Columbia River Basin White Sturgeon Framework

Lynn Palensky Northwest Power and Conservation

Council Portland, Oregon USA

July 2013

Northwest Power and Conservation Council

Interstate compact of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington

Authorized by NW Power Act of 1980

8 members appointed by the 4 governors

Funded by rate-payers through BPA Headquarters in Portland, Oregon+

state offices

Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program

“...program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife, in the Columbia River and its tributaries affected by the development & operation of the of hydroelectric projects while assuring an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power supply.”

Annual f&w budget of >$250m (of which 4-5% is allocated to sturgeon)

Over 400 projects & programs funded; each reviewed by independent scientists

1,954 Km long

Originates

in Columbia Lake, BC

2 countries 6 states

1 province 3 First

Nations 16 Native American

Tribes

Science Review Independent Science Review Panel

(ISRP) Scientific Criteria defined in

Program Applied to all Bonneville-funded

projects ISRP called for comprehensive

Columbia River Sturgeon plan

ISRP Recommendations for sturgeon

1. Basinwide management plan2. Factors affecting recruitment3. Importance of estuary and ocean in

production4. Productivity above Bonneville Dam5. Review of harvest regs, consider

seasonal restrictions, and improve methodologies to assess stock status

Sturgeon Framework 1.5 years to develop Existing information Manager, Expert & Public input ISRP review available on June 24 Revisions for final document (now) 2nd round of comments

Sturgeon Framework Planning Area,

Management Entities Plans, Policies, and

Programs Biology & Life History Current Status Fisheries Management Unit

Summaries Limiting Factors & Threats Gap Analysis: Critical

Uncertainties

Management Units

Limiting Factors & Threats

Primary FactorSecondary FactorRelated Factor

LCR

LMCR

UM

CR

TUCR

HUCR

KR LSR

MSR

USR

Habitat fragmentationHabitat diversity / quantity Floodplain connectivityFlow & flow variationDir. hydrosystem mortalityWater qualityContaminantsPredation --CompetitionPrey base / productivityExploitation -- -- -- --Climate ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Management Unit

Recommendations Hatcheries Hydro Passage at dams Ecology / Population Dynamics /

Predation Outreach

Challenges Multiple partners Funding Management units– Different managers– Geography– Goals

Balance goals of conservation and harvest

Next Steps Last set of comments 7/1/13 Revisions to Framework through fall Invite manager/expert comments on

revisions Uses:

– Basis for developing supplementation opportunities – Increase funding to study and conserve sturgeon– Increase conservation/awareness– Guide mitigation priorities in the CR basin– http://www.nwcouncil.org/ext/dashboard/

Questions?www.nwcouncil.org/fw/