Monitoring the reproductive success of hatchery and natural chinook salmon in the Wenatchee, Tucanno

1
Monitoring the reproductive success of hatchery
and natural chinook salmon in the Wenatchee,
Tucannon, and Kalama Rivers

• Michael Ford, NMFS
• Todd Pearsons, WDFW

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Problem statement

• What is the relative reproductive success of
  natural and hatchery salmon in nature and in the
  hatchery?
• What are the biological causes of differences in
  RRS?
• Are patterns consistent across species, programs,
  streams?
• Are effects reversible ?

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Why measure relative reproductive success?
Necessary to

• Accurately estimate population viability
• Evaluate the benefits of conservation programs
• Evaluate the risks of production programs

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Method overview basic design
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Method overview parentage analysis
Extract DNA
168
172
Determine genetic profile
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Natural
Hatchery
Males
176
178
168
172
166
174
170
164
Females
Offspring
174
176
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Natural
Hatchery
Males
176
178
168
172
166
174
170
164
Females
Offspring
174
176
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Example Minter Creek coho

• Over 1000 spawners
• Six microsatellite loci
• 60 of fry assigned to single parent pairs

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Objective 1 Success of hatchery and natural fish

• Method Count the number of progeny produced by
  each type

Example Minter Creek
35
mean 0.6
35
mean 0.75
30
30
25
25
Number males
20
20
15
15
10
10
5
5
5
10
15
20
5
10
15
20
Hatchery
Wild
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Objective 2 Determine causes of differences
Methods Likelihood regression, behavioral
observation
0.01
0.008
0.006
proportion fry
0.004
0.002
-
2
-
1
1
2
run timing
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Objective 3 Patterns across species, streams,
programs
Wenatchee

• Wenatchee, Tucannon, Kalama study streams
• Logistical feasible areas that differ by
• Life history
• Basin size, location, hydrology
• Program type and goals
• Proportion of hatchery fish
• Population size and history

Kalama
Tucannon
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Objective 3 Patterns across species, streams,
programs, continued..

• Focus is on chinook salmon, because
• Most studies have been on steelhead and coho
  salmon
• Chinook of great importance in Columbia River
  basin
• Will complement other planned studies

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Objective 4 Are differences reversible?
Method Conduct study for at least two
generations
. . .
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Summary

• Chinook salmon relative reproductive success in
  three streams
• Proven methods, which have been successfully used
  by key personnel in study
• Meets RPAs 182 and 184 -- measure fitness and
  rate of domestication
• Key personnel include both experts with on the
  ground knowledge and experts in genetics and
  data analysis