At the Council’s August 2, 2010 request, the ISRP reviewed responses to its detailed final review of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation’s Fish Accord Proposal, Deschutes River Sockeye Development (#2008-307-00) (ISRP 2010-19; June 15, 2010).
In its final review, the ISRP recommended that the proposal "Meets scientific review criteria (In-Part, Qualified)." The ISRP included specific recommendations for each major project objective. The Warm Springs Tribes responded to the ISRP’s recommendations including that they consult a statistician to ensure that the sample sizes are sufficient to achieve precision in the population and spawning escapement estimates.
The ISRP noted that overall the response showed a great deal of effort on the part of the proponents to resolve the ISRP’s questions. As a result, the project should be strengthened. The ISRP recommendations on the objectives under review follow:
Objectives 2, 3, and 4: Determine outmigration timing and abundance, movement from Suttle Lake, and compare SAR values
Recommendation: Meets Review Criteria
Objective 6: Determine spawner escapement
Recommendation: Meets Review Criteria
Objective 7 (previously 8): Develop a sockeye reintroduction plan
Recommendation: Meets Review Criteria (qualified)
The reintroduction plan being developed for sockeye in the Deschutes Subbasin is funded and executed under the FERC relicensing of the Round Butte Dam; therefore, participation by the Warm Springs Tribe is appropriate. The qualification is that the ISRP should be given an opportunity to review and comment on the reintroduction plan, especially if Columbia Fish Accord or other Fish and Wildlife Program projects are used in executing the RM&E for the reintroduction. In additions, if the reintroduction plan for sockeye salmon in the Deschutes Subbasin involves artificial production under the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program, a Three-Step Master Plan review will be needed.
