Hood Canal wild steelhead & coho vsp parameter assessment

hood canal wild steelhead & coho vsp parameter assessment

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Hood Canal Wild Steelhead and Coho VSP Parameter Assessment

Hood Canal Wild Steelhead and Coho VSP Parameter Assessment

For each juvenile outmigration season, the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) installs and operates juvenile rotary screw traps on the Tahuya, Dewatto, and Little Quilcene Rivers in order to collect, count, and sample juvenile steelhead and coho in the Hood Canal. HCSEG staff, interns, and volunteers conduct a mark and recapture program for both species to calculate trap efficiencies and enumerate the total outmigration abundance. HCSEG staff, interns, and volunteers also collect lengths and scales from a subset of both species to obtain important life-history data. These traps are checked daily during the outmigration season, which is typically from April 1st until the first week of June.  Each day, one group travels to check the Little Quilcene trap, while another group goes to check the Tahuya and Dewatto traps.  We also send a third group to a trap on the Union River for a different project, but we still conduct the same protocols for steelhead and coho captured at this trap to help collect more abundance data.

2025 Season Final Fish Count

2025 Season Final Fish Count

(Actual trap counts, not estimates)

TAHUYA

Steelhead: 86

COHO: 4372

DEWATTO

steelhead: 102

coho: 11058

LITTLE QUILCENE

steelhead: 120

coho: 1140

This project, built on a strong partnership between WDFW and the local community, has greatly advanced our understanding of local salmon populations while fostering collaboration between scientists, volunteers, and residents to support effective fisheries management and the long-term recovery of Hood Canal’s salmon runs.

This project, built on a strong partnership between WDFW and the local community, has greatly advanced our understanding of local salmon populations while fostering collaboration between scientists, volunteers, and residents to support effective fisheries management and the long-term recovery of Hood Canal’s salmon runs.

Monitoring Viable Salmonid Population (VSP) parameters is critical for informing recovery efforts of ESA listed species and/or improving Hood Canal fisheries co-manager’s abilities to forecast future coho and steelhead returns. Currently, the primary index for forecasting in the region is a permanent fish weir on Big Beef Creek, which is operated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Data collected from the traps on Tahuya, Dewatto, and Little Quilcene Rivers will be used to supplement the data from Big Beef Creek to improve forecasting accuracy and aid in prudent management.

Overview

This data will help to increase our knowledge of the abundance, productivity, distribution, and diversity of steelhead and coho smolt that migrate from Hood Canal watersheds each year. It cannot be stated strongly enough the value this program adds to managing and conserving these two important fishery resources. Collaborative partnerships like this can be very effective in achieving shared goals and making progress on important issues, and it’s encouraging to see such a successful example in action.

The Hood Canal Wild Steelhead and Coho VSP Parameter Assessment Program is an important component that will improve the impact of science findings and tribal and local knowledge of Hood Canal salmon populations, which will enhance the validity and clarity of co-management decisions. By supporting this program, we are creating a more comprehensive and coordinated network of knowledge. Additionally, sharing capabilities will be fostered to advance the fresh input of perspectives, information, planning, and implementation methods for salmon recovery throughout Hood Canal.

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