SNAKE RIVER SOCKEYE SALMON CAPTIVE BROODSTOCK PROGRAM RESEARCH ELEMENT ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT January 1, 2000–December 31, 2000 Prepared by: J. Lance Hebdon, Senior Fishery Research Biologist Jason Castillo, Fishery Technician Paul Kline, Principal Fishery Research Biologist IDFG Report Number 02-51 August 2002 SNAKE RIVER SOCKEYE SALMON CAPTIVE BROODSTOCK PROGRAM RESEARCH ELEMENT Project Progress Report 2000 Annual Report By J. Lance Hebdon Jason Castillo Paul Kline Idaho Department of Fish and Game 600 South Walnut Street P.O. Box 25 Boise, Idaho 83707 To: U.S. Department of Energy Bonneville Power Administration Division of Fish and Wildlife P.O. Box 3621 Portland, OR 97283-3621 Project Number 199107200 Contract Number 00000167-00001 IDFG Report Number 02-51 August 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................3 PROJECT GOAL ........................................................................................................................4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................4 STUDY AREA.............................................................................................................................5 Captive Broodstock Program Egg and Juvenile Supplementation ...........................................5 METHODS..................................................................................................................................6 Kokanee Abundance, Density, and Biomass Estimation..........................................................6 Sport Fishery Investigations ....................................................................................................7 Redfish Lake........................................................................................................................7 Alturas Lake.........................................................................................................................7 Out-migrant Monitoring and Evaluations..................................................................................7 Redfish Lake Creek Trap .....................................................................................................7 Mainstem Snake and Columbia River Dams ........................................................................8 Volitional Spawning Investigations/Natural Release Options ...................................................9 Parental Lineage Investigations.............................................................................................10 Predator Investigations..........................................................................................................10 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................10 Kokanee Abundance, Density, and Biomass Estimation........................................................10 Redfish Lake......................................................................................................................10 Alturas Lake.......................................................................................................................10 Pettit Lake..........................................................................................................................10 Stanley Lake ......................................................................................................................11 Sport Fishery Investigation ....................................................................................................11 Redfish Lake......................................................................................................................11 Alturas Lake.......................................................................................................................11 Out-migrant Monitoring and Evaluation..................................................................................12 Redfish Lake Creek Trap ...................................................................................................12 Mainstem Snake and Columbia River Dams ......................................................................12 Volitional Spawning Investigations/Natural Release Options .................................................13 Redfish Lake......................................................................................................................13 Little Redfish Lake..............................................................................................................13 Alturas Lake.......................................................................................................................14 Pettit Lake..........................................................................................................................14 Parental Lineage Investigations.............................................................................................15 Predator Investigations..........................................................................................................15 Fishhook Creek..................................................................................................................15 Alpine Creek ......................................................................................................................15 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................15 Abundance, Density and Biomass Estimation........................................................................15 Redfish Lake......................................................................................................................15 Alturas Lake.......................................................................................................................16 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Pettit Lake..........................................................................................................................16 Sport Fishery Investigation ....................................................................................................16 Redfish Lake......................................................................................................................16 Alturas Lake.......................................................................................................................17 Out-migration Monitoring and Evaluation...............................................................................17 Redfish Lake Creek Trap ...................................................................................................18 Mainstem Snake and Columbia River Dams ......................................................................18 Volitional Spawning and Natural Release Options.................................................................19 Predator Investigations..........................................................................................................20 LITERATURE CITED................................................................................................................33 APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................35 LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Physical and morphometric characteristics of five study lakes located in the Sawtooth basin (Sawtooth Valley National Recreation Area), Idaho. ......................21 Table 2. Hatchery-produced sockeye salmon released to Sawtooth basin waters in 1999. Adults and eyed-eggs were reared at the Eagle Fish Hatchery (IDFG). Smolts and presmolts were reared at the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery (IDFG). ............22 Table 3. Sockeye salmon releases made to Sawtooth basin waters in 2000. .......................23 Table 4. Estimated kokanee population, density (fish/ha), and biomass (kg/ha) in four Stanley basin lakes, 1990 to 2000. .........................................................................24 Table 5. Estimated 2000 kokanee abundance, density (fish/ha), and biomass (kg/ha) by age-class in Sawtooth basin lakes. ....................................................................25 Table 6. Estimated angler effort for the 2000 fishing season on Redfish and Alturas lakes.......................................................................................................................25 Table 7. Catch rates (fish/hour) for the 2000 fishing season on Redfish and Alturas lakes categorized by day type and species.............................................................26 Table 8. Estimated number of fish harvested and released on Redfish and Alturas lakes during the 2000 fishing season......................................................................26 Table 9. Out-migration data for sockeye salmon smolts captured at the Redfish Lake Creek Trap (by efficiency periods) from April 12 to June 14, 2000..........................26 Table 10. Summary of 2000 sockeye salmon smolt out-migration information (by release strategy) at trap locations and at Lower Granite Dam (LGR)......................27 ii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 11. Travel times of PIT-tagged sockeye salmon smolts recorded from outlet creek traps