JUVENILE LAMPREY DISTRIBUTION and DENSITY in the CLEARWATER RIVER BASIN, IDAHO USFWS Idaho Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office Doug Nemeth ( Frank Mullins { John Erhardt Mike Murray r Chris Griffith < Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater Regional Office (Selway data) ) 7 Robert Hand WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FROM NATURALLY-MIGRATING LAMPREY ADULTS in the CLEARWATER BASIN? • Upstream of adult releases • Lochsa River • Sampled most Type I and Type II habitat on Highway side • Lamprey Electrofishing Systems ABP-2 electro-fisher ---- - • 60-90 seconds/m2 • Sampled in 2.5 m2 units, at least 10m2 per site ( • Type I or Type II habitat only ( j 1 LOCHSA RIVER l 7 WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FROM NATURALLY-MIGRATING Weir Cr. Powell LAMPREY ADULTS in the CLEARWATER BASIN? Fish Cr. USFWS 2018 Lamprey Sampling 2 Level (fish/ m ) 0 High> 14.9 • Medium 5 .0-14.9 • Low <5.0 0 None • 8 sites sampled along Lochsa • Type I and II habitat limited due to gradient and highway WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FROM NATURALLY-MIGRATING Weir Cr. Powell LAMPREY ADULTS in the CLEARWATER BASIN? Fish Cr. • 8 sites sampled along Lochsa • Type I and II habitat limited due to gradient and highway • High frequency of occurrence – Ammocoetes present in 7 of 8 Lochsa sites. • Densities ranged from 0.1 – 38.8 ammo/m2 Weir Cr. Powell Fish Cr. USFWS 2018 Lamprey Sampling 2 Level (fish/ m ) 0 High> 14.9 Blue Circles IDFG Sampling 2002-2006 0 Medium 5.0-14.9 • Low <5.0 • Similar densities, similar locations 0 None • No ammocoetes upstream of Weir Cr. SELWAY RIVER ; 1 IDFG Selway R. Sites 2002-2006 (primarily wilderness) IDFG 2002-2006 Sampling 2 Level (fish/m ) 0 High >14.9 • Medium 5.0-14.9 • Low <5.0 0 None High Frequency of Occurrence 2018 sites sampled by IDFG in Red 2002-2006 sites sampled by IDFG in Blue High Frequency of Occurrence High > 14.9 Medium 5.0 – 14.9 Low < 5.0 MIDDLE FORK AND MAINSTEM CLEARWATER RIVERS ) l ) 1 Potlatch R. High Frequency 5.6 of Occurrence Lewiston C\earwater R,ver Note Adult MFCR and Release Sites Clearwater R. , r Middle Fork Clearwater R. USFWS 2018 Lamprey Sampling 2 Level (fish/ m ) 0 High> 14.9 0 Medium 5.0-14.9 • Low <5.0 0 None S.f:. C} iearw. ater n­ * Lamprey release locations "111er l, LOWER SNAKE RIVER l ' Middle Fork Clearwater River ) l.... ) 7 Lower Snake River Clearwater River • No ammocoetes seen in 64 minutes of e- fishing 5 sites ( • Sampled USFWS 201 B Lamprey Sampling 2 Clearwater as Level (fish/ m ) 0 High> 14.9 reference Medium 5.0-14.9 • Low <5.0 0 None * Lamprey release locations FIN SAMPLES 1 River C\earwat er 2018 Genetic Samples Se\way River Lochsa River: 1,008 M.F. Clearwater: 79 Clearwater: 116 Orofino Creek: 20 Lolo Creek: 21 Newsome Creek: 20 Selway: 1 - - FIN SAMPLES MAXIMIZED FIN SAMPLES TAKEN 21 C\earwater River • Number of naturally-migrating females producing progeny • Contribution of translocated adults 2018 Genetic Samples • Increased sample se\way size emigrants Lochsa River: 1,008 M.F. Clearwater: 79 and adults at dams Clearwater: 116 in future years. Orofino Creek: 20 Lolo Creek: 21 Newsome Creek: 20 S.f:. C} • Continue to ,earw. Selway: 1 ater n­ "-1'Ver improve Length at Age information FUTURE PLANS • Sample watersheds not recently sampled in cooperation w partners (density and fin samples) • Quantify Type I and Type II habitat along mainstem Lochsa R. • Measure juvenile densities opposite highway in Lochsa (minimal human presence) • Define relationship between 1st pass lamprey captures and total present Lochsa Population Estimate • Identify spawning areas of adult lamprey • Radio tag and release NPTH adults in early 2019- well ahead of spawning • Identify summer, fall and winter holding areas of adult lamprey in the Clearwater • Radio tag 2019 downstream dam captures and release in 2019 • Track movement of ammocoetes through Clearwater mainstems- Visual Tags and Fixed Site Sampling CONCLUSIONS • Current ammocoete distribution and density in Lochsa and Selway similar to that from 2002-2006 investigations. • High frequency of occurrence in preferred habitat in the Clearwater. • Limited amount of preferred habitat Opportunities for quantification, fin sampling, understanding movement, others. • No ammocoetes found in the lower Snake River..