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Dungeness River: Priority Stocks

From "Answer to April 30, 2005 Shared Strategy Response to Question C"

Dungeness Chinook Escapement Planning Targets in Comparison
With Mean Escapement Over the Last Fifteen Years

*Note: Productivity is expressed as adults produced per spawner

The planning targets indicate a range of escapement and the associated productivities (or adult returns per spawner) that would constitute recovery. The range is needed to show that abundance and productivity are related, and even under recovery conditions, will tend to vary inversely (the productivity declines when the abundance increases and vice versa). Thus, the range of related target escapements and productivities shown represents the recovery goals.

Dungeness Bulltrout Recovery Goals

From U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Draft Recovery Plan for the Coastal-Puget Sound Distinct Population Segment of Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) , volume II: Olympic Peninsula Management Unit (2004), referred to in Dungeness Answer to April 30, 2005 Shared Strategy Response to Question C

Recovery targets for the Olympic Peninsula Management Unit:

1. Maintain or expand the current distribution of bull trout in the six
   identified core areas. The 10 currently identified local populations
   (Skokomish (2), Dungeness (2), Elwha (1), Hoh (2), Quinault (2), Queets
   (1)) will be used as a measure of broadly distributed spawning and rearing
   habitat within these core areas. In addition, spawning distribution in the
   two potential local populations that are essential to recovery (one in the
   Skokomish core area, one in the Elwha) should be restored or confirmed.
2. Achieve minimum estimated abundance of at least 5,700 adult bull
   trout spawners in the Olympic Peninsula Management Unit, including
   at least 1,000 spawning adults in each of the Dungeness, Elwha, Hoh,
   Queets, and Quinault core areas and at least 700 spawning adults in
   the Skokomish core area. Estimates of the recovered abundance for bull
   trout in this management unit are based on a recommended minimum
   abundance of 1,000 adult spawners to reduce the likelihood of genetic
   drift and the professional judgement of the recovery team. Estimates also
   included consideration of surveyed fish densities, habitats, and potential
   fish production after threats have been addressed. The recovered
   abundance level in the Skokomish core area will be limited by available
   habitat and is estimated to be 700 adult spawners when the core area
   reaches its recovered potential.

Dungeness Summer Chum

Summer chum recovery is largely discussed in the summer chum response being prepared by the Hood Canal Coordinating Council. Links to the draft Recovery Plan can be found at the HOCC website. From Section 7 Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca Conservation Unit, p. 9:

The co-managers (WDFW and PNPTT) have identified two stocks to target for recovery in the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca Conservation Unit. These stocks are the natural origin fish spawning in Salmon and Snow Creeks and Jimmycomelately Creek (WDFW and PNPTT 2003b). The co-manager interim recovery goals for these stocks are: