Sarita and Pachena Watershed Renewal: 2017 Sarita River ... · From Huu-ay-aht First Nations, we are grateful to Christine Gruman and Amelia Vos who provided local information and

Sarita and Pachena

Watershed

Renewal:

2017 Sarita River

Chinook Salmon

Outmigration

Assessment

Prepared by LGL Limited

18 Dec 2018

EA3716B.34

Sarita and Pachena Watershed Renewal: 2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment

Prepared by:

S. T. Johnson, C. W. Burns, and C. T. McCulloch

LGL Limited environmental research associates

9768 Second Street Sidney, BC

V8L 3Y8

Prepared for:

Huu-ay-aht First Nations 170 Nookemus Road

Anacla, BC V0R 1B0

18 December 2018

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2017, Huu-ay-aht First Nations and LGL Limited developed a framework for renewal of the Sarita and Pachena watersheds. The purpose of the “Renewal Framework” is to provide direction that will ultimately lead to the development of a comprehensive “Renewal Plan”. The Renewal Plan will incorporate a two-pronged strategy that prioritizes both, long term objectives (10 years or greater) intended to restore ecosystem processes, and short-term objectives required for the management and conservation of high value species or the protection and enhancement of important fish and wildlife habitat. Monitoring and adaptive management will form part of the Renewal Plan which will be a living document for decades.

To address the data gap with regards to estimating Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) production in the Sarita River, a salmonid smolt outmigration trapping project was initiated. On April 21, two rotary screw traps (RSTs) 1.2 m (4-foot) and 1.8 m (6-foot) diameter, were installed and operated near river kilometer 1.75 of the Sarita River. The two RSTs were continuously operated from April 21 until June 2, for a total of 1,815.4 hours; 660.2 hours for the large trap, 639.8 hours for the small trap and 515.4 hours in tandem.

A total of 522 wild and 1,114 hatchery origin Chinook Salmon were captured in 2017. All captured Chinook Salmon aside from hatchery released fish were marked with either Bismarck Brown dye or a fin clip and released approximately 1.0 km upstream. Up to 150 individuals were randomly selected each day and measured for fork length (to the nearest millimetre) and weighed (to the nearest tenth of a gram). The randomly chosen Chinook Salmon smolts had an averaged fork length of 43.5 mm (range: 35−63 mm fork length; n = 446) and average weight of 0.7 g (range: 0.2−3.0 g; n = 347).

In total, seven different species were captured including: Chinook, Coho (O. kisutch), Chum (O. keta), steelhead (O. mykiss), Rainbow Trout (O. mykiss), Prickly Sculpin (Cottus asper), and Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Chum Salmon (32,332) were the most common species captured followed by Coho Salmon (2,415). All non-target fish were released downstream of the RSTs.

A subsample of Coho Salmon was randomly selected daily from May 25 to May 30 and measured for fork length and weight. The Coho Salmon had an average fork length of 39.5 mm (range: 30−58 mm fork length; n = 102) and average weight of 1.0 g (range: 0.5−2.8 g; n = 102).

Approximately 380,000 hatchery Chinook Salmon smolts were released by the Nitinat River Hatchery on May 23 and 24 at the Blenheim bridge pool. Of the approximately 380,000 hatchery Chinook Salmon released, 1,114 were recaptured (0.29% of the total released) at the RSTs. A subsample of hatchery Chinook Salmon was randomly selected and measured for fork length and weight. The hatchery Chinook Salmon had an average fork length of 64.6 mm (range: 41−97 mm fork length; n = 246) and 3.6 g (range: 1.0−9.0 g; n = 246).

Due to the low numbers (6 in total) of marked re-captured wild Chinook Salmon caught in the RSTs, an estimate was not generated. The hope is to establish a long-term dataset to improve the understanding of Chinook Salmon escapement. This report documents the methods and results of the 2017 RSTs operations in the Sarita River and provides recommendation for the RST studies in the future.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without the cooperation and support of numerous people. We would like to acknowledge Huu-ay-aht First Nations Government for their partnership and support on the project. From Huu-ay-aht First Nations, we are grateful to Christine Gruman and Amelia Vos who provided local information and knowledge of salmon spawning distribution in the Sarita Watershed. Fieldwork and logistical project support was provided by Shannon Nookemus, Lee Frank, and Robert Seward (Huu-ay-aht First Nations Technicians) and Katie Imrie (LGL Limited). We would also like to thank Stephan Ochman (independent local consultant) for guidance during the site selection. Dave Key (Key Mill Construction Ltd., Ladysmith, BC) and Jason Smith (LGL Limited) provided assistance with site selection and RST installation. From LGL Limited, Elmar Plate assisted with project management and report review. Connie Kleckner and Joanne Dovey (LGL Limited) were essential in providing safety and field logistics support. Dawn Keller (LGL Limited) provided reporting quality assurance and control. Lastly, we thank Bob Bocking (LGL Limited) for his senior review.

Citation: Johnson S. T, C. W. Burns, and C. T. McCulloch. 2018. Sarita and Pachena watershed renewal: 2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon outmigration assessment. LGL Report EA3718B.34. Prepared for Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Anacla, BC, by LGL Limited, Sidney, BC. 43 p.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................. ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................... iii

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................... iv

LIST OF PHOTOS ............................................................................................................................................ v

LIST OF APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................... v

ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... vi

1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Study Area ..................................................................................................................................... 1

1.3 Objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 3

2 Methods ............................................................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Trap Operations and Environmental Conditions .......................................................................... 3

2.2 Fish Capture and Sampling ............................................................................................................ 5

2.3 Analysis ....................................................................................................................................... 10

2.3.1 Environmental Conditions................................................................................................... 10

2.3.2 Juvenile Salmonid Relative Abundance and Size Distribution ............................................ 10

2.4 Data Quality Assurance and Control ........................................................................................... 10

3 Results ................................................................................................................................................ 11

3.1 Trap Operations and Environmental Conditions ........................................................................ 11

3.2 Juvenile Salmonid Relative Abundance and Size Distribution .................................................... 12

3.2.1 Wild Origin Chinook Salmon ............................................................................................... 12

3.2.2 Hatchery Origin Chinook Salmon ........................................................................................ 14

3.2.3 Coho Salmon ....................................................................................................................... 15

3.2.3.1 Fry.................................................................................................................................... 15

3.2.3.2 Parr/Smolt ....................................................................................................................... 16

3.2.4 Chum Salmon ...................................................................................................................... 17

3.2.5 Other Species ...................................................................................................................... 18

4 Discussion ........................................................................................................................................... 19

5 Recommendations ............................................................................................................................. 20

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 21

APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 22

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment LIST OF FIGURES

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Fish species present in the Sarita Watershed (BC MOE 2017). .......................................... 3

Table 2. Life history stage classification and fork length criteria. .................................................... 7

