Summer Chum Salmon Conservation Initiative: Supplemental Report No. 4 Report on Summer Chum Salmon Stock Assessment and Management Activities for 2001 and 2002

BACKGROUND

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Point No Point Treaty Tribes distributed the Summer Chum Salmon Conservation Initiative (SCSCI) in April 2000 (WDFW and PNPTT 2000). The initiative described a comprehensive implementation plan for the recovery of summer chum salmon in Hood Canal and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The SCSCI specifies preparation of periodic reports that describe the results of plan implementation and assess compliance with and effectiveness of the plan provisions (section 3.6.2 of SCSCI). A report, providing updated information and data for the first two years (1999 and 2000) following the completion of SCSCI, was made available by the Co-managers in 2001 (WDFW and PNPTT 2001). The following is the second report, applicable to the years 2001 and 2002. The topics addressed include stock assessment, harvest management, artificial production, ecological interactions, and habitat; subjects that correspond to the major areas of management activities required to address comprehensive recovery of the summer chum as described in the SCSCI. A concluding remarks section is provided at the end of the report.

UPDATED INFORMATION

This report focuses on summer chum salmon information and data for the past two years, 2001 and 2002. It also provides corrections where applicable for previous years, based on new information and found errors. For this reason, the historical information of this report takes precedence over that previously reported.