The long-term goal of this project is to facilitate restoration of productive, viable
sturgeon populations and fishery opportunities in Federal Columbia River Power System
portions of the mid-Columbia and lower Snake River reservoirs. Objectives
include:
Complete, in conjunction with regional, tribal, state, and Federal management entities,
a collaborative and comprehensive strategic plan for sturgeon conservation, restoration
and management to include specific objectives, strategies, actions, milestones and
schedules for habitat protection and restoration, natural production, hatchery production,
fishery management, research, monitoring, and evaluation.
Complete a sturgeon hatchery review process to implement hatchery-related actions (if any)
identified in the comprehensive strategic plan and consistent with directions provided by
the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's three-step review process.
Facilitate, monitor and evaluate implementation of appropriate hatchery actions in
collaboration with other regional sturgeon conservation, management, and restoration
projects.
Over 20 years of dedicated research and management has failed to date to restore natural
productivity or increase opportunities for harvest of mid-Columbia River sturgeon that have
been impacted by the hydropower system. This project will provide guidance for the next
phase of sturgeon conservation, management, and restoration in the mid-Columbia and lower
Snake river reservoirs based on past research, monitoring, and evaluation completed by
regional fish managers and partners. This includes a determination if use of hatchery
fish is appropriate and outline specific directions for use that are consistent with a
detailed analysis of objectives and risks. This work directly addresses the objective of
the 2004 NPCC Subbasin Plan to increase sturgeon abundance in the lower mid-Columbia
mainstem by: 1) continuing to develop hatchery technology and methodologies, 2) considering
use hatchery fish for supplementation. The three objectives are conditional phases of the
project with initiation of each phase contingent on decisions in the preceding phase.
