Bull trout population assessment in northeastern Oregon: a template for recovery planning Annual Progress Report for 2008

Within the overall framework of conservation and recovery planning for threatened bull trout, we provide critical information on abundance, trend, vital rates, habitat needs, and information on the potential for improving survival at one or more life stages. In addition, we gather information related to population structure structure
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Learn more about structure (e.g., age, life history, and genetic components). We provide a template against which different strategies for monitoring and evaluation can be evaluated in terms of accuracy, precision, cost/effort, and limiting factors. Our goal is to provide the data and conservation assessment tools to aid in the efforts of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to determine the necessary courses of action and management actions for recovery of bull trout populations throughout this as well as other provinces. The project was initiated in 2002 and has continued through 2009, with plans to continue work through 2010. To meet our goals, we have developed and implemented each year, a comprehensive mark- recapture program including two tag types, multiple capture techniques (both passive and active) and systematic sampling of two large study areas (South Fork Walla Walla and North Fork Umatilla) with a high degree of effort. 2008 marks the fifth and final year of sampling and study in the North Fork Umatilla.

The efforts of this project have been part of a completed PhD dissertation (Al-Chokhachy 2006) and master’s thesis (Homel 2007) and are currently part of an on-going PhD dissertation (Bowerman, In prep; Appendix 1) conducted through Utah State University. Results and syntheses of different components of the project are available in previous annual reports (Budy et al 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and herein) as well as in the peer-reviewed manuscripts: Al-Chokhachy et al. 2005; Al-Chokhachy and Budy 2007; Homel and Budy 2008; Homel et al. 2008; Al- Chokhachy and Budy 2007; Al- Chokhachy and Budy 2008; and Al-Chokhachy et al. in press.