Table 3. Summary of rotary screw trap operations for the 2017 sampling period. ....................... 11

Table 4. Wild Chinook Salmon fork length and weight results from the Sarita River RSTs. ........... 12

Table 5. Hatchery Chinook Salmon fork length and weight results from the Sarita River RSTs. .......................................................................................................................................... 15

Table 6. Coho Salmon fry fork length and weight results from the Sarita River RSTs. ................... 16

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Location of the Sarita Watershed. ...................................................................................... 2

Figure 2. Location of the rotary screw traps and mark release site. ................................................. 8

Figure 3. Daily flows and temperatures of the Sarita River at the Water Survey of Canada hydrometric station No. 08HB014, 2017. ......................................................................... 11

Figure 4. Daily catch of wild Chinook Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study. ................................................................................................................................ 13

Figure 5. Cumulative catch (%) of wild Chinook Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study. ............................................................................................................. 13

Figure 6. Mean fork length of wild Chinook Salmon fry by statistical week during the sampling period. ............................................................................................................................... 14

Figure 7. Daily catch of hatchery Chinook Salmon in the Sarita River RSTs, 2017 study................. 14

Figure 8. Daily catch of Coho Salmon fry at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017. .................. 15

Figure 9. Cumulative catch (%) of Coho Salmon fry at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study. ................................................................................................................. 16

Figure 10. Daily catch of Coho Salmon parr at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017. ............... 17

Figure 11. Cumulative catch (%) of Coho Salmon parr at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study. ................................................................................................................. 17

Figure 12. Daily catch of Chum Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017. ...................... 18

Figure 13. Cumulative catch (%) of Chum Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study. ....................................................................................................................... 18

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment LIST OF APPENDICES

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LIST OF PHOTOS

Photo 1. Looking from left bank to right bank at the small (1.4 m diameter) RST (April 28, 2017). .................................................................................................................................. 4

Photo 2. Looking from left bank to right bank at the large (1.8 m diameter) RST (April 25, 2017). .................................................................................................................................. 4

Photo 3. The crew checking the lower RST in the Sarita River (April 30, 2017). ............................... 5

Photo 4. The crew enumerating RST-caught fish (April 30, 2017). ................................................... 6

Photo 5. Looking from left bank to right bank at the small (1.4 m diameter) and large (1.8 m diameter) RSTs in tandem (May 22, 2017). ....................................................................... 6

Photo 6. Looking downstream at the large (1.4 m diameter) and small (1.8 m diameter) RSTs (May 22, 2017). ................................................................................................................... 7

Photo 7. Chinook Salmon on the left and a Bismarck Brown Y dyed Chinook Salmon on the right (May 24, 2017). .......................................................................................................... 9

Photo 8. Looking at hatchery origin Chinook Salmon (May 23, 2017; photo credit to Nitinat River Hatchery). .................................................................................................................. 9

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A. Daily physical data. ........................................................................................................... 23

Appendix B. Sarita River rotary screw trap daily catch. ........................................................................ 26

Appendix C. Sarita River rotary screw trap photography. .................................................................... 40

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment ABBREVIATIONS

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ABBREVIATIONS The following abbreviations are used in this report:

CPUE catch per unit effort

DFO Fisheries and Oceans Canada

HFN Huu-ay-aht First Nations

MOE Ministry of Environment

QA quality assurance

QC quality control

RPM revolutions per minute

RST rotary screw trap

SD standard deviation

UTM Universal Transverse Mercator

WSC Water Survey of Canada

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment INTRODUCTION

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1 Introduction

1.1 Background

The Sarita, Pachena, and Sugsaw watersheds are located on the west coast of Vancouver Island within the traditional territories and Treaty Lands of the Huu-ay-aht (the Haa-houlthee) First Nations (HFN). Until the 1990s, road building and timber harvesting throughout much of the watersheds was carried out on steep unstable slopes and up to the edge of watercourses. Roads were often poorly built and stream crossings poorly designed. This has resulted in numerous landslides, the mobilization of sediments to watercourses, increased peak and annual flows, changes in stream channel morphology, loss of fish habitat, fish passage restrictions, and the degradation of the Sarita River estuary. In recent years, forest practices have improved; however, the legacy of poor forest practices remains (LGL 2017).

In 2017, HFN and LGL Limited developed a framework for renewal of the Sarita and Pachena watersheds (LGL 2017). The purpose of this “Renewal Framework” was to provide direction that will ultimately lead to the development of a comprehensive Renewal Plan. The Renewal Plan incorporated a two-pronged strategy that prioritizes both, long term objectives (10 years or greater) intended to restore ecosystem processes, and short-term objectives required for the management and conservation of high value species or the protection and enhancement of important fish and wildlife habitat. Monitoring and adaptive management will form part of the Renewal Plan which will be a living document for decades.

This Renewal Framework identified several assessments and inventories that can be conducted while the Renewal Plan is being prepared to address known information gaps relating to the condition of the Sarita and Pachena watersheds, the condition of fish and wildlife habitats, and the status of fish, wildlife, and species at risk in the watersheds (LGL 2017). The purpose of these assessments and inventories was to specify where and what kinds of renewal actions were required to achieve short and long-term renewal goals; such as restoring watershed processes, fish habitat and productivity, estuary productivity, wildlife habitat and populations, and species at risk.

Within the Sarita River, the most abundant salmon species in recent years have been Chum Salmon; however historical information suggests that Chinook Salmon abundance was significantly higher than in recent years (Barry 2010). The Chinook Salmon management concerns have been and are being addressed through habitat restoration activities as well as stocking programs. The Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Nitinat River Hatchery has been releasing juvenile Chinook Salmon into the Sarita River since 1985. However, the estimation of out-migrating Chinook Salmon juvenile abundance, from natural reproduction, has not been conducted to date in the Sarita River. Rotary screw traps are an effective way to assess out-migrating salmon in rivers and when paired with mark-recapture techniques can produce accurate abundance estimates (Volkhardt et al. 2007). A rotary screw trap (RST) program is also a powerful tool for validating the assumptions of watershed restoration programs, fisheries management strategies, and land-use policies on fish populations (Volkhardt et al. 2007). In addition to serving as a tool to monitor wild populations, RSTs are useful for evaluating hatchery programs and wild/hatchery fish interactions to inform management decisions (Volkhardt et al. 2007). Therefore, obtaining annual outmigration Chinook Salmon juvenile abundance estimates in the Sarita Watershed was one of the assessment steps needed to determine and achieve the long-term Renewal Plan objectives.

