< Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater Regional Office ) - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

JUVENILE LAMPREY DISTRIBUTION and DENSITY in the CLEARWATER RIVER BASIN, IDAHO

USFWS Idaho Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office

Doug Nemeth Frank Mullins John Erhardt Mike Murray Chris Griffith Idaho Department of Fish and Game Clearwater Regional Office (Selway data) Robert Hand

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WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FROM NATURALLY-MIGRATING LAMPREY ADULTS in the CLEARWATER BASIN?

• Upstream of adult releases
• Lochsa River
• Sampled most Type I and Type II habitat on

Highway side

• Lamprey Electrofishing Systems ABP-2 electro-fisher
• 60-90 seconds/m2
• Sampled in 2.5 m2 units, at least 10m2 per site
• Type I or Type II habitat only
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LOCHSA RIVER

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Fish Cr.  Weir Cr. Powell

• 8 sites sampled along Lochsa
• Type I and II habitat limited due to

gradient and highway

WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FROM NATURALLY-MIGRATING LAMPREY ADULTS in the CLEARWATER BASIN?

USFWS 2018 Lamprey Sampling Level (fish/ m 2 )

High> 14.9

• Medium 5.0-14.9
• Low <5.0

None

Fish Cr.  Weir Cr. Powell

• 8 sites sampled along Lochsa
• Type I and II habitat limited due to

gradient and highway

• High frequency of occurrence –

Ammocoetes present in 7 of 8 Lochsa sites.

• Densities ranged from 0.1 – 38.8

ammo/m2

WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION FROM NATURALLY-MIGRATING LAMPREY ADULTS in the CLEARWATER BASIN?

Blue Circles IDFG Sampling 2002-2006

• Similar densities, similar locations
• No ammocoetes upstream of Weir Cr.

 Weir Cr. Fish Cr. Powell

USFWS 2018 Lamprey Sampling Level (fish/ m2 )

0 High> 14.9

Medium 5.0-14.9

• Low <5.0

None

SELWAY RIVER

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IDFG Selway R. Sites 2002-2006

(primarily wilderness) High Frequency

• f Occurrence

IDFG 2002-2006 Sampling

Level (fish/m2 )

0 High >14.9

• Medium 5.0-14.9
• Low <5.0

None

High > 14.9 Medium 5.0 – 14.9 Low < 5.0

2018 sites sampled by IDFG in Red 2002-2006 sites sampled by IDFG in Blue

High Frequency

• f Occurrence

MIDDLE FORK AND MAINSTEM CLEARWATER RIVERS )

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MFCR and Clearwater R.

Lewiston Potlatch R. 

High Frequency

• f Occurrence

Note Adult Release Sites

 Middle Fork Clearwater R.

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C\earwater R,ver

USFWS 2018 Lamprey Sampling Level (fish/ m2 )

0 High> 14.9

Medium 5.0-14.9

• Low <5.0

None

* Lamprey release locations

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LOWER SNAKE RIVER

Middle Fork Clearwater River

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Lower Snake River

• No ammocoetes

seen in 64 minutes of e- fishing 5 sites

• Sampled

Clearwater as reference

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USFWS 201 B Lamprey Sampling Level (fish/ m2 )

0 High> 14.9

Medium 5.0-14.9

• Low <5.0

None

* Lamprey release locations

Clearwater River

FIN SAMPLES

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River C\earwa er 2018 Genetic Samples Lochsa River: M.F. Clearwater: Clearwater: Orofino Creek: Lolo Creek: Newsome Creek: Selway:

• 1,008

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116 20

21

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Se\way River

MAXIMIZED FIN SAMPLES TAKEN

• Number of

naturally-migrating females producing progeny

• Contribution of

translocated adults

• Increased sample

size  emigrants and adults at dams in future years.

• Continue to

improve Length at Age information

FIN SAMPLES

21

C\earwater River 2018 Genetic Samples Lochsa River: M.F. Clearwater: Clearwater: Orofino Creek: Lolo Creek: Newsome Creek: Selway: 1,008

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116 20 21 20 1 S.f:. C} ,earw. ater n-

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FUTURE PLANS

• Sample watersheds not recently sampled in cooperation w partners (density and fin

samples)

• Quantify Type I and Type II habitat along mainstem Lochsa R.
• Measure juvenile densities opposite highway in Lochsa (minimal human presence)
• Define relationship between 1st pass lamprey captures and total present

 Lochsa Population Estimate

• Identify spawning areas of adult lamprey
• Radio tag and release NPTH adults in early 2019- well ahead of spawning
• Identify summer, fall and winter holding areas of adult lamprey in the Clearwater
• Radio tag 2019 downstream dam captures and release in 2019
• Track movement of ammocoetes through Clearwater mainstems- Visual Tags and Fixed

Site Sampling

CONCLUSIONS

• Current ammocoete distribution and density in Lochsa and Selway similar to that from

2002-2006 investigations.

• High frequency of occurrence in preferred habitat in the Clearwater.
• Limited amount of preferred habitat  Opportunities for quantification, fin sampling,

understanding movement, others.

• No ammocoetes found in the lower Snake River.