than are to be found in the entire run of fall 

 Chinook salmon returning to the Columbia 

 River in recent years. We realize that neither 

 the facility nor technical knowledge is presently 

 available to realize this potential, but the 

 eventual attainment of such a survival rate is 

 not unlikely if research and applied techniques 

 are coordinated. In any case, it would seem 

 advisable to make use of present knowledge 

 in determining the disposition of the eggs. 



The following examples are not given as 

 direct suggestions but merely as illustrations 

 of the types of problems that might be con- 

 sidered in the disposition of eggs. In the 

 Klickitat River, fishways were constructed to 

 open up spawning areas to salmon. A run of 

 fall Chinook using imported stocks was suc- 

 cessfully produced. In 1958 all of the fall 

 Chinook females utilizing the fishways were 

 trapped and taken to Klickitat Hatchery for 

 spawning. Only those fish jumping the falls 

 were able to spawn naturally. Considering the 

 purpose of building the fishway, it would seem 

 preferable to permit a reasonable number of 

 fish to spawn naturally and supplement the 

 eggs at Klickitat Hatchery with eggs from 

 Spring Creek Hatchery. None of the 1958 

 brood were transferred to the Klickitat 

 Hatchery (appendix table 1). In 1959 over 

 3 1 million eggs were transferred to Klickitat 

 Hatchery from Spring Creek Hatchery, but 

 all Chinook females entering the fishways were 

 removed as in 1958. 



Even in recent years a fair amount of inter- 

 change between Spring Creek and Big White 

 Salmon Hatcheries' stocks has occurred (ap- 

 pendix table 1). For example, in 1949, 1950, 

 1951, 1953, and 1956, Spring Creek Hatchery 

 stocks were planted as fry or fingerlings in 

 the Big White Salmon River. In 1949, 1953, 

 1955, and 1958, Big White Salmon stocks were 

 released at Spring Creek Hatchery. The ad- 

 visability of such a procedure might be con- 

 sidered by geneticists. 



The increased return at Big White Salmon 

 River following large natural spawning has 

 been mentioned. It is advisable to determine 

 the spawning potential in this river and permit 

 more natural spawning when needed. 



Continued experimentation on lake rearing 

 of fall Chinook fry may yield another important 

 source of production. The success of fall 

 Chinook plants in Capitol Lake in Olympia, 

 Wash., is well known. Impoundments using 

 Columbia River water may be productive if 

 properly controlled. 



Continuation of fry releases. Time, place, 

 and manner of release. — In evaluating the ad- 

 visability of continuing fry releases, firstly, 

 the productivity of such releases should not be 

 compared with the productivity of finger ling 

 releases at Spring Creek Hatchery but with the 

 productivity of eggs transferred from the 

 hatchery, since transference is the only alter- 

 native at the present time. Secondly, relative 

 costs of various alternatives should be com- 

 pared. In addition, the possibility of increasing 

 the survival of fry releases by altering the 

 time, place, or manner of release should be 

 studied. 



Time of release should be coordinated with 

 conditions in the Columbia River and in the 

 estuary. At the present time little is known 

 about factors affecting survival in the estuary, 

 and study is greatly needed. In the river, 

 temperature and the extent of predation at the 

 time of release should be considered. Effects 

 of temperature differential at time of release 

 can be minimized by acclimating the fish to 

 the desired temperature, but such a process 

 should be a matter of days, not minutes. In any 

 case, no attempt should be made to release 

 or acclimate fry to near freezing temperatures. 

 If low temperatures in the Columbia River 

 require that the fish be held several weeks, 

 feeding may be necessary. The release of 

 unfed fry has often been considered advanta- 

 geous. For Chinook salmon, however, there is 

 little evidence that any benefit is gained by 

 this procedure. With respect to predation on 

 delayed releases, Thompson (1959) has found 

 that the activity of predatory fish is minimal 

 even as late as March if temperatures are in 

 the vicinity of 40° F. 



A primary consideration in determining the 

 place of release is genetic in character. 

 Genetic adjustments of stocks to fixed environ- 

 mental conditions are well known. Such 



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