1.2 Study Area

The study area for this assessment was the Sarita Watershed, which is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island adjacent to Barkley Sound (Figure 1) and located 30 km southwest of Port Alberni. The Sarita Watershed is approximately 19,247 ha in area and drains into Trevor Channel on the west side of Vancouver Island. The main watercourses of the Sarita Watershed include the Sarita River, South Sarita

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment INTRODUCTION

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River, Sabrina Creek, Hunter Creek, and Frederick Creek. Smaller tributaries of the Upper Sarita include: Central, Thompson, and Miller creeks (Figure 1). Sarita Lake (147 ha) is located half way up the watershed. Fish passage is blocked by falls approximately 1 km downstream of Sarita Lake, leaving approximately 7 km accessible to anadromous salmon. Other lakes within the watershed include Frederick Lake (41 ha) and Bewlay Lake (11 ha).

Sarita Watershed supports a diversity of fish species (Table 1). Sarita River Chinook Salmon are a coastal stock with an ocean-type life-history adapted to coastal hydrology. Newly emerged fry (age 0+) for an ocean type life history have a short freshwater residence time (i.e., weeks) and then out-migrate to rear in the estuary (Groot and Margolis 1991). The Sarita River spawning population belongs to the Southwest Vancouver Island Conservation Unit, one of three west coast Vancouver Island Chinook Salmon groups defined by similarities among genetics, run timing, and the oceanic provenances occupied described by Holtby and Ciruna (2007) and updated by DFO (2013).

Figure 1. Location of the Sarita Watershed.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment METHODS

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Table 1. Fish species present in the Sarita Watershed (BC MOE 2017).

Fish Species

Chinook Salmon

Chum Salmon

Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Coastrange Sculpin

Coho Salmon

Dolly Varden

Kokanee

Lamprey (Lampetra sp.)

Pink Salmon

Prickly Sculpin

Rainbow Trout/Steelhead

Sockeye Salmon

Starry Flounder

Threespine Stickleback

1.3 Objectives

The objectives of the 2017 Sarita River juvenile Chinook Salmon outmigration study were to:

• Evaluate the applicability of RSTs to enumerate out-migrating juvenile fish in the Sarita River;

• Estimate juvenile Chinook Salmon production, outmigration timing, and body size;

• Estimate relative abundance of all other juvenile salmonids and outmigration timing; and

• Estimate juvenile Coho Salmon body size.

2 Methods

2.1 Trap Operations and Environmental Conditions

Two RSTs, 1.2 m (4 ft) and 1.8 m (6 ft) diameter traps, were operated near river kilometer 1.75 (UTM: 10U 356066 E; 5417321 N) of the Sarita River to capture juvenile outmigrants (Figure 1; Photo 1 and Photo 2). The RSTs were located immediately downstream of the Corner Pool along the Bamfield Main road. The site was selected based upon (1) ease of accessibility; (2) it was a location conducive to operating an RST with adequate thalweg constriction to help ensure high trap efficiency; and (3) downstream of the assumed Chinook Salmon spawning area within the river based upon local knowledge.


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Photo 1. Looking from left bank to right bank at the small (1.4 m diameter) RST (April 28, 2017).

Photo 2. Looking from left bank to right bank at the large (1.8 m diameter) RST (April 25, 2017).


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2.2 Fish Capture and Sampling

Each day, weather (sunny, sunny with clouds, cloudy, rain, snow), water clarity (good, moderate, poor), and water temperature (°C) were recorded. Water temperature was measured using a hand-held thermometer. Trap revolutions per minute (RPM) was recorded for each RST. The RSTs were cleaned and any downtime (e.g., cone was stopped to remove woody debris) was recorded.

During the morning, each RST live box was checked for fish (Photo 3). Fish were safely removed from the live box with a dip net and transferred in 19 L buckets to a shore-side field processing station (Photo 4). At the field processing station, the 19 L fish buckets were aerated. All captured fish were identified to species, life history stage (fry, parr, smolt, or adult) and enumerated. Depending upon the species, life history stage was assigned based upon the species known ecological life history (e.g., Chum Salmon fry have limited freshwater residence), fork length criteria, and colouration (Table 2). Parr and smolt life stages were assigned based on morphological characteristics and length criteria (Table 2).

Due to reduced discharge in the secondary channel, the 1.2 m RST was moved downstream and operated in tandem with the 1.8 m trap on May 22 (Photo 5 and Photo 6). The start date of the sampling period was based upon the timing of project approval to proceed and time required to manufacture the RSTs.

Photo 3. The crew checking the lower RST in the Sarita River (April 30, 2017).


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Photo 4. The crew enumerating RST-caught fish (April 30, 2017).

Photo 5. Looking from left bank to right bank at the small (1.4 m diameter) and large (1.8 m diameter) RSTs in tandem (May 22, 2017).


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Photo 6. Looking downstream at the large (1.4 m diameter) and small (1.8 m diameter) RSTs (May 22, 2017).

Table 2. Life history stage classification and fork length criteria.

Fish Species Life Stage Fork Length Criteria*

Chinook Salmon Fry ≤ 60 mm

Chum Salmon Fry NA

Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Fry ≤ 45 mm

Parr ˃ 45 mm and ≤ 90 mm

Smolt/Yearling ˃ 90 mm and ≤ 300 mm

Adult > 300 mm

Coastrange Sculpin NA NA

Coho Salmon Fry ≤ 70 mm

Parr/Smolt > 70 mm

Pink Salmon Fry NA

Prickly Sculpin NA NA

Rainbow Trout/Steelhead

Fry ≤ 45 mm

Parr ˃ 45 mm and ≤ 90 mm

Smolt/Yearling ˃ 90 mm and ≤ 300 mm

Adult > 300 mm

Sockeye Salmon Fry NA

Threespine Stickleback NA NA

NA = not applicable

*Subject to change with additional watershed specific data


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Parr had distinct parr marks or showed no signs of smoltification and smolts showed advanced signs of smoltification (i.e., faded parr marks, deciduous scales, silvery appearance, and/or black banding along the trailing edge of the caudal fin). All non-target fish were released downstream of the lower RST site (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Location of the rotary screw traps and mark release site.

All Chinook Salmon were enumerated and examined for marks or origin (Photo 7). Two different mark types were applied at the RSTs to facilitate a mark-recapture estimate. Fish were either marked by Bismarck Brown dye immersion or lower caudal fin clip. The numbers for each mark type (dye or fin clip) and location of mark (upper caudal, lower caudal, anal fin) was recorded. Hatchery origin Chinook Salmon were identified based upon size (i.e., two hatchery size classes: large [5−8 g in weight] and small [2 g in weight]), colouration (i.e., dark colouration for hatchery origin individuals [see Photo 8]), and timing (i.e., hatchery fish were released on May 23 and 24). The total numbers for each hatchery origin type (large or small) was recorded. All captured Chinook Salmon with marks or of hatchery origin were then released downstream of the RSTs.


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Photo 7. Chinook Salmon on the left and a Bismarck Brown Y dyed Chinook Salmon on the right (May 24, 2017).

