Carrying capacity of habitats used seasonally by coho salmon in the Kametolook River, Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge, 2002

Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch are an important subsistence resource for residents of the Native Village of Perryville, but recent returns to local streams (Kametolook, Three Star, and Long Beach rivers) have declined and residents can no longer meet their subsistence needs. Several reasons for the decline have been suggested, including a decrease in carrying capacity from changes in habitat, and over fishing (in-river and in the ocean). This project was implemented to assess the quantity and quality of freshwater habitats used for spawning and rearing by coho salmon in streams near Perryville, and to use these data to conduct a limiting habitat analysis. The survey was repeated on Clear Creek, a neighboring drainage that supports viable runs of coho salmon. Work completed in 2002 includes: 1) completion of a habitat inventory on Kametolook River tributaries and on Clear Creek, 2) sampling of juvenile coho salmon in Clear Creek, 3) escapement monitoring in Clear Creek (weir) and streams near Perryville (walking surveys), and 4) application of a habitat limiting factor model to both systems. Over 43 km of stream in the Kametolook drainage and 12 km of stream in Clear Creek were surveyed in 2002. Habitat composition and quality were similar between systems. Juvenile coho salmon densities in Clear Creek in 2002 were similar to values reported in the literature. Based on length frequency data, it appears that only age 0+ coho salmon were present in Clear Creek (few if any age 1+ were observed). Scale samples will be collected concurrently with length data in 2003 to define the length at age relationships for juvenile coho salmon in Clear Creek. One thousand ninety-seven coho salmon were counted past the Clear Creek weir in 2002. Extrapolated counts of coho salmon were 337 (Three Star River), 342 (Artemie's Creek), and 37 (Cross Creek Slough) in streams near Perryville. The count of adult coho salmon in Clear Creek is a minimum estimate as the weir failed at several critical times during the season. Preliminary results from the habitat limiting factor analysis indicates that Clear Creek can support over 1,100 adult coho salmon, and the Kametolook system can support over 4,000 adult coho salmon. Estimates are considered minimum, as over 3,000 adult coho salmon have been observed in Clear Creek in past years. Introduction The residents of Perryville depend on fish and wildlife resources for subsistence, and salmon (primarily coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch) accounts for more than half of the subsistence food they consume (Hutchinson-Scarborough and Fall 1993). The average harvest of coho salmon in the Perryville area from 1993 to 2000 was estimated to be over 1,900 fish, with a range from 993 (1995) to 3,501 (1994) (Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) 2002). Recent runs of coho salmon in the Kametolook, Three Star, and Long Beach rivers have declined, with escapement estimated at about 200 fish in 1996 (ADFG 1997). Concerns over poor returns and the inability of local residents to meet their subsistence needs motivated the Native Village of Perryville to pass an ordinance that prohibits subsistence harvest in the Kametolook River. In addition, the ADFG engaged in a project in 1996 to rebuild coho salmon stocks in the Kametolook River