Russian River Salmonids

Sean WhiteMCRRFC&WCID

Salmonid 101

• Taxonomy • Life cycle• Ecology• Run timing• Distribution• Population status• Recovery Efforts• Questions

Taxonomy• Salmonidae

– “Salmonids”– Salmon– Trout– Char– Graylings

• Soft rays• Soft scales• Adipose fin

– “Marked”• Anadromous

Russian River Species

• Chinook Salmon (FT)– King Salmon

• Coho Salmon (FE, SE)– Silver Salmon

• Steelhead (FT)– Rainbow Trout

Lifecycle and Ecology• Exceptions

– Chinook smolt immediately– Coho adults age 3– Jacks– Carcasses– Steelhead may not die

• Anadromous– Sturgeon, striped bass

lampreys• Catadromous

– Mitten crab

Run TimingHome for the Holidays!

Chinook: Halloween to Thanksgiving

Coho: Thanksgiving to New Years

Steelhead: New Years to Easter

Distribution

• Chinook– Mainstem, West Fork, Dry Creek

• Coho – Tributaries in the lower river

including Willow, Freeze Out, Austin, Dutch Bill, Green Valley and Dry Creek and its Tributaries

• Steelhead– Everywhere!!!

Population Status

• Chinook– Adults 1500 to 6000– Part of Coastal Chinook ESU

• Coho– Unknown but LOW– Isolated tributary estimates– Part of CCC ESU

• Steelhead– Unknown but common– Part of CCC DPS

Recovery Efforts

• Chinook (1999)– No Recovery Plan– No supplementation

• Coho (1996)– State Recovery Plan– Draft Federal Recovery Plan– Captive Broodstock Program

• Steelhead (1997)– No Recovery Plan– Hatchery included in DPS

Questions?