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PNW Project Overview 2001

Validation Monitoring Workshop: Providing Scientific Support to Design and Analysis of Salmon Escapement Estimation Models

Principal Investigator:  
John Calhoun, Olympic Natural Resources Center, University of Washington

Awarded: $15,000

Project Description:
The Olympic Natural Resources Center’s Salmon Conservation Validation Monitoring Science Panel investigated the necessary, feasible and practical measures to conduct validation monitoring.  They concluded that salmon abundance is the parameter of interest in validation monitoring.  Given the complex life history and biology of anadromous fish, the application of these recommendations is a difficult task.

Validation monitoring requires detection of changes in the abundance of spawning adults and salmon habitat relationships.  A wide variety of techniques have been used to estimation adult returns. Since the early 1950’s, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has annually evaluated escapement of certain stocks using relative measures of spawner abundance as peak fish per mile counts on standardized stream areas (indexes).  In some regions, cumulative redd counts are used.  The variety of indexing methods currently used do not estimate absolute abundance, but rather provide a way of describing the relative abundance compared to a base year. 

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has completed draft monitoring plan protocols for effectiveness and validation monitoring associated with their Habitat Conservation Plan on 1.6 million acres of forest land.  In-house biologists and additional scientists have participated in the development of the suite of seven plans included in the monitoring package.  Specifically, DNR staff have considered the development of a statistical design and implementation of an escapement estimation method for coho salmon in the Clallam River in Clallam County, WA. Due to the complexities of the project, additional scientific support is needed to ensure a statistically sound approach to validation monitoring in this project. 

ONRC is in a unique position to organize a working group to develop adult escapement estimation methods appropriate for validation monitoring.  The Validation Monitoring Panel Report released in December 2000 was successful in emphasizing the importance of establishing and implementing these monitoring plans in response to public interest and investment in salmon conservation.  The development of the tools necessary to carry out validation monitoring plans will be useful to all groups required or interested in understanding the effects of salmon conservation efforts through validation monitoring. Through our previous work with the Validation Monitoring Panel, we are well versed in the topic.  Through our contacts on the Validation Monitoring Panel and other projects, we have a strong network of scientists that can contribute to the development of appropriate escapement methods.

Objectives:

1. Consult with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to determine areas of greatest need for scientific support for project design and analysis.
2. Identify appropriate scholars or consultants in the various fields of expertise throughout North America. 
3. Invite and assemble these experts at ONRC for two days of workshop sessions with DNR project planner in order to develop the project design and analysis methods.
4. Prepare recommendations for DNR’s validation monitoring program on the Clallam River.

Project Status:
2001 funds will be distributed to projects in September 2001.

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