January 2010 Tagging, Telemetry, and Marking Measures for Monitoring Fish Populations A compendium of new and recent science for use in informing technique and decision modalities Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership – Special Publication Keith Wolf and Jennifer O’Neal, Eds. Cover: Images provided by KWA Ecological Sciences and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission and Steve Damm of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (using HTI acoustic tags). PNAMP Special Publication: Tagging, Telemetry and Marking Measures for Monitoring Fish Populations A compendium of new and recent science for use in informing technique and decision modalities Editors: Keith S. Wolf (KWA Ecological Sciences, Inc.) Jennifer S. O’Neal (Tetra Tech) PNAMP Series 2010–002 Bonneville Power Administration Project #2007-216-00/Contract #40674 and Project #2004-002-00/Contract #41039 Suggested citation formats: Entire publication Wolf, K.S. and O’Neal, J.S., eds., 2010, PNAMP Special Publication: Tagging, Telemetry and Marking Measures for Monitoring Fish Populations—A compendium of new and recent science for use in informing technique and decision modalities: Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership Special Publication 2010-002, 194 p. Chapter within the publication Rechisky, E.L., and Welch, D.W., 2010, Surgical implantation of acoustic tags: Influence of tag loss and tag-induced mortality on free-ranging and hatchery- held spring Chinook (O. tschawytscha) smolts, in Wolf, K.S., and O’Neal, J.S., eds., PNAMP Special Publication: Tagging, Telemetry and Marking Measures for Monitoring Fish Populations—A compendium of new and recent science for use in informing technique and decision modalities: Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership Special Publication 2010-002, chap. 4, p. 69-94. Disclaimer: The use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government or KWA Ecological Sciences, Inc. Acknowledgments The production of “Tagging, Telemetry, and Marking Measures for Monitoring Fish Populations” has been possible through the concerted effort of several organizations, entities and individuals. First, we would like to thank the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) for providing funding to KWA Ecological Science, Inc. and Tetra Tech to lead this project. We thank Tracey Yerxa and John Piccininni of BPA for the contributions in overseeing the contracting process for this project. In addition, we thank the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership (PNAMP) for providing notable in-kind contributions for this effort. Our appreciation also goes out to Erik Merrill and Jim Ruff from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council for their work with the Independent Science Advisory Board’s Tagging and Telemetry Focus Group paper. We also wish to acknowledge the expertise and leadership of the Independent Science Review Panel and Independent Science Advisory Board members for allowing the use of citations of their work. Specifically, we recognize the facilitation of Dr. Eric Loudenslager and Erik Merrill in this regard. Anna Kagley from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provided a set of exceptional abstracts and contact information while hosting the American Fisheries Society symposium on tagging and telemetry and helped us secure permission to use the abstracts from that symposium. We wish to thank the PNAMP Steering Committee and Jennifer Bayer and those of the Remote Sensing Special Session hosted at the National Meeting of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) in the spring of 2008, and for their permissions to reference the existing PNAMP/ASPRS publication on this inextricably related topic. We would sincerely like to thank the team of expert reviewers and members of the Executive Review Committee: Al Giorgi, Kevin Malone, Charlie Paulsen, Nik Zymonas, Dayv Lowry, Tracy Hillman, Shaun Clements, and John Stevenson. These reviewers provided thoughtful comments on all of the manuscripts, which helped to improve the quality of the document. Their dedicated work with the editors and authors was invaluable. Keith Wolf and Jennifer O’ Neal acted as the senior editors for this product and facilitated the central aspects of its production. We accomplished this by working diligently and collaboratively with an expert network of global experts, the editorial review panel, USGS, BPA, the PNAMP steering committee, and importantly, our esteemed contributors. And finally, a special thank you goes to Jacquelyn Schei, of PNAMP, for coordination of the phases of the process, management of the project management site, and assistance in communication. Without her aid in keeping