Tim Walls, Snohomish County Public Works

Transcription

1 Tim Walls, Snohomish County Public Works Collaborators: Janne Kaje, King County Krista Bartz, NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center Abby Hook, Tulalip Tribes

2 Basic basin facts why unique? Why salmon conservation? Who is involved, how? What are the plan s key components and their status?

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5 1,856 sq. mi 2 nd largest in Puget Sound 2,718 river miles Nine salmonid species 25-50% of the coho in Puget Sound Some of the largest eelgrass beds in Puget Sound

6 3 listed salmonid species Chinook salmon (threatened) <10% historic abundance Bull trout char (threatened) <25% abundance Steelhead (threatened) Est. <30% abundance

7 Urbanizing Water supply for >1 million people Land use conversions Existing development in key habitat areas

8 Ad hoc planning groups e.g., Snohomish Estuary Snohomish River Basin Work Group

9 State, local response to listing NOAA allowed local process Governor Extinction Is Not An Option Salmon Recovery Act Tri-County effort Shared Strategy for Puget Sound

10 Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum Snohomish Basin Salmonid Recovery Technical Committee Staff Policy Development Committee Project Working Group

11 41 members Local, state, federal governments Tulalip Tribes 7 special purpose districts (Coord. Diking Council, E. King County Reg. Water Assn, etc.) 11 special interest groups 4 farmers 3 citizens

12 County Early Action Plan Near-term Action Agenda Habitat Conditions Review Strategic Assessment Draft Watershed Plans Final Watershed Plans Regional Plan Adopted by NOAA Initial Technical Work Plan NOAA Recovery Targets Modeling NOAA Public Review Chinook listing Bull trout char Listing & 4d Rule Chinook 4d Rule Steelhead listing

13 Multi-species Work with ecosystem processes Use best science Partner locally, regionally Incorporate cultural, community values Create usable plan Identify high-priority actions All areas have a role in recovery Identify responsibilities, costs, timelines Address all Hs (harvest, hatchery, habitat protection/restoration) Build broad community support Demonstrate progress and success Encourage cooperation and integration of efforts Identify implementation tools, resources

14 Adopted by the Forum in June 2005 Adopted by National Marine Fisheries Service in January 2007 In 2005, 134 million USD across habitat protection, restoration 2007 Forum Funding Strategy million USD per year

15 Population Mean Spawner Abundance Approximate Spawner Abundance 2010 Recovery Abundance Targets (low-high productivity) Skykomish 1,700 ~2,600 39,000 Snoqualmie 1,200 ~1,800 25,000

16 Sub-basin Strategy Groups Fish use Geographic location in basin Condition of habitatforming processes

17 Category Goal Ten-year Benchmark Habitat Protection Habitat Restoration 1 preserve existing functional habitat 2 preserve restored areas 1 all sub-basins must improve 2 make strategic gains by Sub-basin Strategy Group 3 80% nearshore, estuary, mainstem, 15% lowland tributaries, 5% headwaters Set by 2004 measure of functional structural elements Quantified targets made by Sub-basin Strategy Group, such as Mainstem 10.4 miles restored edge Mainstem 256 acres riparian Mainstem 167 acres off-channel Mainstem 41 log jams Status Unclear not systematically monitored On-track for 4 benchmarks Progress made on 4 benchmarks, but behind schedule No progress on 6 benchmarks Future Actions 1 Develop more robust strategy 2 Complete adaptive management plan 1 Keep project sponsors engaged and focused 2 Taking right actions in right places 3 Continue to strategically prioritize

18 Category Goal Ten-year Benchmark Hatchery management Fisheries management Provide opportunity for harvest Minimize effect on natural origin fish Reduce harvest levels from 1980s Selectively harvest Low harvest rates will not impede recovery, so long as other actions take place Low harvest rates will improve spatial distribution, life history diversity By 2005, increase genetic similarity through integrated broodstock management Evaluate ecological interactions twixt natural and hatchery origin fish Address migration delays or blockages Develop and manage harvest through treaty across all fisheries Target hatchery fish to increase wild escapement Use a Recovery Exploitation Rate Set RER to 21% Status 2 benchmarks on-track 3 benchmarks making progress 1 benchmark unknown progress 2 benchmarks on-track 3 benchmarks no progress Rates have dropped from ~80% in 1980s to ~22% in 2011 We are selectively fishing Future Actions Report on evaluation of ecological interactions Improve methods to assess gene flow influence Address blockages Continue to maintain low harvest levels Assess exploitation rate impact on Snoqualmie population Develop specific Snoqualmie RER? Continue to work on spatial distribution issues

19 Category Goal Ten-year Benchmark H-integration Improve natural origin escapement Invest in social infrastructure, so all understand all H goals Identify and target hatchery fish Monitor and improve on interactions between Hs 8-year natural origin escapement exceeds previous Improve spatial distribution 75% of watershed understands goals related to Hs Mark and tag hatchery fish Target hatchery fish in fisheries Status 5 benchmarks progress unknown 3 benchmarks are on-track Future Actions Monitor effectiveness of strategies and interactions among Hs Improve local understanding of Hs

20 Overview/summary of status Receiving ~41% of funding needed annually Of the 36 quantified goals in the Plan 11 are on-track 15 are in progress 10 are not underway or are unknown The right projects, in the right places, in the right sequence are being done Watershed is engaged and working together

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