Photo 8. Looking at hatchery origin Chinook Salmon (May 23, 2017; photo credit to Nitinat River Hatchery).


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Captured Chinook Salmon with no marks or of hatchery origin were marked with either Bismarck Brown dye or a fin clip. The Bismarck Brown dye marking procedure involved mixing a solution of 21 mg/L of dye with 19 L of water in an aerated bucket, immersing the Chinook Salmon in the solution for a period of 50 minutes, and transferring the dyed Chinook Salmon into an aerated recovery bucket (Photo 7). The fin clipping marking procedure involved mixing an anesthetic solution composed of 9 parts ethanol and 1 part of clove oil. For clipping, Chinook Salmon were immersed in 10 L of water in a bucket mixed with 6ml of the anesthetic solution. Following clipping, fish were transferred into an aerated recovery bucket. Up to 150 individuals were randomly selected each day to be measured for fork length (to the nearest millimetre) and to be weighed (to the nearest tenth of a gram). Marked Chinook Salmon were then released at the Blenheim Bridge pool (approximately 1.0 km upstream of the RST location; Figure 2) during the evening on the day they were marked which allowed adequate time for recovery.

From May 25 to 30, a subsample of juvenile Coho Salmon was randomly selected from the upper RST and measured for fork length (to the nearest millimetre) and weighed (to the nearest tenth of a gram).

2.3 Analysis

2.3.1 Environmental Conditions

Continuous water temperature (°C) and discharge (m3/sec) data for the duration of the sampling period was obtained from the real-time Water Survey of Canada (WSC) continuous data logger for the Sarita River (Station number: 08HB014; WSC 2018). Mean daily water temperature and discharge was then calculated for each sampling day.

2.3.2 Juvenile Salmonid Relative Abundance and Size Distribution

Catch per unit effort (CPUE) was calculated as an index of relative abundance for each sampling day for all juvenile salmonids, by life history stage, trap (i.e., small and large trap) and combined traps. Catch per unit effort was defined as the number fish captured per 24 hours of RST operation:

𝐶𝑃𝑈𝐸 =𝑀

𝐸 𝑥 24 (1)

Where:

M = Number of fish caught in RST; and

E = RST fishing effort (h).

Median and 95% catch dates were calculated for Chinook, Coho, and Chum salmon, by life history stage, as a proxy for median and 95% migration date, as daily juvenile abundance estimates were not determined. Median catch date was the date that 50% of juvenile outmigrants were estimated to have passed the RSTs.

Fork length statistics were calculated for Chinook and Coho salmon, by life history stage. Mean fork length with 95% confidence limits were calculated for juvenile Chinook Salmon by statistical week.

2.4 Data Quality Assurance and Control

In order to ensure consistently accurate data collection, a quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) program was established at the onset of the field program. The program involved a practice session held in the field prior to a new crew conducting the fieldwork to review data collection procedures. Data were entered in a rugged field iPad® to reduce the likelihood of transcription errors. Throughout the course of the study, a qualified and experienced Fisheries Biologist reviewed the data to ensure consistency in data collection procedures. Whenever clarification was required on specific points, the Field Technician was contacted by the Fisheries Biologist for editing and was accepted only after the necessary changes were made.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment RESULTS

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3 Results

3.1 Trap Operations and Environmental Conditions

The two RSTs were operated from April 21 to June 2 for a total of 1,557.9 hours; 662.0 hours for the large trap, 639.8 hours for the small trap and 256.1 hours when fishing side by side with the large RST. Unscheduled trap outages occurred for a total 11 days during the sampling period (Table 3). The Sarita River daily discharge was the highest (44.1 m3/s) on the first day (April 20) of the RSTs operations and declined during the remainder of the sampling period. The discharge ranged between 2.3−44.1 m3/s (Figure 3). There were two peak discharge events on April 23 (32.6 m3/s) and May 16 (20.2 m3/s). Water temperature consistently increased during the RST operations, peaking (15.3oC) on May 28 and 29. The water temperature ranged between 7.3−15.3oC (Appendix A and Figure 3).

Table 3. Summary of rotary screw trap operations for the 2017 sampling period.

Trap Type Start Date End Date

Total Time Fished

(h)

Total Possible

Time Fished (h)

Percent Fished

(%)

No. Days

Fished (24 hr)

No. of Day Outages (24 hr)

Large 20-Apr-17 22-May-17 662.00 762.0 86.9 32 5

Small 20-Apr-17 22-May-17 639.80 760.2 84.2 32 5

Tandem 22-May-17 02-Jun-17 256.06 264.0 97.0 11 < 1

Figure 3. Daily flows and temperatures of the Sarita River at the Water Survey of Canada hydrometric station No. 08HB014, 2017.


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3.2 Juvenile Salmonid Relative Abundance and Size Distribution

3.2.1 Wild Origin Chinook Salmon

In total, 522 wild Chinook Salmon were captured in 2017. Peak catch of wild Chinook Salmon (108) occurred on April 23 (Figure 4; Appendix B and Appendix C). The outmigration began before the sampling period, which was evident by the catch of fish on the first day of trapping. The median catch date occurred on April 24 (Figure 5). The migration was 95% complete by May 17 (Figure 5).

The wild Chinook Salmon fork length ranged between 35−63 mm, with a mean fork length of 43.5 mm. Their weight ranged between 0.2−3.0 g, with an average of 0.7 g (Table 4). The mean weekly fork lengths were similar with a slight increase in size throughout the sampling period (Figure 6). The CPUE per day ranged from 0 to 125.5 during the sampling period (Appendix B). The small RST caught more fish than the larger RST, both individually and in tandem (Appendix B).

A total of 6 marked Chinook Salmon were recaptured in the RSTs, which is 1.3% of the total marked and released Chinook Salmon. As a result, we were not able to generate a population estimate for Chinook Salmon (Appendix B). Incidental trap mortality data were collected for Chinook Salmon. Total Chinook Salmon mortality for both traps during the 2017 trapping season was 33 individual fish or 2.1% of all Chinook Salmon caught.

Table 4. Wild Chinook Salmon fork length and weight results from the Sarita River RSTs.

Chinook Salmon

Fork Length

(mm) Weight

(g)

Mean 43.5 0.7

SD 3.5 0.4

Min 35.0 0.2

Max 63.0 3.0

Count 446.0 347.0

*Note: 347 of 446 Chinook Salmon were weighed


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Figure 4. Daily catch of wild Chinook Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study.

Figure 5. Cumulative catch (%) of wild Chinook Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study.


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Figure 6. Mean fork length of wild Chinook Salmon fry by statistical week during the sampling period.

3.2.2 Hatchery Origin Chinook Salmon

Of the approximately 380,000 hatchery Chinook Salmon released only 1,114 were recaptured (0.29% of the total released) at the RSTs. The majority (79%) of the hatchery Chinook Salmon were caught on May 25 (Figure 7).

