Summer Chum Salmon Conservation Initiative: Supplemental Report No. 8 Five-Year Review of the Summer Chum Salmon Conservation Initiative for the period 2005 through 2013

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 plan for the implementation of summer chum salmon recovery in Hood Canal and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca. The harvest and artificial production components of the SCSCI were subsequently approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under Limits 6 and 5, respectively, of the Endangered Species Act 4(d) rule (NMFS 2001, 2002). The SCSCI’s harvest and artificial production management provisions were also incorporated into the Summer Chum Recovery Plan prepared by the Hood Canal Coordinating Council (HCCC 2005). This Recovery Plan, which also addressed habitat protection and restoration, was formally adopted by NMFS under rule 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act in March 2007 (NMFS 2007a).

The present report is the second five-year plan review, covering the years 2005 through 2013. The first five year report covered the years 1999 through 2004 (WDFW and PNPTT 2007). These five year reports have been prepared consistent with the provisions under section 3.6.3 of the SCSCI. This report provides detailed information for the years 2005 through 2013 and also a review of progress through 2013, covering specific topics listed in section 3.6.3 of the SCSCI (p. 331). These topics are addressed in various sections of this report and also are summarily considered in the Concluding Remarks and Summary section.

This report is organized to cover, in order, the following subjects: stock assessment, harvest management, artificial production, ecological interactions and habitat. These subjects correspond to the major management areas required to address comprehensive recovery of the summer chum as described in the SCSCI. Additionally, a discussion of progress in meeting SCSCI performance standards and an update on recovery goals are included. Finally, concluding remarks with a summary is provided.

UPDATED INFORMATION

This report updates information and data for recent years through 2013. It also provides corrections where applicable, based on new information and found errors. For this reason, the historical information provided in this report takes precedence over that previously reported.