The primary project objectives of the south fork stillaguamish fall chinook natural stock restoration program are to 1)seine up to 900 wild juvenile chinook FRY from gravel bars on the south fork…

The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of Washington will receive $675,027.11 under a Project Grant award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce. The funding supports the South Fork Stillaguamish Fall Chinook Natural Stock Restoration Program, which aims to enhance natural salmon populations through hatchery supplementation efforts. Key activities include collecting up to 900 juvenile fall Chinook salmon from local rivers each spring for rearing at the Tribe's hatchery. Fish will be tissue sampled to identify their population of origin, with a goal of retaining 453 fall-assigned juveniles. Survivability rates of 60% are expected as fish are reared to spawning age and mated. Approximately 200,000 age-zero smolts will be released annually into the South Fork Stillaguamish River each spring. The award also supports broodstock collection on the North Fork Stillaguamish River as part of complementary summer supplementation efforts. The three-year award period runs from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024 to support these hatchery and restoration activities under the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Pacific Salmon Treaty Program (CFDA #11.438).

The primary project objectives of the south fork stillaguamish fall chinook natural stock restoration program are to 1)seine up to 900 wild juvenile chinook FRY from gravel bars on the south fork stillaguamish and its tributaries (when river temperatures are suitable, in early spring) and transport to the tribe's hatchery. 2) sample juveniles for tissue to determine population assignment with a goal of retaining 453 fall assigned juveniles. 3) rear fall-assigned juveniles to spawning adults, with an observed 60% FRY to adult survival rate. Rates of maturation vary across brood years with fish becoming mature between one and five years of being held in captivity. 4) spawn mature adults and rear their offspring for 6 to 8 months. 5) release 200,000 age zero smolts into the south fork stillaguamish each spring. 6) collect adult broodstock from the north fork stillaguamish as part of the summer supplementation program. This provides a supplemental source of gametes in case adults held in…