The Influence of Individual Fish Characteristics on Survival and Detection: Similarities across Two Salmonid Species

Abstract

Trait-selective mortality is of considerable management and conservation interest, especially when trends are similar across multiple species of conservation concern. In the Columbia River basin, thousands of juvenile Pacific salmonids Oncorhynchus spp. are collected each year and are tagged at juvenile bypass system (JBS) facilities located at hydroelectric dams, thus allowing the tracking of population-level performance metrics (e.g., juvenile survival and juvenile-to-adult survival). Several studies have suggested that juvenile salmonid survival is both size dependent and condition dependent, but little is known about trait-selective collection at JBS facilities. Trait-selective collection (e.g., length-based or condition-based selectivity) is particularly important, as inferences to population-level performance metrics may be biased if both the survival and collection processes are influenced by similar characteristics. We used a capture–mark–recapture study to investigate length- and condition-selective survival and detection probabilities for two salmonid species in the Columbia River basin. In 2014, juvenile steelhead O. mykiss (n = 11,201) and yearling Chinook Salmon O. tshawytscha (n = 7,943) were PIT-tagged, measured (FL), examined for external condition characteristics (descaling, body injuries, fin damage, or disease symptoms), and released into the Lower Granite Dam JBS facility on the Snake River to continue seaward migration. Results indicated similar trends in both length- and condition-selective juvenile survival and detection probabilities. For both species, survival probability was higher for longer, nondegraded individuals (those without descaling, body injuries, or fin damage). Trends in detection probability were also consistent across species: shorter, degraded individuals were more likely to be detected at downstream JBS facilities than longer, healthier individuals. These results suggest that similar characteristics (FL and external condition) affect survival and detection processes for PIT-tagged steelhead and yearling Chinook Salmon and that JBS facilities may selectively collect smaller, degraded individuals with lower probabilities of survival. The consistency in trait-selective survival and detection results has important management implications for several species of conservation concern.

Received February 3, 2015; accepted July 20, 2015

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank M. Timko, J. Maenhout, C. Fitzgerald, S. McCutcheon, R. Richmond, D. Thompson, A. Hopkins, C. Frantz, and numerous technicians for assistance in the field and with data processing. We especially thank C. Pinney, D. Tratchenbarg, and M. Halter. Richard Zabel and one anonymous reviewer provided comments that improved the quality of the manuscript. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Walla Walla District provided funding and logistical support for which we are grateful. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency. The use of trade or product names does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Government.