Category: 2018

The productivity of Chinook salmon in the upper Yukon River has decreased from a high of 5 recruits per spawner in the 1980s to less than 1 recruit per spawner at current returns (JTC, 2016). This decrease has severely affected both the abundance of salmon runs as well as the lives of the people who depend on salmon for sustenance, cultural identity, and overall fishery opportunities.

The Takhini River has been identified as a possible location for restoration activities due to informal understanding of abundant and good quality spawning and rearing habitat. The river is also road accessible making any potential restoration efforts more cost-effective than comparable remote sites.

Historic observations and studies from the late 1950s to the early 2000s suggest that the Takhini River (Figure 1) supported a Chinook salmon run with approximately 1000 spawners observed annually (DFO Whitehorse: FISS Files). Local and Traditional Knowledge surveys confirm that this relatively accessible area provided for modest subsistence and recreational angling opportunities (DFO Whitehorse: Unpublished; EDI, 2005).

The Takhini River originates from Kusawa Lake flows and joins the Yukon River north of Whitehorse, just south of Lake Laberge. The two major tributaries flow into the Takhini between Kusawa Lake and the Yukon River: the Mendenhall River and the Ibex River. Surveys and stock assessment data for Chinook salmon in the Takhini River has been limited to radio tagging (2002 to 2004), broodstock observations (2000s) and periodic fish presence assessments for regulatory work. Chinook spawn in the mainstem Takhini mostly between the outlet of Kusawa Lake and the confluence of Mendenhall River. Spawning also occurs in the Ibex River (tributary to Takhini) and in a few locations in the mainstem Takhini River below the confluence of the Mendenhall River.

In keeping with the Yukon River Panel’s priorities to identify candidate stocks or systems for stock restoration, this project will develop a strong information base to determine if restoration efforts would benefit Takhini River stocks.

Upper Yukon River Chinook Salmon populations (defined for the purpose of this study as fish that terminate in the mainstem Yukon River or its tributaries above the confluence with the Teslin River) have experienced similar declines to other Yukon River populations in recent years. Greater declines probably occurred much earlier in the past century. Historic reports from First Nations along with a biologist and RCMP officer indicate that ~10,000 Chinook Salmon were harvested annually in the M’Clintock River system (Cox 1997); however, returns counted at the Whitehorse Rapids Generating Facility (WRGF) fish ladder have averaged only ~1200 fish over the past 15 years, and no active fisheries are able to exploit the population.

The fate of many Chinook Salmon after they pass the fish ladder is unknown. Previous radio telemetry studies (Cleugh and Russel 1980; Matthews 1999) showed that 74% to 81% of these Chinook Salmon traveled to the M’Clintock/Michie system, though sample sizes were small. The majority are believed to spawn in Michie Creek, between Michie Lake and Byng Creek (de Graff 2015). Understanding whether Chinook Salmon spawn elsewhere in the M’Clintock River system will inform further efforts to recover the stock. Other spawning locations may represent genetically unique stocks that would benefit from restoration, or habitats that would benefit from improved access (e.g., log jam removal). Perhaps more importantly, the fate of the ~25% of Chinook Salmon that pass the WRGF fish ladder but do not terminate in the M’Clintock River system is unknown. These fish could spawn in unknown locations in the Southern Lakes or the mainstem Yukon River above the WRGF, or they may expire before reaching the spawning grounds. In either case, stock or habitat restoration actions could be identified that would benefit these depleted stocks, once their terminal location is known.

The role of the WRGF in limiting Chinook Salmon population recovery is largely unknown. Returns have oscillated considerably around a relatively stable mean since the dam and fish ladder were built in 1958 and 1959, respectively. Beginning with the first release of hatchery-reared fry in 1985, returns have been maintained in part by hatchery-origin fish, which represent ~50% of the return. Each year, ~1200 fish successfully pass via the fish ladder; however, the proportion that fail to pass the WRGF remains unknown. The first step is understanding whether passage failure is occurring at the WRGF and whether delays are rare and short or more severe.

This project has two primary goals. The first is to identify depleted stocks that are candidates for restoration, along with potential spawning restoration sites. Specific objectives for this proposal associated with this goal are to assess:

1) Where salmon spawn in the M’Clintock River system;
2) What other terminal locations exist above Lake Laberge aside from the Takhini River, Wolf Creek and the M’Clintock River;
3) Whether some fish that pass the WRGF fail to reach Marsh Lake (and to subsequently assess whether these fish spawn successfully in the mainstem Yukon River or experience pre-spawning mortality).

The second goal is to assess whether challenges associated with passage at the WRGF are limiting production of Upper Yukon River Chinook stocks. Specific objectives for this proposal associated with this goal are to assess:

4) What proportion of fish approaching the WRGF successfully pass it;
5) The extent to which fish are delayed at the WRGF before passing;
6) What proportion of fish return downstream after passing the WRGF.

