Operational Plan for the Restoration of Diadromous Fishes to the ...

We made some key assumptions about salmon restoration:
1) The Penobscot basin contains seven discrete areas where unique
populations should exist (West Branch is not included)
2) Each area could support a self-sustaining population
3) “Wild” means fish of completely natural heritage: the progeny of sea-run
parents (adult stocked progeny, egg planting and fry stocking are NOT
included in this group)
4) Restoration resources will remain constant and can be shifted and
concentrated in target sub-drainages as other sub-drainages are restored.
We developed quantitative criteria in part by applying well recognized standards (e.g
effective population size of 500), using data analysis from local research (quantile
regression model linking juvenile densities to stream size), and used best
professional judgment and tried to make the measures logical when taken together.
Goals and Objectives
Goal: Sub-Goal for Atlantic Salmon: Rebuild Atlantic salmon populations to
stable, self-sustaining status with recreational fishable surplus.
Objective 1: Meta-population capable of self-sustaining status and providing a
recreational fishable surplus for 100 years with 95 % certainty.
• Measure 1a: Within each sub-drainage: Ne > 500 exceeded by 20%, or
sub-drainage-specific CSE exceeded by 20% on annual basis. [Use
multiple (3) models to predict necessary population levels. Arrive at
consensus among models.] Use the measure that is lowest for each
sub-drainage.
o Estimate Ne using modeling or algorithm based on N.
o Estimate Ne using genetic assessment
o Redd counts extrapolated to # spawners
o Trap Counts
o Telemetry Estimates
� Strategy- meeting objectives listed below will lead to this
objective. Develop plan for success: How and when to
stop stocking as populations recover. Use modeling and
habitat estimates to create sub-drainages size targets
with uncertainty included.
� Strategy- manage populations to achieve CSE objective
by considering all populations and targeting those most
likely to recover first. Use adaptive approach to improve
management for later populations.
� Strategy- Shift resources to new sub-drainages as others
are restored.
PRFP Page 180