Thoughts on the Future

Anadromous Fish Reintroduction

Thoughts on the Future April 25, 2018

Stephen Smith, UCUT

The Obvious Future • There will be an informative Phase 1 Report – 2 dams • Expect a rigorous regional, national and international “discussion” • There will be an updated Joint Passage Paper - 6 dams

The Obvious Future • There will be salmon above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams • Current beneficiaries of the dams will continue to obtain their benefits largely or totally unaffected by salmon.

Clarifications Pathways & Purposes

Pathways to Potential Salmon Reintroduction • Fish & Wildlife Program – NW Power and Conservation Council (2 dams) • Columbia River Treaty Modernization (6 dams)

• Tribal Initiative

Salmon Release Purposes

Experimental • • • •

Phase 2 hypothesis testing Address critical uncertainties Statistical rigor Science to guide the Phased approach is the primary purpose

Cultural

Educational

• Tribal ceremonial, harvest • Spiritual • Ecological • Food for bears, eagles bugs and trees • Fish production for future harvest & spawning

• Youth or community involvement • Outreach to broader audience • Some monitoring (limited scope) • Small sample size, • Guide management of cultural • Might inform future exp. releases

Salmon Releases - Purposes Experimental “Selective Releases”

Cultural Spiritual Ceremonial Harvest Ecological

Phase 2, Testing Hypotheses

Tagged Juv. Educational (PIT) Outreach Tagged Youth adult Community (acoustic)

Basic Monitoring

Parallel and Intersecting Pathways

Phase 1 information is being evaluated for a tribal pathway to cultural salmon releases

Parallel and Intersecting Paths Phase 1 • • • •

Assessment Planning Evaluation Selective releases

Scientific foundation for….

Phase 2 • •

Experimental releases Interim passage facilities

With monitoring can inform….

Cultural and educational releases

Phase 3 •

Permanent facilities

Salmon Releases - Actions Experimental Hypothesis testing Approach routes and behavior at Dams (detailed acoustics) Predator Effects Fallback Rates-Adults Spawning Success Reach Survival-Juveniles Reach Survival-Adults

Cultural 1st Salmon Ceremony Captive Fishery At-Large Releases

Educational Salmon-in-the-Classroom Juvenile Monitoring (PIT) Adult Monitoring (acoustic)

The Uncertain Future

Forum(s) for action?

How will Reintroduction be Resolved? Administratively Legislatively

F&W Program CR Treaty Modernization Other

Judicially

The Uncertain Future Funding Priority? Congressional monies ? New regional mitigation funds ? Reprioritize mitigation funds ?

The Uncertain Future

Research outcomes? • Clarifying critical uncertainties • Results of pilot salmon reintroductions

Sneak Peek into the Future • Phase 2 Experiments should be a logical future action • Interim passage facilities - after resolving key uncertainties • Lake Roosevelt Forum 2038 – Stay tuned

Thank You