Assessment of Potential Anadromous Fish Habitat Use and Fish Passage Above Quinault National Fish Hatchery in Cook Creek

摘要

This report was funded by the Puget Sound and Coastal Washington Hatchery Reform Project. The goals of the hatchery reform project are to conserve indigenous genetic resources, assist with the recovery of naturally spawning populations, provide for sustainable fisheries, conduct scientific research, and improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of hatchery programs (GortonScience Advisory Team 1999). This report presents options and recommendations regarding anadromous fish use of the habitat above the Quinault National Fish Hatchery (NFH) in Cook Creek. Quinault NFH presently blocks anadromous fish access to at least 8 miles of mainstem creek and to several small tributaries. Restoration of anadromous fish access to this reach of Cook Creek is consistent with the goals of the hatchery reform project. This work also supports several goals of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The FWS adopted an ecosystem approach to resource management several years ago. Teams were established within the North Pacific Coast Ecoregion to discuss and identify ecosystem concerns and possible corrective actions for implementation. Salmon use of stream habitat above human-caused impasses (fish hatchery weirs, for example) surfaced as a priority concern during a North Pacific Coast Ecoregion meeting in August of 1999. Fish passage improvement has also been identified as a priority effort within the work activity guidance in the FWS Region l Fisheries Program (Diggs 2002). The program guidance specifically states that Where we have created impediments to fish passage, we must remove them. In addition to the Region 1 program, a national Fish Passage Program is being developed(FWS 2000). The national program goal is to Restore native fish and other aquatic species to elf-sustaining levels by reconnecting historical habitats and re-establishing watershed function through removal of, or passage around manmade barriers.