The hatchery origin Chinook Salmon fork length ranged between 41−97 mm, with a mean fork length of 64.6 mm. Their weight ranged between 1.0−9.0 g, with an average of 3.6 g (Table 5). The small RST caught more fish than the larger RST (Appendix B).

Figure 7. Daily catch of hatchery Chinook Salmon in the Sarita River RSTs, 2017 study.


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Table 5. Hatchery Chinook Salmon fork length and weight results from the Sarita River RSTs.

Hatchery Chinook Salmon

Fork Length

(mm) Weight

(g)

Mean 64.6 3.6

SD 12.8 2.1

Min 41.0 1.0

Max 97.0 9.0

Count 246

3.2.3 Coho Salmon

3.2.3.1 Fry

In total, 2,366 Coho Salmon fry were captured in 2017. Peak catch of Coho Salmon fry (289) occurred on April 23 (Figure 8; Appendix B). Some fish were assumed to migrate before the sampling period as the date of first capture was April 21. The median catch date occurred on April 30 (Figure 9). The migration was 95% complete by May 24 (Figure 9).

From May 25 to May 30, a sub-sample of Coho Salmon fry (n = 102, 4% of the total catch) was captured in the small RST to measure their fork length and weight. The Coho Salmon fork length ranged between 30−58 mm, with an average of 39.5 mm. The Coho Salmon fry weight ranged between 0.5−2.8 g, with an average of 1.0 g (Table 6). Coho Salmon fry were caught throughout the sampling period. The last Coho Salmon fry was caught on June 1 (Appendix B).

Figure 8. Daily catch of Coho Salmon fry at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017.


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Figure 9. Cumulative catch (%) of Coho Salmon fry at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study.

Table 6. Coho Salmon fry fork length and weight results from the Sarita River RSTs.

Coho Salmon Fry

Fork Length

(mm) Weight

(g)

Mean 39.5 1.0

SD 5.2 0.5

Min 30.0 0.4

Max 58.0 2.8

Count 102

3.2.3.2 Parr/Smolt

In total, 49 Coho Salmon parr were captured in 2017. Peak catch of Coho Salmon parr (10) occurred on April 30 (Figure 10 and Appendix B). Some fish were assumed to migrate before the sampling period as the date of first capture was April 22. The median catch date occurred on April 30 (Figure 11). The migration was 95% complete by May 5 (Figure 11). The last Coho Salmon parr was caught on May 24 (Appendix B).


LGL Limited 17

Figure 10. Daily catch of Coho Salmon parr at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017.

Figure 11. Cumulative catch (%) of Coho Salmon parr at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study.

3.2.4 Chum Salmon

In total, 32,332 Chum Salmon were captured in 2017. Daily peak catch of Chum Salmon (6,134) occurred on April 30 (Figure 12 and Appendix B). Some fish were assumed to have migrated before the first day of RST operations since Chum Salmon were caught starting from the first day of operations on April 22. The median catch date occurred on April 30 (Figure 12). The migration was 95% complete by May 5 (Figure 13). The last Chum Salmon fry was caught on May 18 (Appendix B).


LGL Limited 18

Figure 12. Daily catch of Chum Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017.

Figure 13. Cumulative catch (%) of Chum Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps in the 2017 study.

3.2.5 Other Species

A number of other salmonid and non-salmonid species were caught during the sampling period (Appendix C). While Rainbow Trout fry and parr were occasionally caught, their relative abundance was too low to reliably characterize migration timing and duration. Other species caught included Prickly Sculpin and Threespine Stickleback. Prickly Sculpin were the most abundant (416) non-salmonid species caught in the RSTs.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment DISCUSSION

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4 Discussion This study marked the first time RSTs were operated in the Sarita River. Crews were able to effectively and safely operate the RSTs over a range of water conditions with minimal down time. Lower than average flows caused decreased RPMs in the latter part of the study and the selected RST sites did not provide sufficient flows funneled into the RSTs to perform optimally in these low flow conditions. This problem is planned to be addressed with the selection of a new site for the 2018 outmigration, ideally a location with more constricted flows during low water events and therefore higher velocities of water flowing through the RSTs. Although water conditions provided some challenges in the study, valuable insight was gained with regards to Sarita River juvenile Chinook Salmon outmigration. These data provide the first assessment on naturally spawned juvenile Chinook Salmon abundance and outmigration timing in the Sarita River.

Water flows in the Sarita River in the spring of 2017 were below preferred discharge conditions for RST operations given the hydrological characteristics of the chosen sites. In an attempt to improve the small RST operation and increase trap efficiency, the trap was moved downstream on May 22, to operate in tandem with the large RST. However, as flows continued to decline, the lower site saw an increase in eddies and a decrease in water velocity. As a result, the RSTs would only rotate intermittently during the lower flows to the end of the study period. On occasion adjustments to the RSTs angle within the river channel were required in order to maximize cone rotation speed.

The overall relative abundance of juvenile Chinook Salmon and recapture of marked juvenile Chinook Salmon were lower than expected. This is because of (1) low catch efficiency throughout the majority of the study period; and (2) commencement of the study after peak outmigration. Greater relative abundance at the start of the study followed by declining relative abundance throughout the study period suggests that the peak outmigration occurred prior to the start date. Furthermore, the timing of juvenile Chinook Salmon outmigration is known to commence as early as February and peak between mid-March and early April for other Chinook Salmon stocks on Vancouver Island (Groot and Margolis 1991). An earlier mobilization date for the RSTs would have allowed for an increase in juvenile Chinook Salmon catches as the start, peak, and end of the outmigration could have been sampled.

The estimated catch efficiency was low throughout the duration of the sampling period. Low trap efficiency was confirmed in late May with the release of hatchery Chinook Salmon, where 0.29% of the released fish were caught. We were unable to estimate the catch efficiency before the hatchery release earlier in the study due to low re-capture (6 in total) of marked Chinook Salmon of marked fish. Therefore, a Chinook Salmon abundance estimate could not be calculated with confidence.

Juvenile Chinook Salmon mortality was low from RST operations throughout the study period. The low mortality was as a result of mitigation measures put in place at the onset of the study. These mitigation measures included using weighted buckets in the holding boxes as a flow refugia and using other materials as cover in the holding boxes.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment RECOMMENDATIONS

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5 Recommendations Our general recommendation for future work on the Sarita River is to continue and improve RST monitoring of Chinook smolt outmigration at a new site. The following detailed recommendations are proposed for monitoring the Chinook and Chum salmon migration from the Sarita River in subsequent years:

1. Start operating the RSTs earlier than in 2017. A proposed start date is the last week of February with an end date of late May or early June;

2. Relocate the RSTs to another suitable location downstream and just upstream of the high tide elevation to improve trap capture efficiency and capture smolts out-migrating from all of the Sarita River, including fish spawned into the section downstream of the 2017 RST locations;

3. Assess feasibility of using a continuous line and pulley system to allow for fine tuning of the trap location and orientation in changing water conditions;

4. Stratify Chinook Salmon marking by statistical week to calculate weekly trap efficiency estimates if fish can be marked with low risk of injury or mortality;

5. Motorize the large RST to maintain consistent trap revolutions throughout the study period; and

6. Collect fork length from a subset of individual Chinook and Coho salmon captured throughout the outmigration period.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment REFERENCES

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REFERENCES Barry, K. 2010. Habitat status report for the Sarita River watershed, Vancouver Island, BC. Prepared for

Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, BC.

