality Survival window
Traits that vary: Estuary and ocean entrance timing Estuary, Plume residence time Migration rate Size Growth rate many others... By stock! => survival
Hatchery variation
Genetic, geographic and phenotypic differences exist between Columbia River Chinook salmon populations West Cascades Rivers Spring GCD Columbia R. Mid & Upper Columbia River Spring Summer/Fall WFA BON HC Snake River Spring Fall Willamette River Spring from Myers et al. 1998, Waples et al. 2004
Km Weight (g) WestCSp WillRSp MUCRSp SnkSp SnkFa UCRSuFa WestCSp WillRSp MUCRSp SnkSp SnkFa UCRSuFa 150 May Release Date 14 12 Fish Released (millions) 120 Apr 90 10 8 Mar 6 Feb Jan 60 30 0 9 Mar 10 Mar 7 Apr 29 Mar 31 Mar 22 Apr 4 2 0 1200 70 1000 800 600 Migration Distance 60 50 40 30 51 42 Release Size (g) 46 40 400 200 20 10 31 25 0 2006-2011 0
Ocean variation
WestCSp WillRSp MUCRSp SnkSp SnkFa UCRSuFa WestCSp WillRSp MUCRSp SnkSp SnkFa UCRSuFa CPUE CPUE Yearling Columbia River Chinook salmon* abundance in the survey varies by month, stock and year 1.8 1.6 1.4 May 1.8 1.6 1.4? June 1.2 1.2 1 1.8.8.6.6.4.4.2.2 0 0 *6 major stocks of Chinook salmon with yearling migrants 5 are listed under the Endangered Species Act 2006-2011
Alaska UCR/Snake spring Chinook salmon quickly migrate north August July** **Jamal Moss, Joe Orsi, NMFS, Juneau Canada June* *Marc Trudel, DFO, Nanaimo May US Seattle Columbia River
Abundance proportion.5.4.3.2.1 Proportion @ Release Relative proportion of yearling Chinook salmon by stock varies by in the ocean.5 0.4.3.2 Proportion in Ocean May.1 0.5.4.3.2.1 0 WC Sp Will Sp UCR Sp Snk Sp Snk F UCR SuF Proportion in Ocean June WCSp WillSp MUCRSp SnakeSp SnakeF UCR SuF 2006-2011
WestCSp WillRSp MUCRSp SnkSp SnkFa UCRSuFa WestCSp WillRSp MUCRSp SnkSp SnkFa UCRSuFa weight (g) weight (g) Weight of fish caught in the ocean varies > 2-fold by stock 160 140 May 160 140 June 120 120 100 100 80 80 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0 2006-2011
Size in the ocean is correlated to size at release mean 06-11
Management implications?
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Biomass (abundance x weight) varies by stock, month and year MAY JUNE Willamette Sp W Cascade Sp Snake Sp Mid&Up Col Sp Upper Col Su/Fa Snake Fa Ocean entry year
Management implications?
Technological advances have made it possible to assess growth rate and population of origin from individual fish caught at sea IGF1 = growth attgactg = population
The hormone IGF1 is a growth index 80 plasma IGF-I* level (ng/ml) 70 60 50 40 Post-smolt coho salmon PIT-tagged 6 week growth interval seawater *TRF immunoassay 30 20 10 0 r 2 = 0.62 p < 0.0001 N = 197 0.1.2.3.4.5.6 instantaneous growth (% length/day) Beckman et al. 2004 TAFS
Growth and survival
Growth varies inter-annually 90 IGF1 70 Snake River spring Chinook 50 30 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 year June
Growth varies inter-annually 90 and by stock Snake R fall Chinook IGF1 70 Up Col R summer/fall Chinook 50 Snake R spring Chinook 30 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 year Mid/Up Col R spring Chinook June
Growth is related to survival of spring Chinook (most years) 275000 Spring Chinook Count @ Bonneville 250000 225000 200000 175000 150000 125000 100000 75000 50000 r 2 =0.72 p<0.01 2013 2014 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 June SpChin IGF 2011 2012 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Size and Growth
IGF1 Yearling Columbia R Chinook salmon: marine growth varies with size 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 Length (mm) 2006-2011, May, all stocks p<0.001, r 2 =0.20
IGF1 - size relationships vary between years in May (slope of regression line) level slope + slope Snake River spring Chinook salmon
IGF1 - size relationships vary between years due to varying ocean conditions Snake River spring Chinook salmon
Snake R spring Chinook IGF vs length slope varies with ocean conditions Bad ocean >>> Good ocean ~
Management implications?
Size selective mortality of hatchery fish
50 N PIT-tagged spring Chinook are released from Carson NFH Latitude 46 N Carson NFH Bonneville Dam
Carson data 400000 Adult spring Chinook at Bonneville 350000 300000 250000 200000 150000 100000 50000 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 Return year
Queried PTAGIS PIT-tags at Bonneville Adult Ladder by release year minijacks jacks age 4 generated mean size at tagging by release year for surviving adults minijacks jacks age 4 mean size at tagging is a surrogate for smolt size => related mean size at tagging of returning adults to ocean conditions
Size selective mortality varies with ocean conditions Carson sp Chinook Ocean entry years 2003-2010
Management implications?
Survival window
June CPUE (#/km towed) Catch of yearling Chinook (CPUE) varies in June
Catch of yearling Chinook is correlated to Adult return (+2), (1998-2013) 2014 F=7.2 p=0.02 r 2 =0.34
Survival Window
Age 2 male minijacks return 2-3 months post-release - 1 year prior to jacks SUMMER CHINOOK LIFEHISTORY? Minijack Spring, Summer, Fall Graphic by Justin Peters
Dam passage (% total fish passage) PIT-tagged minijacks migrate downstream and back upstream the same year they were released 20 15 10 5 0 10 20 30 40 smolts downstream Bonneville Dam juvenile by-pass minijacks upstream Adult Ladder April May June July August Sept ~ 2 months between peaks Beckman & Larsen 2005
SE AK DE QCI HS QCS NVI MVI JF/SVI FS LP QR GH WB CR CM NH 0 minijacks of 314 fish caught between Vancouver Is. and S.E. AK June/July June May 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 % minijack (of males) Minijack distribution centered around Columbia River Minijack distribution centered around Columbia River May June June/July
Willamette R. Willamette River Spring Chinook Salmon returns by age class 100 000 Returns to Willamette Falls Dam 80000 60000 40000 20000 Adults Minijacks 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 Ocean entry year
Minijack counts are related to Adult counts (+2) @ Willamette Falls 100000 Adu lt Returns (+2 yrs after emigration ) 80000 60000 40000 20000 x 2013 Ocean entry R 2 =.31 P =.004 0 0 5000 10000 15000 Minijack returns (same year as emigration)
50 N PIT-tagged spring Chinook are released from Carson NFH possible to calculate Smolt to adult return (SAR) Latitude 46 N Carson NFH Bonneville Dam
age 4 SAR Carson minijack SAR is correlated to age 4 SAR (2002 2013)
Dam passage (% total fish passage) Survival is set within two months of ocean entrance? 20 15 10 5 0 10 20 30 40 smolts downstream Bonneville Dam juvenile by-pass minijacks upstream Adult Ladder April May June July August Sept ~ 2 months between peaks
Management implications?
What happens in the estuary?