RESTRICTED FOR DEPARTMENTAL USE ONLY DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES OF CANADA RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BRANCH SALMON DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES, THEIR PRESENT STATUS, AND THEIR POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS TO THE BRITISH COLUMBIA SALMON STOCKS VANCOUVER, B. C. OCTOBER. 1966 , RESTRICTED FOR DEPARTMENTAL USE ONLY DEPARTMENT OF FlSHERIES OF CANADA RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BRANCH SALM 0 N DEVEL 0 PM ENT TE CH NI Q U ES, THEIR PRESENT STATUS, AND THEIR POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS TO THE BRITISH COLUMBIA SALMON STOCKS VANCOUVER, B. C. OCTOBER. 1966, ii CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT vii 1 INTRODUCTION l 2 SALMON DEVELOPMENT TECIIlHQUES 12 1 Hatc;:hery Propagation 12 1 Chinook and Coho Salmon 12 l History 12 2 Recent Advances 13 - Disease Control, Nutrition, Release Practices, Donor Stock 3 Current Program 19 4 Present Status of Hatchery Production 21 - Columbia River Chinook Salmon Hatchery Evaluation Program 21 - Evaluation of the Washington State Chinook and Coho Hatchery Program - Recent Increases in Coho Production by Columbia River Hatcheries 28 2 Sockeye Salmon 29 3 Chum and Pink Salmon 35 4 Summary and Conclusions 43 1 Chinook and Coho Salmon 43 2 Sockeye Salmon 45 3 Pink and Chum Salmon 46 5 References 47 2 Spawning Channels and Controlled Flow Projects 48 1 Introduction 48 2 Assessment of Existing Spawning Channels 50 ) Summary and Conclusions 63 4 Supplemental Information on Existing Spawning Channels and Allied Projects Completed to Date 64 - Nile Creek, Jones Creek, Horsefly Lake, Robertson Creek, Great Central Lake, Seton Creek, Pitt River, Big Qualicum River, Nanika River, Fulton River, Puntledge River, Indian River, Mill Creek, Baker Lake, McNary, Priest Rapids, Carmen-Smith, Abernathy Creek, Rocky Reach, Indian Creek, Auke Creek, Lancha Plana, and Mokelumne 5 References 89 3 Alleviation of Obstructions 92 l Types of Obstructions 92 l Beaver Druns 92 2 Log Jams 93 3 Landslides ·95 · 4 Inadequate Water Flows 97 5 Waterfalls 98 iii Page 2 Fishways 99 1 Types Suitable for British Columbia Conditions 99 2 Operational Assessments 101 3 Existing Installations in the Pacific Northwest 102 - Department of Fisheries of Canada . 102 - Interna ti on al Paci fio Salmon Fisheries Commission 103 - Washington State Department of Fisheries 104 4 Potential Sites 105 - Kakweiken River, Bulkley River, Kispiox River, Nahmint Ri ve:r, Marble River, Cranberry River, Lowe Inlet, Wale Creek, Ain River, Stafford .River, Embly Creek, Adam River, 101.utze River 3 Summary and Con cl uslons 123 4 . Controlled Rearing Areas (Fish 12.5 1 Introduction 12.5 2 Assessment of Resu11;s 126 3 Summary and Conclu:sions 137 4 References 140 Transplantation 141 1 Introduction . 141 2 Results of Transplants 142 l Pink Salmon 142 2 Sockeye Salmon 147 3 Chinook Salmon 151 3 Summary and Conclusions 153 4 References 158 6 Predator Control 159 l Introduction 159 2 Assessment of Results 159 3 Summary and Conclusions 166 4 References 167 7 Lake Fertilization 169 l Introduction 169 2 Assessment of Results 169' 3 Summary and Conclusions 172 4 References 174 8 Selective Breeding 175 l Introduction 175 2 Assessment of Results 175 3 Summary and Conclusions 180 4 Reference.a 182 iv Page 3 THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BRANCH'S FORECASTED SALMON DEVELO·PMENT PROORAM 183 4 THE POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED SALMON PRODUCTION IN BRITISH COLUMBIA THROUGH APPLICATION OF DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES 191 APPENDIX v TABLES No .. Page 1 SUMMARY OF MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS COMPLETED BY THE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT BRANCH, 1949-66 10 2 RELEASES OF SALMON, IN MILLIONS, FROM PACIFIC COAST HATCHERIES, 1957-64 20 3 CHINOOK SALMON CATCHES IN 1964, AND THE ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE EVALUATION PROGRAM HATCHERIES 22. 4 NUMBERS OF VALID AND POSSIBLY VALID HATCHERY­ :t'iARKED FISH REPORTED IN THE 1965 CATCH UP TO JULY 10 23 5 RELEASES OF MASU, PINK, AND CHUM SALMON, IN MILLIONS, FROM SOVIET HATCHEHITES ON SAKHALIN AND THE KURILE ISLANDS, 1955-58 35 6 FRY-TO-ADULT SURVIVAL RATES REPORTED FOR PINK AND CHUM SALMON INCUBATED IN HATCHERIES IN THE u.s.s.R. 7 FINGERLING-TO-ADUL'r SURVIVAL RATES F'OR PINKS AND CHUMS REARED IN SALTWATER PONDS IN WASHINGTON STATE 40 8 PRODUCTION DATA FOR HATCHERY-PRODUCED CHUMS AND PINKS IN WASHINGTON STATE HATCHERIES, 1957-58 _41 9 A LIST OF SPAWNING CHANNELS, INCUBATION CHANNELS, AND RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL PROJECTS CONSTRUCTED TO DATE, 1966 52 10 PRODUCTION FIGURES FOR PINK SALMON AT JONES CREEK, 1955-56 54 11 PRODUCTION FIGURES FOR CHUM SALMON AT BIG QUALICUM RIVER, 1959-65 12 THE 13 KNOWN OBSTRUCTIONS AT WHICH FISHWAYS APPEAR TO BE JUSTIFIABLE, TOGETHER WITH RECORDED ESCAPEMENTS, COST ESTIMATES, AND MAXIMUM