ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FISH RESEARCH PROJECT OREGON PROJECT TITLE: Scale Analysis PROJECT NUMBER: F-144-R-09 PROJECT PERIOD
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ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FISH RESEARCH PROJECT OREGON PROJECT TITLE: Scale Analysis PROJECT NUMBER: F-144-R-09 PROJECT PERIOD: October 1, 1997 to September 30, 1998 Prepared by: L.A. Borgerson Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 2501 S.W. First Street P.O. Box 59 Portland, Oregon 97207 This project was partially financed with Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. CONTENTS Page SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 1 Objectives for FY 1998 ............................................................................................... 1 Accomplishments in FY 1998...................................................................................... 1 Findings in FY 1998.................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 2 METHODS............................................................................................................................ 2 REARING ORIGINS OF COHO SALMON............................................................................ 3 AGE COMPOSITION OF CHINOOK SALMON .................................................................... 5 AGE COMPOSITION OF CHUM SALMON .......................................................................... 9 MISCELLANEOUS SCALE COLLECTIONS ......................................................................... 9 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 12 APPENDIX .......................................................................................................................... 13 SUMMARY Objectives for FY 1998 1. Identify the rearing origin of coho salmon (wild or hatchery) spawning in Oregon coastal streams. 2. Determine the age composition and length at age of chinook salmon in Oregon coastal index streams. 3. Determine the age composition of chum salmon spawning in Tillamook Bay tributaries. 4. Provide scale analysis support to other research and management projects. 5. Maintain scale archives. Accomplishments in FY 1998 We accomplished all objectives. Findings in FY 1998 We identified the rearing origin of 1,319 coastal coho salmon returning to spawning grounds in 1997. The Salmonid Inventory Project personnel will use the data to exclude stray hatchery fish from the escapement estimates for wild coho salmon. We also read scales from an additional 46 coho salmon from various sources. We read scales from 1,913 fall chinook salmon that returned to spawning grounds of seven coastal index rivers. In 1997, the combined age composition for fish from the seven index rivers was 1.0% age-2, 8.5% age-3, 27.9% age-4, 61.6% age-5, and 1.0% age-6. Managers used these data to evaluate the status of coastal fall chinook salmon stocks. We also read scales from a subsample of fall chinook salmon from the Rogue River in 1997 and found that the age composition was 4.0% age-2, 16.8% age-3, 61.1% age-4, 17.9% age-5, and 0.2% age-6. Analysis of scales from 259 chum salmon returning to Tillamook Bay in 1997 showed that the age composition was 27.8% age-3, 70.3% age-4 and 1.5% age-5, and 0.4% age-6. Under the fourth objective, we analyzed scales for the Hood River/Pelton Ladder , Lake Billy Chinook, Native Trout, and Salmonid Life Cycle Monitoring research projects; Inter- Jurisdictional Management and Ocean Salmon Management programs; the Mid-Coast, Mid- Columbia, and Klamath Fish districts; and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. 1 INTRODUCTION The Scale Analysis Project determines the rearing origin (hatchery or wild) of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and the age composition of coastal chinook (O. tshawytscha) and chum salmon (O. keta). We also provide scale reading assistance to other projects. In 1997, we analyzed scales for the Hood River/Pelton Ladder, Lake Billy Chinook, and Salmonid Life Cycle Monitoring research projects; Inter-Jurisdictional Management and Ocean Salmon Management programs, Warm Water Fish Management Program, and the Mid-Coast, Mid- Columbia, and Klamath Fish districts. Before 1988, we analyzed the scales of coho salmon from the spawning grounds of the Lincoln District and Coos Bay basin to identify strays from private hatcheries. In 1988, we began analyzing coho salmon scales from all coastal spawning grounds to identify strays from public and private hatcheries (Borgerson 1989). Currently, no private hatcheries are releasing coho salmon, so all hatchery strays are from public hatcheries. Since 1986, we have monitored the age composition and mean