the details organized, this process would not have been as smooth. We would like to thank Jim Geiselman, Jennifer Bayer, and Steve Waste for being long-term supporters of the project, and for stepping in to provide many forms of assistance when called upon. Additionally, Dena Gadomski provided expert editing and formatting assistance through the generous support of the USGS. Dedication This science compendium is dedicated to all professional natural resource practitioners who monitor the condition and health of our environment and the animal populations that depend upon it. You are doing the studies and research that have provided the content for this presentation of methods for tagging and telemetry, and your work has played a pivotal role in the current and future use of these methods for decisions and policies derived from improved science and the assessment of fish populations and their habitats. The essential elements are intended to provide an approach where specific strategies integrate with real-world ecological restoration and protection challenges. The goal is to deliver precise, cost effective and science-based, information, coupled with an explicit process for decision makers and managers. Our objective is to assist them in implementing effective protection, restoration, conservation and enhancement actions and programs. And, finally, the expectation of this work is to ensure that future generations of humans use the best available knowledge, procedures and technology so that animals thrive and distribute naturally and subsist together with people in a healthy natural world. Keith Wolf and Jennifer O’Neal – Winter 2009 v Contents Citation Format ……………………………………………………………………………………… ii Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………………………… iii Dedication ………………………………………………………………………………………… iv Authors and Contributors …………………………………………………………………………… vi Chapter 1 – Introduction and the History of the Tagging, Telemetry and Marking Compendium. Keith S. Wolf and Stephen M. Waste …………………………………… 1 Chapter 2 – Overview of the Coded Wire Tag Program in the Greater Pacific Region of North America. Geroge F. Nandor, James R. Longwill, and Daniel L. Webb ……………… 5 Chapter 3 – Guidelines for Conducting Juvenile Salmonid Survival Studies in Large Rivers: The Columbia River Basin Experience. Albert Giorgi, John Skalski, Chuck Peven, Mike Langeslay, Steve Smith, Tim Counihan, Russell Perry, and Shane Bickford ……… 47 Chapter 4 – Surgical implantation of acoustic tags: Influence of tag loss and tag-induced mortality on free-ranging and hatchery-held spring Chinook (O. tschawytscha) smolts. Erin Rechisky and David Welch ………………………………………………… 69 Chapter 5 – Using Telemetry Techniques to Determine Multiple Redd Formation, Redd Residence Time, and Survey Life of Adult Coho and Chinook Salmon in Spawning Streams. Michael D. Sparkman ……………………………………………… 95 Chapter 6 – Acoustic Telemetry for studying Migration Movements of Small Fish in Rivers and the Ocean – Current Capabilities and Future Possibilities. Douglas Pincock, David Welch, Scott McKinley, George Jackson ……………………………………… 105 Chapter 7 – Guidelines for Calculating and Enhancing Detection Efficiency of PIT Tag Interrogation Systems. Patrick J. Connolly …………………………………………… 119 Chapter 8 – Advances in Coded Wire Tag Technology: Meeting Changing Fish Management Objectives. Geraldine Vander Haegen and Lee Blankenship ………………………… 127 Chapter 9 – Corps Fish Study Nets Useful Data. JoAnne Castagna ……………………………… 141 Chapter 10 – Summary and Conclusions. The PNAMP and Fish Population Monitoring work group’s Editorial and Review Committee. Shaun Clements, Albert Giorgi, Tracy Hillman, Dayv Lowry, Kevin Malone, Jennifer O’ Neal, Charles Paulsen, Keith Wolf, and Nik Zymonas ………………………………………………………… 145 Special Sections 1–5 1. Abstracts from the June 2009 Symposium on Tagging and Telemetry – 39 Authors. New Science for Managing Uncertainties in Fisheries – The Washington-British Columbia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. AFS Symposium: Using hydroacoustic telemetry tools to understand movement and ecology of critical species and improve management applications …………………………………… 147 2. Abstracts from the PNAMP and ASPRS Special Session: Remote Sensing Applications for Aquatic Resource Monitoring. PNAMP and ASPRS, April 2009 (full online report available at: http://www.pnamp.org/RS) ……………………… 169 3. The Tagging and Telemetry Focus Group (TTFG) – Bonneville Power Administration, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Service, University of Idaho Fish Ecology Research Laboratory, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey - Biological Resources Division ……………………………………………… 177 4. Summary of the ISRP/AB Review and the link to full ISRP/AB