After a returning salmon leaves the marine environment, water temperatures largely determine its ability to migrate and spawn successfully. The goal of this project is to develop a publicly accessible baseline of the thermal regimes of Yukon River Chinook Salmon spawning and migration habitats in Canada.

The Yukon River Canadian Water Temperature Monitoring Network (the Network) was initiated during the 2011 – 2012 ADF&G water temperature project, and is continued by a Canadian Consultant to the present. The Network currently comprises 15 Stations, and data collection is conducted in watercourses utilized by Chinook Salmon for adult migration and spawning, as well as juvenile incubation, rearing, overwintering and downstream migration. Design of the Network includes both geographical and temporal components. Data from temperature data loggers at each station are downloaded, checked and used to generate mean, minimum and maximum daily temperatures, and this data set is uploaded to yukonwatertemperatures.info.

The primary rationale for the project continuing is that it extends the temporal length of the baseline. This allows more complete consideration of the inter-annual range of temperatures that may be expected, and strengthens the baseline for future salmon fishery and habitat managers to determine temperature trends and effects thereof. The secondary rationale is the public nature of the project, with data being widely and freely distributed. This enables access to the data by agency and non-agency persons, and reduces the risk that data – and the investment in collecting it – will be lost due to personnel changes, government reorganizations or simple neglect.

Fox Creek is a lake-headed tributary to Lake Laberge and the Yukon River, located approximately 50 km north of Whitehorse. It lies within the traditional territory of Ta’an Kwäch’än Council (TKC) and historically supported a Chinook salmon fishery; however, since the late 1950’s this stock has been extirpated. Habitat changes (forest fire/beavers and/or fishing (easy access) to Fox Creek may have played a role in decline of this stock. Ta’an Kwäch’än Council’s goal for the Fox Creek Salmon Chinook Salmon Restoration Program is to re-establish a self-sustaining population of Chinook with sufficient spawners to have a high probability of long-term persistence in the face of variability in survival due to natural changes in the environment. TKC aims to ensure that a viable natural stock is abundant enough to contribute to a sustainable harvest for current and future generations as part of their natural culture and heritage.
From 2007 to 2015 TKC assessed, developed and implemented Phase I of this program and Year 8 (2015) marked the end of that phase. The Phase I Chinook Salmon Stock Restoration Plan for Fox Creek (CRE-52N-07) suggested restoration of this extirpated stock be conducted over 2 Chinook salmon life cycles.
The latter part of Phase I saw the return of Chinook salmon to Fox Creek and the stock is showing signs of recovery. Phase II will use knowledge gained in Phase I to guide an implementation and monitoring approach to establish a viable, naturally self-sustaining Chinook salmon population that will contribute to a sustainable harvest for TKC citizens.

Our goal is the development and maintenance of community capacity in the Dawson City region to protect, maintain and restore salmon stocks and habitats. Each year, two local high school students who have not participated in the project in past years are hired as Student Stewards. They work under the field supervision of an experienced elder and the technical guidance of a retired DFO biologist, and are provided with a wide range of hands-on training through participation in a variety of salmon and salmon habitat management and research activities. Proposed activities include the monitoring of 0+ Chinook salmon growth and habitat utilisation, ground water fed rearing channel habitat monitoring, riparian restoration principles, and ground truthing of placer maps. Depending on environmental conditions, 0+ Chinook fry salvage and access restoration may take place, and we may partner with DFO as we have in the past to conduct genetic analysis on some 0+ Chinook. The context of any activities undertaken will be explained to the Student Stewards so that they are given an opportunity not only to understand what they are doing, but why they are doing it.
At the end of the funded field work component of the project, the Student Stewards will demonstrate their acquired skills and knowledge to children and community members in a Public Involvement Day. Opportunities will be sought to increase the exposure of the project through the local media and in presentations to the public.

To effectively manage Yukon River Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) salmon stocks originating from Canada, fishery managers require an understanding of the stock composition of the run as it enters the river. Canadian-origin Chinook salmon migrate through approximately 1,200 miles of fisheries in the Alaska portion of the drainage. An estimate of the Canadian-origin Chinook salmon run strength and migration timing is vital to ensuring that appropriate management actions are taken to meet border escapement objectives. This project helps in the management of Yukon River Chinook salmon by providing estimates of stock composition of Chinook salmon migrating past the mainstem sonar project near Pilot Station in the lower portion of the Yukon River. The ADF&G Gene Conservation Laboratory (GCL) creates in-season stock composition estimates by genotyping samples from the sonar project test fishery, and using the resulting genotypes to perform mixed stock analysis (MSA). Of particular importance to fishery managers is identification of the Canadian-origin component of the Chinook salmon run.

