Skagit opens in 4 days

[beeman]

First Sockeye at the trap recorded today, hopefully this will be a better run than last year.

[Mike Carey]

wow, that time already! I hope I can fish the lake this year...

[Jakefish]

First Sockeye at the trap recorded today, hopefully this will be a better run than last year.

Last year was actually my best so far (of the 3 years I have fished) - I went 3 for 10 trips in 2015, 0 for 5 trips in 2016, and 4 for 10 trips in 2017. These are the hardest fighting and freshest salmon I have ever caught in any river, but you sure do have to put in the time. The river is fairly high again this week, so like last year there won't be much room on the normal bars to fish for them. Also, the run size is forecasted to be smaller than last year - but they never are very accurate. We just finished the last of last year's salmon from our freezer on Sunday, so I'm ready . . .

[beeman]

They are forecasting a run of 35,000. Last years trap count was only 16,700.
Not sure what the run size was based on trap count numbers.

[dj2loud]

That count is going to be inflated year after year just to " appease" the tribes lake cushman and tacoma power Eyed egg transfers... FOr the past 2 years I ve been emailing the WDFW to find out just how many eggs have been taken from the baker lake program and have yet to get a single answer..... This plan was implemented without any public knowledge or input... IF the run estimation is over 40,000 they get maximum egg transfer of 500,000 eyed eggs that the state is raising......



DRAFT Baker Lake Sockeye Egg Transfer Implementation Plan
03/15/2017
Background on proposed implementation Plan
Plans to transfer sockeye eggs to the Saltwater Park Hatchery in Hoodsport, Washington
are currently being developed by the co-managers (Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, SaukSuiattle
Tribe, Skokomish Tribe, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife).
In a letter from August 23, 2012, WDFW recommended the donor stock to be Baker Lake
sockeye. The letter included the caveat to develop an implementation plan that would
incorporate threshold triggers for transfer as well as in-basin performance metrics to allow
for adaptive management.
As stated in the Cushman Project License issued by FERC. Article 417 Fish
Supplementation Program:
Purposes of the fish supplementation program are to protect, address damages to, and
enhance anadromous and resident fisheries. The objectives of the program are:
1. To support the reintroduction, restoration, and long term maintenance of a sockeye
salmon population in the North fork Skokomish watershed;
2. To provide harvest opportunities to treaty Indian fisheries.
3. To provide recreational fishing opportunities. In the future, sockeye fishery
opportunity could be provided in Marine Area North of Ayok Rock and possibly in
Cushman Lake, similar to a Baker Lake fishery.
Goal of Implementation Plan:
Starting in 2016, the implementation plan is to provide up to 500,000 eyed sockeye eggs
annually for five years, to a program run by Tacoma Power in the newly-constructed
Saltwater Park Hatchery. This egg transfer is possible by recently upgraded infrastructure
provided by Tacoma Power at the Baker Lake Facility, owned and operated by Puget Sound
Energy. The level of request was determined to be a suitable amount to test the new
facility to make this program a success with minimal impact to the donor hatchery program
and minimum escapement thresholds. After a period of five years, the plan will be
revisited and revised as necessary.
In the future, if infrastructure is significantly upgraded and co-managers agree, goals listed
under FERC Article 417, 2.2.1 of meeting fry release goals may be met.
2.2.1 The licensee shall construct, operate and maintain an adult holding, spawning,
egg incubation, and early rearing facility for the sockeye supplementation
program that is capable of producing the number of healthy fry shown in
Table 1. The facility shall be located at Tacoma’s Saltwater Park property.
Table 1. Sockeye Supplementation Program Production Targets.
Species Type Number Fish/Pound Pounds
Sockeye Fed fry (May) 200,000 2,500 80
Fed fry (June) 1,000,000 800 1,250
Fed fry (Sept.) 800,000 150 5,333
TOTALS 2,000,000 6,663
Minimum escapement Thresholds
A preseason forecast of 40,000 returning adults to the Skagit River is required to plan on a
maximum egg transfer of 500,000 using the existing hatchery infrastructure. Exact brood
stock allotment numbers will be adjusted annually during the North of Falcon Process.
If the minimum escapement thresholds are not met, then a reduced egg transfer will be
implemented with the intent to provide a minimum of 100,000 eggs. However, the Baker
Lake program and Skagit Basin needs will come first in priority.
Disease Policy
All egg transfers will meet the requirements of The Salmonid Disease Control Policy of the
Fisheries Co-Managers of Washington State and The Baker Lake Hatchery Containment Plan.
IHNV is present in this population of fish and protocols have been established to test
individual females for this virus so that the only eggs shipped are those from parents in
which IHNV was not detected. In addition, other pathogens and diseases (e.g., losses from
BKD) may limit broodstock available for egg transfers.
Logistics
Tacoma Power will provide new infrastructure at the Baker Lake Hatchery to handle
increased capacity as needed. They will provide manpower to spawn, sample, clean up,
and transport pathogen free eggs to the Cushman facility. Tacoma Power will also provide
all necessary supplies to facilitate this program. The intent is that there will be no financial
impacts to the WDFW, Baker co-managers, and Puget Sound Energy. Tacoma Power will be
responsible for communicating with the co-managers with updates and progress reports.
Prior to release from the Saltwater Park Program, all otoliths will be thermal marked.....