BPA Fish and Wildlife FY 1997 Proposal
Section 1. Administrative
Section 2. Narrative
Section 3. Budget
see CBFWA and BPA funding recommendations
Section 1. Administrative
Title of project
Interannual Effects of Marine Conditions on Salmon Distribution, Growth and Abundance
BPA project number 5517700
Business name of agency, institution or organization requesting funding
TBD
Sponsor type Placeholder
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
| Name | TBD | |
| Mailing address | ||
| Phone |
BPA technical contact ,
Biological opinion ID Research M&E Program, hypo D.2.1
NWPPC Program number
Short description
Project start year 1997 End year 2007
Start of operation and/or maintenance 0
Project development phase PLANNING
Section 2. Narrative
Related projects
Project history
Biological results achieved
Annual reports and technical papers
Management implications
Specific measureable objectives
Testable hypothesis
HYPOTHESIS D.2.1: DISTRIBUTION, GROWTH, AND ABUNDANCE OF SALMON FROM THE COLUMBIA RIVER IN OCEAN REARING DO NOT VARY WITHIN OR AMONG YEARS IN RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN OFFSHORE MARINE CONDITIONS.
Underlying assumptions or critical constraints
Offshore here means the open North Pacific Ocean along the continental shelf region, and distant offshore areas of the North Pacific. All offshore studies should be components of a coordinated research effort by Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. It makes no sense for various regions to separately study oceanic fisheries ecology without integration.
The BIOP calls for BPA, COE, and BOR to cooperate in investigations of the relationship between fluctuations in the ocean environment and salmon abundance (#13,d., p. 120). Although the BIOP does not specifically deal with the relationship between management of non-salmonids in the offshore region and abundance of salmon, the interactions caused by that management may be amenable to modification. The BIOP calls for investigation by BPA of effects on salmon of production of hatchery fish (#13.h., p. 121).
Methods
A long-term investigation of ecology of salmon in offshore marine environments is needed. It should include systematic sampling of physical and biological oceanographic factors, including salinity, temperature, currents, nutrient availability, and invertebrate densities in the water column. In addition, researchers should systematically sample fish populations, probably with purse seines or surface trawls, obtaining data on distributions, population structure, growth, and food habits. Such data would permit investigators to better understand fluctuations in marine survival of salmon and the role of enhancement of stocks. The early years of research in this project will necessarily be descriptive and correlative. While experimental modification of the environment is difficult, apart from modifications in numbers of smolts recruited to the sea from various enhancement programs, and certain aspects of fishery management, it is imperative for managers to better understand the offshore region and its influence upon salmon production. Recent papers have noted the importance of interdecadal cycles in marine productivity.
Initial phases of this study should examine broad-scale ocean phenomena. Early phases would lead to correlative, retrospective analysis of relationships. At least temperature, salinity, plankton, and chlorophyll-a obtained in various investigations would be examined. Recent Canadian papers have demonstrated the value of this type of work in providing clues for modeling fish behavior and for assessing carrying capacity issues.
Brief schedule of activities
Biological need
Critical uncertainties
Summary of expected outcome
Dependencies/opportunities for cooperation
Risks
Monitoring activity
Section 3. Budget
Data shown are the total of expense and capital obligations by fiscal year. Obligations for any given year may not equal actual expenditures or accruals within the year, due to carryover, pre-funding, capitalization and difference between operating year and BPA fiscal year.| Historic costs | FY 1996 budget data* | Current and future funding needs |
| (none) | New project - no FY96 data available | 1997: 1,000,000 1998: 1,000,000 1999: 1,000,000 2000: 1,000,000 2001: 1,000,000 |
* For most projects, Authorized is the amount recommended by CBFWA and the Council. Planned is amount currently allocated. Contracted is the amount obligated to date of printout.
Funding recommendations
CBFWA funding review group System Policy
Recommendation Tier 2 - fund when funds available
Recommended funding level $1,000,000