EPA's Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General

On average Hood Canal chum salmon reside in estuaries for 23 days; daily tidal migrations have
not been observed, but prey availability does influence movement patterns (Bax 1983). Upon
leaving their natal estuaries summer-run chum salmon generally migrate through Hood Canal
and into the main body of Puget Sound.
Status and Trends
NMFS listed Hood Canal summer-run chum salmon as threatened on March 25, 1999 (64 FR
14508), and reaffirmed as threatened on June 28, 2005 (70 FR 37160). Historically, Hood Canal
summer-run chum salmon comprised an estimated 16 populations. Only eight extant populations
remain within this ESU (Good et al. 2005). Most of the extirpated populations historically
occurred on the eastern side of Hood Canal, which is cause for concern over the current spatial
structure of this ESU. The widespread loss of estuary and lower floodplain habitat is a
continuing threat to ESU spatial structure and connectivity.
Adult returns for some populations showed modest improvements in 2000, with upward trends
continuing in 2001 and 2002 (Good et al. 2005). The recent 5-year mean abundance is variable
among populations in the species, ranging from one fish to nearly 4,500 fish in the Big/Little
Quilcene rivers. Hood Canal summer-run chum are the focus of an extensive rebuilding program
developed and implemented since 1992 by the State and Tribal comanagers. Two populations
(the combined Quilcene and Union River populations) are above the conservation thresholds
established by the rebuilding plan. However, most populations remain depressed. Estimates of
the fraction of naturally spawning hatchery fish exceed 60% for some populations, indicating
that reintroduction programs are supplementing the numbers of total fish spawning naturally in
streams (Good et al. 2005). Long-term trends in productivity are above replacement for only the
Quilcene and Union River populations (Good et al. 2005). Buoyed by recent increases, seven
populations are exhibiting short-term productivity trends above replacement.
Of the eight programs releasing summer-run chum salmon that are considered to be part of the
Hood Canal summer chum ESU, six of the programs are supplementation programs implemented
to preserve and increase the abundance of native populations in their natal watersheds. NMFS’
assessment of the effects of artificial propagation on ESU extinction risk concluded that these
hatchery programs collectively do not substantially reduce the extinction risk of the ESU. The
hatchery programs are reducing risks to ESU abundance by increasing total ESU abundance as
well as the number of naturally spawning summer-run chum salmon.
Critical Habitat
NMFS designated critical habitat for Hood Canal summer-run chum salmon on September 2,
2005 (70 FR 52630). The specific geographic area includes the Skokomish River, Hood Canal
subbasin, which includes the Hamma Hamma and Dosewallips rivers and others, the Puget
Sound subbasin, Dungeness/Elwha subbasin, and nearshore marine areas of Hood Canal and the
Strait of Juan de Fuca from the line of extreme high tide to a depth of 30 meters. This includes a
narrow nearshore zone from the extreme high-tide to mean lower low tide within several Navy
security/restricted zones. This also includes about 8 miles of habitat that was unoccupied at the
time of the designation Finch, Anderson and Chimacum creeks (69 FR 74572; 70 FR 52630), but
has recently been re-seeded. The designation for Hood Canal summer-run chum, like others
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