length at maturity of fall chinook salmon from the Nehalem, Wilson, Salmon, Siletz, Siuslaw, Coquille, and Chetco rivers. In this report we present data for the 1997 return year. Data for previous years are reported by Nicholas and Hankin (1988), Lewis et al. (1989), and Borgerson and Bowden (1997). We also received chinook salmon scales from other coastal rivers including the Rogue and Elk rivers. Fall chinook salmon from the Rogue River have been sampled for age composition in previous years (Borgerson and Bowden 1997) We analyzed scales from chum salmon returning to the Nehalem River and Tillamook Bay tributaries in 1997. For comparison, we included data from the Tillamook basin for other years. METHODS Most of the scales that we analyzed were collected by others. We provided each collector with a sampling procedure, including a diagram showing location of the key scale area (Nicholas and Van Dyke 1982), so that all collections were sampled by the same methods. We received most scale samples in individual envelopes; a few were sent to us already mounted on gummed tape or glass slides. We mounted all scales that we received in envelopes on gummed cards and made acetate impressions using a heat press. All data recorded on the individual scale envelopes were either transcribed onto our scale reading form or entered directly into a computer database. Experienced personnel determined rearing origin and age by visual interpretation of the scale pattern. Two people read most collections and resolved disagreements during a joint, third reading. When time or training did not allow for each of two people to read a collection, one person read the scales twice, and if the two readings were different, that person read them a third time. The first reading was made without knowledge of field data, such as length or date, so that the reading was based only on information provided by the scale pattern and was not biased by conflicting field data. Field data were taken into consideration for the third reading. Fish age was determined by counting winter annuli. We identified annuli as bands of closely spaced circuli with broken circuli and occasional, small areas of resorption. For 2 chinook and chum salmon returning to fresh water to spawn, total age equaled the count of annuli plus one. For fish sampled during the summer, we may have added a "+" to the age to denote that a significant amount of growth had occurred since the last annulus. A spawning check may accompany the annulus of fishes capable of living past spawning, such as trout (Oncorhynchus spp.). We identified a spawning check as narrowed circuli with a lot of resorption along the perimeter of the check (Figure 1). We identified the rearing origin of coho salmon (coastwide), chinook salmon (Chetco and Elk rivers), and steelhead (O. mykiss) (Alsea and Hood rivers) as hatchery or wild. The Chetco River is the only index river for chinook salmon into which unmarked hatchery fish are released. Scale patterns vary by hatchery or wild stock so known-origin reference collections were studied to ensure the most accurate classification. We defined a wild fish as a fish that formed its scales in the natural environment. Progeny of hatchery strays and hatchery stock planted as fry or that emerged in a stream from an artificial hatchbox were also classified as wild. The scale pattern of a wild coho salmon typically has an obvious freshwater annulus of very narrow, often broken circuli near the center of the scale, followed by very wide "spring" circuli ending at a vague ocean entrance check. A hatchery scale pattern usually has a vague freshwater annulus relatively far from the center of the scale, "spring" circuli spacing that may not be noticeably wider than previous circuli, and an ocean entrance check that is often strong. Hatchery fish are usually larger than wild fish at ocean entrance and that is reflected on the scale pattern by greater distances from the center of the scale to the freshwater annulus and the ocean entrance check, and by higher circuli counts to those features. Chinook salmon from the Chetco and Elk rivers differ from coho salmon by being subyearlings at ocean entrance so there is no freshwater annulus on the scales. Differences between hatchery and wild scale patterns of Chetco and Elk chinook salmon are similar to coho salmon in that hatchery fish are “large” at ocean entrance with a high count of evenly spaced circuli. Wild chinook salmon from the Chetco and Elk rivers are “small” at ocean entrance with a low circuli count and a zone of tightly spaced circuli near the scale center followed by widely spaced circuli near the ocean entrance check. The scales of most wild steelhead display two annuli formed in freshwater,