Lake Sammamish Kokanee: Bringing Them Back from the Brink

A Presentation for the Rotary Club of Issaquah

David St. John – Government Relations Administrator – DNRP Director’s Office

March 27, 2012

Topics

• Kokanee Work Group background• Conservation goal• Kokanee biology• Kokanee population conditions• Priorities• Actions underway

Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group

• Local collaboration formed in 2007 to focus on kokanee conservation

• Includes each local government, state and federal agencies, non-governmental conservation groups, and citizens

• King County has chaired since its formation

Kokanee Conservation Goal

“Prevent the extinction and improve the health of the native kokanee population such that it is viable and self-sustaining, and then supports fishery opportunities”

Photo by Tim Rains, US Forest Service

Kokanee Biology

• the landlocked, smaller form of sockeye salmon

• predominantly a four year life cycle• lives in natal streams for only a few months after hatching• rears entirely within Lake Sammamish before spawning

migration back to natal streams

Current Regional Distribution

Only Two Native Puget Sound Populations

Lake Sammamish

Lake Whatcom

Historic and Current Local Distribution

• Lewis Creek

• Lake & shoreline

• Ebright Creek

• Laughing Jacobs Creek

Main current* areas of use:

* Current quantity and quality of habitat may not be enough to sustain the population

Current Kokanee Abundance Trend

1900s 1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

10000

1008

113 145548

1056 1066

3055

7088

740500

1033

110 53

2405

38

1488

453.5 465.5 703.751431.25

3066.252987.252845.752340.25

595.75 424900.25 651.5

996.0357

110 40247

Kokanee Spawner Counts: 1996/97 - 2011/12

Actual count with 7 day stream life Takan into supplementation program 4 year running average

Year

Num

ber

Minimum viable population level estimate = 500 spawn-

ers

(numbers reflect assumed 7-day stream life for spawners)

Historical abun-dance from anec-

dotal sources

500

Current Kokanee Abundance Trend

1900s 1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

10000

1008

113 145548

1056 1066

3055

7088

740500

1033

110 53

2405

38

1488

Recent Kokanee Return Percentages

Year

Num

ber

Minimum viable population level estimate = 500 spawn-

ers

(numbers reflect assumed 7-day stream life for spawners)

Historical abun-dance from anec-

dotal sources2%

7%481%

4%

1353%

Population Run Timing

• Early Run – August to October run timing; Issaquah Creek focused

• Middle Run – September to November run timing; Lake Washington and Samm River tribs

• Late Run – November to January run timing; Lake Sammamish tribs except Issaquah(?)

• Shoreline spawners

EXTIRPATED

58 SPAWNERS IN 2010-2011

UNKNOWN

LIKELY EXTIRPATED

2008 Kokanee Limiting Factors Study Findings

• Supplementation is needed immediately• Preliminary signals of hydrologic impacts• Potential for problems from predation• Climate change could compound problems• Must improve our data for effective management• Lack of data necessitates a precautionary approach

Kokanee Conservation PrioritiesTier 1:• Implement aggressive artificial propagation program

• Correct habitat conditions causing mortality or limiting habitat access

• Protect existing intact habitat areas at near term risk of damage or conversion

Tier 2:• Do the science to improve certainty of actions

• Protect, improve or restore habitat

• Build and maintain public awareness and support

Supplementation Program

• Underway with third successful year!• Funding from USFWS, WDFW, King

County, Sammamish, Issaquah, and Redmond• 2010: @25,000 marked fry• 2011: @14,500 marked fry• 2012: @64,000 marked fry• Program based at Issaquah Creek hatchery• Employing unique rearing techniques to help imprinting• First returns could be seen this coming fall!

Protect, Reconnect, Restore Habitat!

Protect, Reconnect, Restore Habitat!

• 11 priority near term projects• First project completed will be the Ebright culvert

(summer 2012), ¼ mile of great spawning habitat, major private funding

• Making progress on Zaccuse Creek culverts and restoration

• Grant proposals for Lewis Creek projects• Working with the Watershed Council to get funding• Long term: major project to fix the I-90 culvert blocking

access to upper Lewis Creek

Successful Fundraiser

• First ever fundraiser held on March 23, 2012• Sponsored by the Coho Café in Issaquah• Organized by Heather VanDorn from Coho Café• Raised almost $10K, including $5K from the Snoqualmie

Tribe• Funds will go toward high priority conservation actions

Looking Ahead…

• Build and maintain community support!• Implement our priority supplementation and habitat

projects• Find new ways to fund our work• Reintroduce kokanee to reconnected and restored

streams

Questions?