Age and Length Composition of Columbia Basin Chinook, Sockeye, and Coho Salmon at Bonneville Dam in 2002
Abstract
In 2002, representative samples of migrating Columbia Basin Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Sockeye (O. nerka), and Coho Salmon (O. kisutch) adult populations were collected at Bonneville Dam. Fish were trapped, anesthetized, sampled for scales and biological data, revived, and then released. Scales were examined to estimate age composition; the results contributed to an ongoing database for age class structure of Columbia Basin salmon populations. Based on scale analysis of Chinook Salmon, four-year-old fish (from brood year [BY] 1998) comprised 86% of the spring Chinook, 51% of the summer Chinook, and 51% of the bright fall Chinook Salmon population. Five-year-old fish (BY 1997) comprised 13% of the spring Chinook, 43% of the summer Chinook, and 11% of the bright fall Chinook Salmon population. For the Coho Salmon population, 88% of the population was three-year-old fish of age class 1.1, while 12% were age class 1.0. Length analysis of the 2002 returns indicated that Chinook Salmon with a stream-type life history are larger (mean length) at age than the Chinook Salmon with an ocean-type life history. Trends in mean length over the sampling period for returning 2002 Chinook Salmon were analyzed. Based on three-year-old returns, the relationship predicts four-year-old returns of 54,200 (+/-66,600, 90% predictive interval [PI]) spring Chinook, 23,800 (+/-19,100, 90% PI) summer, and 169,100 (+/-139,500, 90% PI) bright fall Chinook Salmon for the 2003 runs. Based on four-year-old returns, the relationship predicts five-year-old returns of 36,300 (+/-35,400, 90% PI) spring, 63,800 (+/-10,300, 90% PI) summer, and 91,100 (+/-69,400, 90% PI) bright fall Chinook Salmon for the 2003 runs.
Authors
Citation
Kelsey, D.A., and J.K. Fryer. 2002. Age and length composition of Columbia Basin Chinook, Sockeye, and Coho Salmon at Bonneville Dam in 2002. Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Technical Report 03-1. Portland, OR. 61p.