BC MOE (Ministry of Environment). 2017. HabitatWizard stream report: Sarita River. Available at http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/reports/rwservlet?habitat_wizard_streams_report&p_title=%22Ministry%20of%20Environment%22&P_STREAM_ID=505133.

DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada). 2013. Review and update of southern BC Chinook conservation unit assignments. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Resp. 2013/022.

Groot, C. and L. Margolis. 1991. Pacific Salmon life histories. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, BC.

Holtby, L. B. and K. A Ciruna. 2007. Conservation units for Pacific Salmon under the Wild Salmon Policy. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat Research Paper 2007/070.

LGL (LGL Limited). 2017. Sarita and Pachena watershed renewal framework. Prepared for Huu-ay-aht First Nations, Anacla, BC.

Volkhardt, G. C., S. L. Johnson, B. A. Miller, T. E. Nickelson, and D. E. Seiler. 2007. Rotary screw traps and inclined plane screen traps. Pages 235−266 in D. H. Johnson et al. 2007. Salmonid field protocols handbook: techniques for assessing status and trends in salmon and trout populations. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.

WSC (Water Survey of Canada). 2018. Real-time hydrometric data. Retrieved March 01, 2018, from https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/mainmenu/real_time_data_index_e.html.

2017 Sarita River Chinook Salmon Outmigration Assessment APPENDICES

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APPENDICES


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APPENDIX A

DAILY PHYSICAL DATA

Appendix A. Daily physical data.


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Appendix A.1. Physical data collected at the Sarita River rotary screw traps, 2017.

Date

Water Temp

(°C)

RST Speed

(RPM)

Weather

Conditions Trap Name

20-Apr-17 9 6 Sunny Lower

20-Apr-17 9 5 Sunny Upper

21-Apr-17 9 6 Cloudy Lower

21-Apr-17 9 1 Cloudy Upper


22-Apr-17 8 1 Rain Upper









27-Apr-17 7.5 5 Partly Cloudy Lower

27-Apr-17 7.5 4 Partly Cloudy Upper



29-Apr-17 8 1 Cloudy with rain Lower

29-Apr-17 8 4 Cloudy with rain Upper



01-May-17 7 2 Rain Lower

01-May-17 7 6 Rain Upper

02-May-17 9 1 Cloudy Lower

02-May-17 9 4 Cloudy Upper



04-May-17 9 4 Sunny Lower

04-May-17 9 6 Sunny Upper














LGL Limited 25

Appendix A.1. Cont’d.

Date

Water Temp

(°C)

RST Speed

(RPM)

Weather

Conditions Trap Name



12-May-17 10 1 Cloudy with rain Lower

12-May-17 10 4 Cloudy with rain Upper





15-May-17 10.5 2 Rain Lower

15-May-17 10.5 0 Rain Upper



17-May-17 10.5 2 Cloudy Lower

17-May-17 10.5 6 Cloudy Upper










25-May-17 13 0.5 Sunny Lower



26-May-17 15 1.5 Sunny Upper












01-Jun-17 14 1 Rain Upper

01-Jun-17 14 0 Rain Lower

02-Jun-17 13 1 Cloudy Lower

02-Jun-17 13 2 Cloudy Upper


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APPENDIX B

SARITA RIVER ROTARY SCREW TRAP DAILY CATCH

Appendix B. Sarita River rotary screw trap daily catch.


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Appendix B.1. Daily catch and CPUE of Chinook Salmon at the large (6 ft) and small (4 ft) Sarita River rotary screw traps.

Date Unmarked

Effort

(h) CPUE

Marked

Recaptures Unmarked

Effort

(h) CPUE

Marked

Recaptures

21-Apr 1 20.17 1.19 0 37 20.08 44.22 0

22-Apr 12 21.12 13.64 0 76 20.67 88.26 0

23-Apr 1 23.78 1.01 0 102 19.50 125.54 0

24-Apr 2 24.67 1.95 0 43 23.50 43.91 0

25-Apr 4 22.75 4.22 0 9 23.00 9.39 2

26-Apr 5 24.25 4.95 0 47 24.42 46.20 0

27-Apr 5 23.83 5.03 0 19 24.10 18.92 0

28-Apr 3 23.57 3.06 0 4 22.83 4.20 0

29-Apr 2 23.25 2.06 0 22 23.17 22.79 0

30-Apr 2 24.03 2.00 0 30 19.20 37.50 0

01-May 1 23.60 1.02 0 5 20.25 5.93 0

02-May 0 23.58 0.00 0 8 23.00 8.35 0

03-May 0 0.00 0.00 0 18 14.00 30.86 0

04-May 0 48.25 0.00 0 11 33.92 7.78 0

05-May 0 23.40 0.00 0 0 23.48 0.00 0

06-May 0 23.93 0.00 0 3 23.67 3.04 0

07-May 1 23.67 1.01 1 0 23.38 0.00 0

08-May 0 24.48 0.00 0 0 24.55 0.00 0

09-May 0 24.00 0.00 0 0 23.95 0.00 0

10-May 0 23.93 0.00 0 0 21.98 0.00 0

11-May 0 22.67 0.00 0 1 20.38 1.18 1

12-May 0 24.75 0.00 0 1 24.90 0.96 0

13-May 0 23.38 0.00 0 5 22.98 5.22 0

14-May 1 23.75 1.01 0 4 24.00 4.00 0

15-May 0 24.02 0.00 0 0 23.22 0.00 0

16-May 1 24.20 0.99 0 5 24.38 4.92 0

17-May 0 23.67 0.00 0 3 23.75 3.03 0

18-May 5 23.50 5.11 0 1 23.50 1.02 0

19-May NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA




23-May 1 21.25 1.13 0 2 21.25 2.26 0

24-May 0 27.66 0.00 0 0 23.67 0.00 0

25-May 10 23.67 10.14 0 3 25.87 2.78 0

26-May 0 19.81 0.00 0 0 19.43 0.00 0

27-May 0 25.82 0.00 0 1 25.65 0.94 2


29-May 0 45.19 0.00 0 0 45.32 0.00 0

30-May 0 25.00 0.00 0 2 23.79 2.02 0

31-May 0 23.25 0.00 0 1 23.48 1.02 0

01-Jun 0 23.73 0.00 0 0 23.91 0.00 0

02-Jun 0 23.90 0.00 0 2 23.75 2.02 0

Total 57 919.49 59.51 1 465 895.88 528.27 5

Large Trap Small Trap

Note: On May 22, the traps were fishing in tandem


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Appendix B.2. Daily catch of Chinook Salmon at the Sarita River rotary screw traps.

Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

1 21-Apr-17 Large 44 0.3 Wild

2 21-Apr-17 Small 48 0.9 Wild





































39 22-Apr-17 Large 52 1 Wild






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Appendix B.2. Cont’d.

Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source








51 22-Apr-17 Small 43 1 Wild





































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Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source














100 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.8 Wild

101 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.8 Wild

102 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.8 Wild

103 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.8 Wild

104 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.8 Wild

105 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.8 Wild

106 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.8 Wild

107 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.7 Wild

108 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

109 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

110 23-Apr-17 Small 40 0.7 Wild

111 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

112 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

113 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.7 Wild

114 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

115 23-Apr-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

116 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.7 Wild

117 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.7 Wild

118 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.7 Wild

119 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

120 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.7 Wild

121 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

122 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

123 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

124 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.6 Wild

125 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

126 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

127 23-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

128 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

129 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild


LGL Limited 31


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

130 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

131 23-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

132 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

133 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

134 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

135 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

136 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

137 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

138 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

139 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

140 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

141 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.6 Wild

142 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

143 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.6 Wild

144 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

145 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

146 23-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

147 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

148 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

149 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

150 23-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

151 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

152 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

153 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.6 Wild

154 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

155 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

156 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

157 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

158 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.5 Wild

159 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

160 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

161 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

162 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

163 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

164 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

165 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

166 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

167 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.5 Wild

168 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

169 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.5 Wild

170 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

171 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

172 23-Apr-17 Small 40 0.5 Wild


LGL Limited 32


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

173 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

174 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

175 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

176 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

177 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

178 23-Apr-17 Small 38 0.5 Wild

179 23-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

180 23-Apr-17 Small 40 0.5 Wild

181 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.4 Wild

182 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.4 Wild

183 23-Apr-17 Small 41 0.4 Wild

184 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.4 Wild

185 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.4 Wild

186 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.4 Wild

187 23-Apr-17 Small 43 0.4 Wild

188 23-Apr-17 Small 44 0.3 Wild

189 23-Apr-17 Small 40 0.2 Wild

190 24-Apr-17 Small 41 0.8 Wild

191 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.8 Wild

192 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.8 Wild

193 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.8 Wild

194 24-Apr-17 Small 45 0.8 Wild

195 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

196 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.7 Wild

197 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

198 24-Apr-17 Small 40 0.7 Wild

199 24-Apr-17 Small 41 0.7 Wild

200 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.7 Wild

201 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

202 24-Apr-17 Small 44 0.7 Wild

203 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

204 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

205 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

206 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.7 Wild

207 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

208 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

209 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

210 24-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

211 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

212 24-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

213 24-Apr-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

214 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

215 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild


LGL Limited 33


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

216 24-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

217 24-Apr-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

218 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

219 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

220 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

221 24-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

222 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

223 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

224 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

225 24-Apr-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

226 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

227 24-Apr-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

228 24-Apr-17 Small 42 0.4 Wild

229 24-Apr-17 Small 44 0.4 Wild

230 25-Apr-17 Large 42 0.7 Wild

231 25-Apr-17 Large 43 0.7 Wild

232 25-Apr-17 Large 44 0.6 Wild

233 25-Apr-17 Large 43 0.6 Wild

234 25-Apr-17 Small 46 Wild













247 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

248 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

249 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

250 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

251 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

252 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

253 26-Apr-17 NA 44 Wild

254 26-Apr-17 NA 39 Wild

255 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

256 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

257 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

258 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild


LGL Limited 34


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

259 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

260 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

261 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

262 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

263 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

264 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

265 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

266 26-Apr-17 NA 44 Wild

267 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

268 26-Apr-17 NA 35 Wild

269 26-Apr-17 NA 44 Wild

270 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

271 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

272 26-Apr-17 NA 39 Wild

273 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

274 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

275 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

276 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

277 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

278 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

279 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

280 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

281 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

282 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

283 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

284 26-Apr-17 NA 39 Wild

285 26-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

286 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

287 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

288 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

289 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

290 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

291 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

292 26-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

293 26-Apr-17 NA 39 Wild

294 26-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

295 26-Apr-17 NA 36 Wild

296 26-Apr-17 NA 38 Wild

297 26-Apr-17 NA 44 Wild

298 26-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

299 27-Apr-17 NA 45 1.8 Wild

300 27-Apr-17 NA 44 1.6 Wild

301 27-Apr-17 NA 41 1.4 Wild


LGL Limited 35


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

302 27-Apr-17 NA 40 1.3 Wild

303 27-Apr-17 NA 49 1.2 Wild

304 27-Apr-17 NA 44 1.1 Wild

305 27-Apr-17 NA 42 1 Wild

306 27-Apr-17 NA 37 0.8 Wild

307 27-Apr-17 NA 40 0.8 Wild

308 27-Apr-17 NA 42 0.7 Wild

309 27-Apr-17 NA 44 0.6 Wild

310 27-Apr-17 NA 41 0.6 Wild

311 27-Apr-17 NA 40 0.5 Wild

312 27-Apr-17 NA 40 0.5 Wild

313 27-Apr-17 NA 42 0.4 Wild

314 27-Apr-17 NA 39 Wild

315 27-Apr-17 NA 37 Wild

316 27-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

317 27-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

318 27-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

319 27-Apr-17 NA 39 Wild

320 27-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

321 27-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

322 27-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

323 28-Apr-17 NA 43 1.4 Wild

324 28-Apr-17 NA 41 1.2 Wild

325 28-Apr-17 NA 40 1.1 Wild

326 28-Apr-17 NA 40 0.7 Wild

327 28-Apr-17 NA 47 Wild

328 28-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

329 28-Apr-17 NA 45 Wild

330 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

331 29-Apr-17 NA 40 Wild

332 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

333 29-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

334 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

335 29-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

336 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

337 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

338 29-Apr-17 NA 49 Wild

339 29-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

340 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild

341 29-Apr-17 NA 44 Wild

342 29-Apr-17 NA 45 Wild

343 29-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

344 29-Apr-17 NA 42 Wild


LGL Limited 36


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

345 29-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

346 29-Apr-17 NA 45 Wild

347 29-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

348 29-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

349 29-Apr-17 NA 44 Wild

350 29-Apr-17 NA 41 Wild

351 29-Apr-17 NA 43 Wild

352 01-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

353 01-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

354 01-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

355 01-May-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

356 01-May-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

357 01-May-17 Small 46 0.6 Wild

358 02-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

359 02-May-17 Small 46 0.7 Wild

360 02-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

361 02-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

362 02-May-17 Small 46 0.7 Wild

363 02-May-17 Small 44 0.7 Wild

364 02-May-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

365 02-May-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

366 03-May-17 Small 62 2.5 Wild

367 03-May-17 Small 47 0.8 Wild

368 03-May-17 Small 43 0.7 Wild

369 03-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

370 03-May-17 Small 43 0.6 Wild

371 03-May-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

372 03-May-17 Small 42 0.6 Wild

373 03-May-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

374 03-May-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

375 03-May-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

376 03-May-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

377 03-May-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

378 03-May-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

379 03-May-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

380 03-May-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

381 03-May-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

382 03-May-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

383 03-May-17 Small 43 0.4 Wild

384 04-May-17 Small 46 0.6 Wild

385 04-May-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

386 04-May-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

387 04-May-17 Small 46 0.6 Wild


LGL Limited 37


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source

388 04-May-17 Small 45 0.6 Wild

389 04-May-17 Small 44 0.6 Wild

390 04-May-17 Small 46 0.6 Wild

391 04-May-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

392 04-May-17 Small 44 0.5 Wild

393 04-May-17 Small 41 0.5 Wild

394 04-May-17 Small 43 0.5 Wild

395 06-May-17 Small 52 1 Wild

396 06-May-17 Small 45 0.7 Wild

397 06-May-17 Small 42 0.5 Wild

398 11-May-17 Small 47 1.2 Wild

399 12-May-17 Small 38 0.5 Wild

400 13-May-17 Small 45 1.1 Wild


402 13-May-17 Small 39 0.9 Wild

403 13-May-17 Small 40 0.8 Wild

404 13-May-17 Small 41 0.7 Wild

405 14-May-17 Small 39 0.8 Wild

406 14-May-17 Small 53 1.6 Wild

407 14-May-17 Small 42 1.2 Wild

408 14-May-17 Small 44 0.7 Wild

409 14-May-17 Small 38 0.7 Wild

410 16-May-17 Large 50 1.7 Wild

411 16-May-17 Small 53 1.9 Wild

412 16-May-17 Small 48 1.2 Wild

413 16-May-17 Small 50 1.2 Wild

414 16-May-17 Small 42 0.7 Wild

415 16-May-17 Small 36 0.6 Wild

416 17-May-17 Large 59 1.3 Wild

417 17-May-17 Small 53 1.8 Wild

418 17-May-17 Small 41 1.3 Wild


420 18-May-17 Large 48 1.6 Wild

421 18-May-17 Large 50 1.6 Wild

422 18-May-17 Large 45 1.3 Wild

423 18-May-17 Large 40 0.8 Wild

424 18-May-17 Large 35 0.6 Wild

425 18-May-17 Small 35 1.1 Wild

426 23-May-17 Large 57 2 Wild

427 23-May-17 Small 42 0.8 Wild

428 23-May-17 Large 60 2 Wild




LGL Limited 38


Number Date

Trap

Name

Fork Length

(mm)

Weight

(g) Source















445 02-Jun-17 Small 52 1.7 Wild

446 02-Jun-17 Small 52 1.1 Wild


LGL Limited 39

Appendix B.3. Daily catch and CPUE of non-target species at the Sarita River rotary screw traps.

Date

CO

(<70 mm)

CO

(>70 mm) CU Fry

ST Fry

(<90 mm) ST Juvenile

ST Parr

(>90 mm) Sculpin Stickleback

21-Apr 70 6 1,402 1 1 0 5 0

22-Apr 92 5 3,130 1 1 0 8 0

23-Apr 289 2 2,963 0 0 0 40 0

24-Apr 80 6 1,511 0 1 0 10 0

25-Apr 120 2 1,780 0 0 0 26 0

26-Apr 157 0 2,169 0 0 0 5 0

27-Apr 80 1 1,009 0 0 1 1 0

28-Apr 35 0 238 0 0 0 2 0

29-Apr 145 2 3,531 0 0 2 6 0

30-Apr 172 10 6,134 0 1 0 3 0

01-May 135 0 1,473 0 1 1 7 0

02-May 149 2 1,404 0 2 0 5 0

03-May 180 1 2,594 0 2 0 0 0

04-May 93 6 511 0 8 0 14 0

05-May 49 2 740 0 1 0 15 3

06-May 39 2 258 0 3 0 8 0

07-May 20 1 496 0 6 0 19 2

08-May 3 0 137 0 0 0 5 0

09-May 3 0 118 0 0 0 0 1

10-May 6 0 136 0 0 0 2 1

11-May 1 0 48 0 0 0 0 0

12-May 31 0 244 0 0 1 2 0

13-May 33 0 166 0 2 1 7 0

14-May 45 0 119 0 0 0 2 0

15-May 15 0 9 0 0 0 6 0

16-May 111 0 7 0 2 1 3 0

17-May 17 0 2 0 1 1 43 0

18-May 54 0 3 0 0 0 8 0

23-May 13 1 0 1 0 0 37 0

24-May 7 0 0 0 0 0 20 2

25-May 24 0 0 0 0 0 3 0

26-May 19 0 0 0 0 0 13 0

27-May 25 0 0 0 0 0 18 0

28-May 11 0 0 0 0 0 7 0

29-May 17 0 0 0 0 0 11 0

30-May 19 0 0 0 0 0 27 0

31-May 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0

01-Jun 7 0 0 0 0 0 7 0

02-Jun 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0

Total 2,366 49 32,332 3 32 8 416 9

CPUE 31.28 0.65 427.45 0.04 0.42 0.11 5.50 0.12

Total Catch (# of Fish)

Note: CO = Coho Sa lmon; CU = Chum Salmon; ST = Steelhead

Note: On May 22, the traps were fi shing in tandem


LGL Limited 40

APPENDIX C

SARITA RIVER ROTARY SCREW TRAP PHOTOGRAPHY

Appendix C. Sarita River rotary screw trap photography.


LGL Limited 41

Photo C.1. Looking at wild origin Chinook Salmon (April 24, 2017).

Photo C.2. Looking at a Coho Salmon (May 23, 2017).


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Photo C.3. Looking at a Chum Salmon (lower fish) and Bismarck Brown dyed Chinook Salmon (May 14, 2017).

Photo C.4. Looking at a steelhead smolt (April 27, 2017).


LGL Limited 43

Photo C.5. Looking at a Rainbow Trout (larger fish) and Chum Salmon (May 23, 2017).

Photo C.6. Looking at a Coho Salmon (May 23, 2017).

Documents

Sarita and Pachena Watershed Renewal: 2017 Sarita River ... · From Huu-ay-aht First Nations, we are grateful to Christine Gruman and Amelia Vos who provided local information and