Our office conducts production planning, marking, monitoring, and post-stocking evaluations for National Fish Hatcheries in the Columbia River Basin. Over 20 million fish were marked in 2005. Marking can include fin clips, coded-wire tags, and PIT tags. To keep track of hatchery programs, our office maintains the Columbia River information System (CRiS), and participates in the interagency StreamNet database. We also develop hatchery and Genetic Management Plans and Section 7 Biological Assessments for Endangered Species Act compliance. We develop collaborative projects to investigate diet, release, and rearing density to improve hatchery performance, as well as develop in-stream studies using traps, radio telemetry, and snorkeling to investigate behavior, wild and hatchery interactions and habitat use. Our vision for hatchery assessment is: 1) use National Fish Hatcheries to conserve populations 2) produce fish for sport, commercial and tribal fisheries 3) use National Fish Hatcheries to complement fish and wildlife production in their natural habitat 4) develop partnerships for watershed-based projects in streams where we operate our National Fish Hatcheries 5) work with engineers, landscape architects, biologists and fish culturists to design and operate hatcheries which simulate natural features 6) advance education, research and management of our National Fish Hatcheries and 7) build relationships and establish trust.

Contact Doug Olson at 360-604-2500 for additional information.

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Construction and operation of the Columbia River hydrosystem has been a major factor in the decline anadromous fishes and attributed to subsequent Endangered Species Act listing of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead. In response to this situation, several groups have been created to recover and restore these populations of fish.

Office staff coordinate and manage issues in the Columbia River basin that affect Service responsibilities through several regional forums. Examples include: coordinating and balancing spawning flows needed for endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon with instream flow needs for threatened Columbia and Snake river salmonids; developing flow requirements for listed Columbia River Chum below Bonneville Dam; scheduling releases of fish from Service hatcheries with requests for increased flows from Columbia and Snake river dams; and incorporating the requirements of anadromous fish in the Columbia River into Federal Energy Regulatory Committee relicensing processes of the Snake River and mid-Columbia River hydroelectric projects.

Office staff have significant experience and expertise in instream flow methodologies, river hydraulics, and physical/biological habitat evaluations for anadromous and resident fish and wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and Columbia River basin. Instream flow assessments, hydraulic and habitat modeling, and species specific biological evaluations provide the information necessary to establish stream flows which are required to maintain or enhance habitat for fish and wildlife. Instream flow expertise is critical for successfully supporting stream flow recommendations for fish and wildlife habitat that is affected by the construction and operation of the hydrosystem as well as water diversions, and for other activities directed at the recovery and restoration of fish and wildlife populations on and off of Service lands.

The Bull trout/Passage crew conducts monitoring and research studies to investigate movement patterns, determine spatial and temporal distribution, and identify spawning and rearing habitat suitability criteria for ESA listed bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in the Walla Walla, Umatilla, and John Day river basins. Ultimately, information acquired through the aforementioned objectives will help determine instream flow targets and contribute to the goal of ensuring long-term persistence of self-sustaining, complex, interacting groups of bull trout distributed throughout the species' native range, so that the species can be delisted.

For more information, please contact Don Anglin or Joe Skalicky at 360-604-2500.

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Recovery, Assessment, and Planning Team
The recent Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings in combination with the decline of many fish stocks in the Columbia basin has increased the Service's need for development, participation, and communication within multi-agency forums responsible for conservation and recovery of both listed and non-listed aquatic species. The Recovery, Assessment, and Planning Team (RAP-Team) was organized in 2005 to address these issues and coordinate with different federal, state, and tribal entities dealing with the effective management and restoration of aquatic species in the Columbia River Basin. Target species include, but are not limited to salmon, steelhead, bull trout, coastal cutthroat trout, lamprey, and chub.

The mission of the RAP-Team is to promote the Service's position and interests through interagency forums, local governments and coordination groups operating in the Columbia River basin and ensure that the decisions made by these groups result in the adoption of the best scientifically-based management measures for resident and anadromous fish. The FWS is represented by the RAP-Team at (1) multi-agency technical forums developed to formulate and resolve uncertainties in the fundamental biological issues surrounding the restoration of lamprey, (2) development of range-wide coastal cutthroat trout conservation initiatives, (3) development and implementation of subbasin plans, (4) identification and implementation restoration actions dealing with fish passage barriers within basin, (5) recovery planning for bull trout and chub, (6) coordinated technical assistance with National Wildlife Refuges, and (7) internal and external education and outreach to promote the Service's mission.

The team includes four members. Tim Cummings has been at the CRFPO since 1989. His current focus is on lamprey and coastal cutthroat trout. Ron Rhew came to the CRFPO in 2002. His current focus is on fish passage restoration associated with FRIMA and the National Fish Passage Program. Sam Lohr has been at the CRFPO since 2002. His current focus is on Refuge Assistance and implementation of the National Fish Habitat Initiative. Donna Allard the elder states-person of the Team has been with CRFPO since 1985. Her current focus is on education, outreach, and web design.

Contact Tim Cummings at 360-604-2500 for more information.

Non-Salmonid Program
The non-salmonid program is presently focused on lamprey species. The lamprey project evaluates habitat use and population dynamics of lampreys inhabiting Cedar Creek, a tributary of the Lewis River located in southwest Washington. Currently in the sixth year of a multi-year study on lamprey populations, the objectives of this research are to estimate abundance and determine distribution, habitat requirements and migration timing of larval, juvenile and adult Pacific and Western brook lampreys. The team has also investigated the distribution and habitat use of the western pearl shell mussel in Cedar Creek.

Salmon and Steelhead Evaluation Team
The Salmon and Steelhead Evaluation team conducts investigations of Columbia River salmon and steelhead populations and habitats. Current projects include work on chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus namaycush) populations. Both of these species are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Our work with chum salmon focuses on investigating factors limiting populations in the Columbia River Gorge, namely in Hardy creek and Hamilton springs. The goal of our work with fall Chinook is to describe fish presence, distribution, habitat use, and accessibility of island sloughs in the lower Columbia River.

Native Trout Program
The Native Trout Program is charged with conducting research, monitoring and evaluation projects to assess behavior, physiological processes, morphological characteristics, habitat parameters, population genetic structure, and abundance and distribution of sensitive native trout species in the Pacific Northwest. Species currently being focused on include coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) in the lower Columbia River basin, bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) in interior subbasins of the Columbia River, and redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in high desert basins of eastern Oregon. These species are either species of concern or listed under the Endangered Species Act (bull trout). The projects being conducted are primarily focused on gaining a better understanding of the life history of these species so that distribution and abundance can more accurately be determined. In addition, the Native Trout Program is involved in multi-programmatic habitat restoration assessment and monitoring projects. Current habitat restoration projects are being implemented at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Bandon Marsh NWR, and Tryon Creek. The ultimate goal of the Native Trout Program is to provide information toward rangewide restoration and recovery of these species.

Contact Tim Whitesel at 360-604-2500 for more information.

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