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Saolt Survival studies 



Steel head smolt survival studies conducted by QFiD should continue. For 

 several years, steelhead yearlings have been coded wire tagged at Wiehkah 

 Ponds prior to transfer to Loomis Ponds on the Humptulips. Loomis Ponds are 

 the imprinting and release site for a steelhead enhancement program. Data 

 from tag recoveries are used for exploitation analysis, estimates of marine 

 survival, and contribution to the high seas and terminal area fisheries. 



Interception 



Terminal area recovery and consistent reporting of coho coded-wire tags has 

 usually not been adequate to estimate marine interception in most years. 

 Terminal area catch is often only partially or inconsistently sampled or 

 reported from one year to another with the exception that Quinault Indian 

 Nation gillnet fisheries are systematically sampled for biological and tag 

 recovery data and catches are consistently reported. 



Complete and consistent tagging and recovery information would be useful to 

 estimate not only the effectiveness of the Pacific Salmon Treaty in reducing 

 interceptions, but also the total run size, and hence, the true measure of 

 rebuilding. Ideally, coded-wire tagging Btudies of Chinook and coho, at least 

 from the hatcheries, would be useful indefinitely as index stocks. This will 

 require a consistent system of estimating tag recoveries for all terminal 

 fisheries. This, in turn, requires: 



(1) expanding mark sampling to include the Chehalis and Humptulips system 

 river and estuary sport fisheries and expand carcass sampling; 



(2) estimating the portion of the catch mark sampled in theBe fisheries, 

 probably through creel -census; 



(3) developing improved sport catch estimates for these two systems for 

 years when creel census is not feasible; and 



(4) ensure consistency in designating and recording tag recovery areas for 

 all terminal fisheries as is done for all Quinault gillnet fisheries. 



SUMMARY OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NEEDS 



Current information provides significant data on the extent of available 

 habitat and degraded areas. There are, however, numerous information gaps. 

 The FWS habitat inventory being conducted under the Chehalis River Basin 

 Fishery Resources Restoration Study Act during 1992 is designed to fill these 

 gaps. However, some other gaps will remain and these can be addressed to a 

 reasonable degree by a modest program of future investigation as shown below. 



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