Spawning Distribution and Run Timing of Chinook Salmon in the Copper River, 1999-2004 James Savereide, Salmon Research Alaska Departme nt of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish (1999-2001) A Cooperative Study with the Native Village of Eyak and LGL Research Associates (2002-2004) 2004) Funded by: Fed. Aid Sport Fish Restoration and US Forest Service
Use Radiotelemetry: Objectives 1. Determine the distribution of spawning Chinook salmon in the Copper River drainage, 1999-2004. 2. Describe the stock specific migratory timing of the Chinook salmon run, 1999-2004.
Chistochina River Middle Fork Gulkana River Gakona River Upper Copper River Glennallen Tazlina River Copper River 1999-2001 Klutina River Tonsina River Chitina River Valdez Chitina fishery 2002-2004 Sonar Station Miles Lake
Study Design 1) Capture and radio-tag 500 chinook salmon with dip nets below the Chitina fishery (1999-2001) or two large fishwheels in Baird Canyon (2002-2004). 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
Study Design Probability of capture varied = radio tags were not distributed in proportion to the run 1999-2001: Weighted by tagging rate and hours fished Chinook 2002-2004: 2004: Weighted according to their probability of capture at Canyon Creek Typically the case on the Copper River
1999-2001
1999-2001
2002-2004
1999-2004: Target Sample Size = 500
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
Study Design: Aerial Flights Late June Late July Late August
Results: Radio Tag Fates 1999 2000 2001 Total Number Radio-Tagged 522 536 480 Failed to Enter Chitina Fishery 14 56 43 Radio Tags Into Chitina Fishery 508 480 437 Harvested in Chitina Fishery 92 50 29 Harvested in Subsistence Fishery 38 31 25 Harvested in Sport Fishery 30 18 10 Total in Spawning Streams 320 318 293 Total Accounted For 522 536 480
Results: Radio Tag Fates 2002 2003 2004 Total Number Radio-Tagged 462 500 498 Failed to enter Chitina Fishery 37 32 36 Radio Tags into Chitina Fishery 425 468 462 Harvested in Chitina Fishery 37 47 39 Harvested in Subsistence Fishery 31 45 72 Harvested in Sport Fishery 22 32 20 Total in Spawning Streams 306 307 296 Total Accounted For 462 500 498
Spawning Distribution of All Major Stocks 1999-2004 Percentage of total escapement 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% UpCopper Gulkana Klutina Tonsina Chitina Tazlina 0% 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
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 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 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
West F ork Dickey Lake Monsoon lake Fish Lake Middle Fork Victo r Cree k Keg Creek Gulkana River Drainage 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Gulkana River Twelvemile Creek Paxson Lake Hungry Hollow Creek Haggard Creek Sourdough Creek
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 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 200 4 lch Ne Little N el china River Tazlina Lake Bo ttley Creek
Manker Creek Mahlo River Klutina River St. Anne Lake Klutina Lake St. A nne Cr ek Klutina River Drainage 1999 2003 2002 2001 2000 2004
Tonsina River Drainage 1999 2003 2002 2001 2000 Little To nsina River Bernard Creek Dust Creek Willow Creek Greyling Creek Quartz Creek Squirrel Creek Tonsina River Tonsina River 2004
Chitina River Drainage 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 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
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
Run Timing All Major Stocks 2000 100% 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
Run Timing All Major Stocks 2001 100% 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
Run Timing All Major Stocks 2002 100% 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
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
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
Run Timing of All Major Stocks 2004 5,000 4,500 Weighted number of radio-tagged Chinook salmon 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 UpCopper Gulkana Tazlina Chitina Klutina Tonsina 0 21-May 28-May 4-Jun 11-Jun 18-Jun 25-Jun Date Past Capture Site
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
Thanks for your time