Deliverables from this project will include in-season analyses of the Canadian-origin component of Chinook salmon passage, which will be disseminated to key fishery research and management staff, from Federal and State agencies, in both the U.S. and Canada. The results will be published in department News Releases in-season, the Yukon River Panel United States/Canada Joint Technical Committee’s (JTC) annual report, and in a final report to the Yukon River Panel, including relevant comparisons to historical data and observed trends.

This project proposes to operate a sonar enumeration program on the lower Pelly River (downstream of the community of Pelly Crossing) for the purpose of enumerating Chinook salmon that spawn in the mainstem Pelly River and all of its tributaries. The Pelly River supports Selkirk First Nation’s (SFN) Chinook salmon fishery and is one of the largest contributors of Canadian origin Yukon River Chinook salmon, based on genetic stock identification, at the Eagle Sonar site near the Canada/U.S. border. There is currently no index of Chinook salmon escapement for the mainstem of the Pelly River and SFN is keen on developing a more localized means to manage this important Chinook stock.

SFN has recently entered into dialogue with DFO’s Yukon staff with regard to the local management of the Pelly River Chinook salmon stock; it is SFN’s intention take a more active role in the management and conservation of Chinook salmon in the Pelly River through a locally developed Salmon Management Plan. The first stage of this local Salmon Management Plan includes developing an SFN operated stock assessment program for Chinook salmon on the Pelly River, and in support of this objective, SFN conducted a reconnaissance survey of the lower Pelly River in August 2015 and located a candidate sonar site with a bathymetric profile, current pattern and river banks shape/composition that is suited to the operation of split-beam or multi-beam sonar. The site is located approximately 20 km upstream of the mouth of the Pelly River and is downstream of all but one of SFN citizen’s fish camps. This site could also support a test fishery for species apportionment, as well as a seasonal field camp to support the operation of the sonar program.

The first goal of this project is to begin the development of an accurate, in-season stock assessment tool to estimate the annual passage rates for Chinook salmon in the Pelly River. The second goal of this project is to begin to build local capacity, including technical training and full time employment for local SFN citizens.

Groups of Upper Yukon River Chinook salmon have been tagged annually in Yukon since 1985, when hatchery fry were first released from the new Whitehorse Rapids Hatchery. Over 80% of all Whitehorse Rapids Hatchery fish have been tagged by Fisheries and Oceans Canada or by the Yukon Fish and Game Association. The long term goal of the project is to ensure on-going tagging of all hatchery contributions for management, assessment and monitoring purposes as per the current Pacific salmon CWT program outlined above. The short term goal (3 years) is to implement a coordinated tagging program to support anticipated stock recovery efforts as identified through focused Yukon River Panel restoration priorities between 2016 and 2019. Overall, the objective is to ensure that all Chinook salmon reared in a hatchery facility are marked via CWT (and adipose clip) in order to differentiate them from wild-reared fish.

Chinook salmon in the Teslin River watershed have one of the longest salmon migrations in North America, with the headwaters of the Teslin River being nearly 3,000 km upstream from the Bering Sea. The Teslin River watershed is also a major spawning destination for Canadian-origin Chinook: The results from the Teslin River sonar (and in-season genetic analysis at Eagle) during 2014 and 2015 have indicated that approximately 25% of the passage of Canadian-origin Chinook is destined for the Teslin River watershed.
This project will build upon previous projects to reintroduce a spawning population of Chinook salmon to Deadman Creek, a tributary that flows into Teslin Lake approximately 30 km north of the community of Teslin using in-stream egg incubation (egg planting) methods. The 2016 work followed a project conducted by the Teslin Tlingit Council (TTC) during 2015 to identify potential Chinook stock and/or habitat restoration projects in the Teslin River watershed. The Deadman Creek framework is intended to be a working document which will be updated and revised as new monitoring (survival) data becomes available in future years.

A primary goal the Yukon River Canadian-origin Juvenile Chinook out-migrant assessment on the Big Salmon River is to understand the abundance of juvenile Chinook salmon that are produced in this system and link this back to the number of spawners that produced these juveniles. Low density and varying migration timings make assessment difficult; thus, in an effort to find a method that allows full estimation of the number and timings of juveniles, we will be using and assessing different capture methods–a rotary screw trap (RST), beach seining and minnow trapping.

Developing an understanding of the relationship between juvenile production and the spawning escapement that produces them gives us a better understanding of Chinook salmon production and its limits, and helps us plan for stock and habitat restoration activities. This project is closely tied to the Big Salmon River Sonar Project, and operates out of the same site. Use of sonar technology to monitor juvenile out-migration is also under consideration.