EPA's Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General

tributary populations, a loss of quality of beach spawning habitat, temporarily unfavorable ocean
conditions, habitat degradation, and excessive historical harvests (Jacobs et al. 1996). In the last
few years the number of returning adults has increased, although some of these individuals are of
hatchery origin. This produces uncertainty regarding natural growth rate and productivity of the
ESU’s natural component. In addition, genetic integrity has perhaps been compromised due to
the artificial supplementation that has occurred in this population, since approximately one
million sockeye have been released into the Ozette watershed from the late 1930s to present
(Kemmerich 1945).
Critical Habitat
On September 2, 2005, NMFS designated critical habitat for the Ozette Lake sockeye salmon
ESU (70 FR 52630). The specific geographic areas designated as critical are the Hoh/Quillayute
Subbasin, Ozette Lake and the Ozette Lake watershed, and include: the Ozette River upstream
to endpoints in Big River, Coal Creek, East Branch Umbrella Creek, the North and South Fork of
Crooked Creek and several other tributaries. The specific primary constituent elements
identified for Lake Ozette sockeye salmon are areas for spawning, freshwater rearing and
migration, estuarine areas free of obstruction, nearshore marine areas free of obstructions, and
offshore marine areas with good water quality. The physical or biological features that
characterize these sites include water quality and quantity, natural cover, forage, and adequate
passage conditions. Only one watershed supports this ESU, and it is rated as having a high
conservation value. This watershed is essential to the species’ overall conservation by protecting
quality growth, reproduction, and feeding.
Final Protective Regulations
On June 28, 2005, as part of the final listing determinations for 16 ESUs of West Coast salmon,
NMFS amended and streamlined the 4(d) protective regulations for threatened salmon and
steelhead (70 FR 37160) as described in the Protective Regulations for Threatened Salmonid
Species section of this document. Under this change, the section 4(d) protections apply to
natural and hatchery fish with an intact adipose fin, but not to listed hatchery fish that have had
their adipose fin removed prior to release into the wild. The amended June 2005 4(d) rule
applies to the Ozette Lake sockeye salmon ESU.
Snake River Sockeye Salmon
Distribution and Description of the Listed Species
Snake River sockeye salmon are unique compared to other sockeye salmon populations: it
spawns at a higher elevation (6,500 feet) and a longer freshwater migration (approximately 900
miles) than any other sockeye salmon population in the world. Sockeye salmon in this ESU
spawn in Redfish Lake in Idaho’s Stanley Basin (Bjornn et al. 1968, Foerster 1968). Stanley
Basin sockeye salmon are separated by 700 or more river miles from two other extant upper
Columbia River populations in the Wenatchee River and Okanogan River drainages. These
latter populations return to lakes at substantially lower elevations (Wenatchee at 1,870 feet and
Okanagon at 912 feet) and occupy different ecoregions. The Snake River sockeye salmon ESU
includes all anadromous and residual sockeye salmon from the Snake River basin of Idaho, as
well as hatchery individuals from the Redfish Lake Captive Broodstock Program.
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