Lake Sammamish Kokanee: Bringing Them Back from the Brink A Presentation for the Rotary Club of...
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Lake Sammamish Kokanee: Bringing Them Back from the Brink
A Presentation for the Rotary Club of Issaquah
David St. John – Government Relations Administrator – DNRP Director’s Office
March 27, 2012
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Topics
• Kokanee Work Group background• Conservation goal• Kokanee biology• Kokanee population conditions• Priorities• Actions underway
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Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group
• Local collaboration formed in 2007 to focus on kokanee conservation
• Includes each local government, state and federal agencies, non-governmental conservation groups, and citizens
• King County has chaired since its formation
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Kokanee Conservation Goal
“Prevent the extinction and improve the health of the native kokanee population such that it is viable and self-sustaining, and then supports fishery opportunities”
Photo by Tim Rains, US Forest Service
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Kokanee Biology
• the landlocked, smaller form of sockeye salmon
• predominantly a four year life cycle• lives in natal streams for only a few months after hatching• rears entirely within Lake Sammamish before spawning
migration back to natal streams
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Current Regional Distribution
Only Two Native Puget Sound Populations
Lake Sammamish
Lake Whatcom
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Historic and Current Local Distribution
• Lewis Creek
• Lake & shoreline
• Ebright Creek
• Laughing Jacobs Creek
Main current* areas of use:
* Current quantity and quality of habitat may not be enough to sustain the population
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Current Kokanee Abundance Trend
1900s 1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
10000
1008
113 145548
1056 1066
3055
7088
740500
1033
110 53
2405
38
1488
453.5 465.5 703.751431.25
3066.252987.252845.752340.25
595.75 424900.25 651.5
996.0357
110 40247
Kokanee Spawner Counts: 1996/97 - 2011/12
Actual count with 7 day stream life Takan into supplementation program 4 year running average
Year
Num
ber
Minimum viable population level estimate = 500 spawn-
ers
(numbers reflect assumed 7-day stream life for spawners)
Historical abun-dance from anec-
dotal sources
500
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Current Kokanee Abundance Trend
1900s 1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
10000
1008
113 145548
1056 1066
3055
7088
740500
1033
110 53
2405
38
1488
Recent Kokanee Return Percentages
Year
Num
ber
Minimum viable population level estimate = 500 spawn-
ers
(numbers reflect assumed 7-day stream life for spawners)
Historical abun-dance from anec-
dotal sources2%
7%481%
4%
1353%
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Population Run Timing
• Early Run – August to October run timing; Issaquah Creek focused
• Middle Run – September to November run timing; Lake Washington and Samm River tribs
• Late Run – November to January run timing; Lake Sammamish tribs except Issaquah(?)
• Shoreline spawners
EXTIRPATED
58 SPAWNERS IN 2010-2011
UNKNOWN
LIKELY EXTIRPATED
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2008 Kokanee Limiting Factors Study Findings
• Supplementation is needed immediately• Preliminary signals of hydrologic impacts• Potential for problems from predation• Climate change could compound problems• Must improve our data for effective management• Lack of data necessitates a precautionary approach
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Kokanee Conservation PrioritiesTier 1:• Implement aggressive artificial propagation program
• Correct habitat conditions causing mortality or limiting habitat access
• Protect existing intact habitat areas at near term risk of damage or conversion
Tier 2:• Do the science to improve certainty of actions
• Protect, improve or restore habitat
• Build and maintain public awareness and support
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Supplementation Program
• Underway with third successful year!• Funding from USFWS, WDFW, King
County, Sammamish, Issaquah, and Redmond• 2010: @25,000 marked fry• 2011: @14,500 marked fry• 2012: @64,000 marked fry• Program based at Issaquah Creek hatchery• Employing unique rearing techniques to help imprinting• First returns could be seen this coming fall!
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Protect, Reconnect, Restore Habitat!
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Protect, Reconnect, Restore Habitat!
• 11 priority near term projects• First project completed will be the Ebright culvert
(summer 2012), ¼ mile of great spawning habitat, major private funding
• Making progress on Zaccuse Creek culverts and restoration
• Grant proposals for Lewis Creek projects• Working with the Watershed Council to get funding• Long term: major project to fix the I-90 culvert blocking
access to upper Lewis Creek
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Successful Fundraiser
• First ever fundraiser held on March 23, 2012• Sponsored by the Coho Café in Issaquah• Organized by Heather VanDorn from Coho Café• Raised almost $10K, including $5K from the Snoqualmie
Tribe• Funds will go toward high priority conservation actions
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Looking Ahead…
• Build and maintain community support!• Implement our priority supplementation and habitat
projects• Find new ways to fund our work• Reintroduce kokanee to reconnected and restored
streams
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Questions?