POTENTIAL BENEFITS 108 13 BENEFIT-COST RATIOS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES REARING AREAS 131 vi No .. Page 14 AVERAGE SURVIVAL RATES (FRY-TO•ADULT RETURN) FOR THE SEVEN BEST WASHINGTON STA'I'E FISH FARMS, AS COMPARED WITH OTHER PRODUCTION FACILITIES 1)2 1.5 SUMMARY OF SOCKEYE TRANSPLANTS AT'J'EMPTED WITHIN THE FRASER RIVER SYSTEM BY THE INr.11ERNATIONAL PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES CO~fi1ISSION 148 16 SUMMARY OF SOCKEYE TRANSPLANTS AND RETURNS TO FRASER LAKE, KODIAK ISLANDJI ALASKA 150 17 SMOLT CHARACTERISTICS AND ADULT RE'J~URNS, BARE LAKE, ALASKA, 1950-56 171 18 SUMMARY, BY SPECIES, OF PRESENT AND PAST MAXIMUM ESCAPElvfENTS OF MAJOR BRITI8H COLUMBIA SALMON STOCKS, AND THEIR COMPUTED POTENTIALS 195 19 ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL SPAWNING GROUND REQUIREMENTS, COSTS, AND BENEFITS TO THE FISHERY 197 vii ABSTRACT This report introduces the subject of salmon enhancement techniques by reviewing the need for such measures in British Columbia, and the major steps which have been taken to dnte. The :main body of the report individually examines available information concerning the present status of the major known salmon enhancement techn'iques; namely, hatcheries, spawning channels and controlled flow, fishways and stream i.mprovement, controlled rearing (fish farming), transplantation, predator and competitor control, lake fertilization, and selective breeding. The tentative conclusions with regard to the applicability of each of these techniques may be summarized as follows: Hatcheries Chinook and Coho Salmon Hatcheries in the United States are currently producing significant numbers of chinook and coho. In this connection, an evaluation study of Columbia River hatcheries, which has been in progress for several years, provides the best available informa­ tion, and, while this program will not be completed for several more years, preliminary r0sults tend to support the contention that the Columbia River hatchery program is economically and biologically sound. Furthermore, Washington State hatchery programs, which lack precise evaluation, have nevertheless shown indications that they are on the verge of becoming economic from the viewpoint of commercial production alone, without regard to viii the considerable additional benefits accruing to the sport fishery. It appears that these successEts have been due, largely, to recent advances resulting from research into nutrition, disease control, feeding techniques, water .quality fJ and timing of hatchery releases. As one would expect, some hatcheries are ' more successful than others, but some are proving to be outright failures. Sockeye Salmon There is no evidence that hatchery production of sockeye is economic. The hatchery propagation of this species has received considerably less attention than that for coho and chinooks, and, as a result, the :research that has improved chinook and coho culture has not been extended' to sockeye. Pink and Chum Salmon Currently, hatchery propagation of pink and chum salmon I on a production basis is being undertaken only in Japan and the­ Soviet Union, and the limited available information indicate·s that these countries have been relatively successful in this field. On the other hand, North American programs directed toward these species have been largely unsuccessful. Spawning Channels and Controlled Flow Projects Approximately 25 projects of this type are now in service on the Pacific coast, and most were constructed to compensate for fisheries losses which otherwise might have been expected as a result of the construction of hydroelectric damse For the most part, however, these installations are ·Of such ix recent construction that they have not yet experienced adult returns, and proper evaluation of this technique must therefore be held in abeyance pending future developments~ Nevertheless, it has been encouraging to note that fry production resulting from salmon spawning naturally in spawning channels has quadrupled that of the natural streams@ Moreover, it bas been noted that this increase can be doubled if the eggs are cultured in a hatchery to the eyed stage before being planted in the channel. Experience to date has indicated that the average size (and possibly the viability) of channel-produced fry is equal to that of fry produced in natural streams, but greater than that of fry produced in hatcheries$ In addition, limited information from the Jones Creek spawning channel, which has been in operation long enough to have recorded adult returns, has provided grounds for optimism with regard to the potential of this technique. This information is, however, only a fraction of that which will be coming available in the near future when the production channels at Qualicum and Babine Rivers, and Weaver Creek have been in operation long enough to provide data for comprehensive assess­ ments based on adult returns. Alleviation of Obstructions Obstructions located on the freshwater migration routes