icft 2011 presentation

Hydroacoustic telemetry as a conservation tool:

Integrating studies

for comprehensive

understanding of

native species

survival in California

Goal / Purpose

Compile history of acoustic tracking research in CA to:

- Assess what we’ve learned in 47 years

- Determine research trends and data gaps

- Determine if we can be more efficient/effective

Species of Concern

Steelhead Trout (O. mykiss) Chinook Salmon (O. tshawytscha)

Past/present Acoustic Telemetry Participants

State agencies • DWR/CDFG

Federal agencies • USGS/USBR/USFWS/USACE/NMFS/PSMFC

Universities • UC Davis/UC Santa Cruz

Water agencies/consultants • eg FISHBIO/NRS/EBMUD/MWD/ECORP/AECOM

Technology companies• HTI/Vemco/Lotek/ATS/Sontronics/ Smith-Root/Bayshore/

Devoeand Maim

Methods

Contact known telemetry investigators

• Discover and catalog project details• Obtain report / publication• Obtain additional research leads

Search text/bibliographies for additional studies

Online search

• Google and Google Scholar• State and Federal agency websites• University webpages

Compile database• Input project data – objective, timing, species, life-stage,

monitoring locations, number and type of tags, cost, etc

4

6

8

6

4

2

10

2

12

Vemco HTI ATS

DeVoe and Maim Smith-Root Bayshore Systems

Sonotronics

Smith-Root and Bayshore

Nu

mb

er

of

pro

ject

s

North Basin

South Basin

North/South Basin Technology Use Through Time

Study Objectives by RegionN

um

be

r o

f P

roje

cts

South BasinNorth Basin Central Delta Bay

Salmonid Migration & Survival

Predator Behavior

20

15

10

5

Research Effort by Number of Fish Tagged

Chinook O. mykiss Predator

67.4 %

3.6 %

29.0 %

* Number of tagged fish incomplete value based on non-responsive investigators

What We’ve Learned - Salmonids

• Juvenile survival through Delta related to route selection

• Survival lower than expected in upper reaches

• Relationship between flow and survival influenced by multiple mechanisms

• Patterns of diel migrations for O. mykiss are inconsistent between studies and seasons

• Wild O. mykiss migration differs from hatchery fish

Michel et al. 2008; MacFarlane et al 2008; VAMP 2007 and 2008

VAMP 2007 and 2008; Perry et al. 2010; Newman 2008; Holbrook et al. 2008

MacFarlane et al. 2008; Buchanan et al. 2010; Perry et al. 2010; Vogel 2010; Holbrook et al. 2008

Chapman et al. 2008; Sandstrom et al. 2008

Del Real et al. 2010

What We’ve Learned - Predators

• Predation likely cause of high juvenile mortality, especially at lower flows

• Predation on juveniles high at key locations

• Predation confounds interpretation of juvenile survival estimates

• Improving survival estimates requires better data on predator movements relative to salmon movements

MacFarlane et al. 2008; Buchanan et al. 2010

Vogel 2010; SJRGA 2008 and 2009; Clark et al. 2009; Bowen and Bark 2010

Vogel 2010; SJRGA 2008 and 2009; Clark et al. 2009

Vogel 2010; SJRGA 2008 and 2009; Clark et al. 2009; Bowen and Bark 2010

What We Haven’t Learned…

• “Population-level” impact of predation

• Importance of fry survival to population persistence

• Southern population data sparse

• Factors that drive O. mykissanadromy/residency

• Efficient reporting/documentation

• Effective cooperation and information sharing

Conclusions

• Achieved better understanding of:

• Rates of mortality through specific migration routes• Synergy of flows and other sources of mortality• Fine-scale behavior in modified habitats• Potential impacts of predation

• Conventional techniques could not provide this information in such a modified system

• Acoustic telemetry has provided data that is essential for conserving these species

• Expand predation-specific research

• Require information sharing, report more frequently in web-accessible format

• Expand CFTC or similar to include different tag types, with funding and dedicated staff

• Involve statisticians in design of future receiver arrays

• Convene regular annual symposia for active groups

Recommendations

Thank you

Harmony PatricioDoug DemkoChris Becker

John Montgomery

dougdemko@fishbio.com

www.fishbio.com

1st International Conference on Fish TelemetrySapporo, JapanJune 2011