Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 635 - DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE › Division 500 - FISH MANAGEMENT PLANS › Section 635-500-6525 - Rogue Spring Chinook Conservation Plan

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1) Background. The Rogue Spring Chinook
			 Salmon Conservation Plan of 2007 (Rogue Spring Chinook Plan, available at
			 Department offices) implements the Commission's strategy for the management of
			 this population of naturally produced native fish by the Department, in
			 cooperation with other state, federal and local partners. The Rogue Spring
			 Chinook Plan is based on the general premise that habitat management and
			 fishery management are critical to ensure the conservation and enhancement of
			 this population of native fish. The Commission believes that habitat management
			 is most likely to be successful by working cooperatively with the United States
			 Army Corps of Engineers on reservoir management issues in the Rogue River
			 Basin, and by encouraging the maintenance and improvement of aquatic and
			 riparian habitat as outlined by the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds. This
			 rule describes a strategy for the use of Department statutory authorities to
			 implement the requirements of the Native Fish Conservation Policy (OAR
			 635-007-0502 thru
			 635-007-0505). The Rogue Spring
			 Chinook Plan is not intended to be a rigid recipe, but does prescribe
			 generalized management strategies the Department will pursue; and how the
			 efficacy of those strategies and allied management actions will be
			 evaluated.
(2) Species Management
			 Unit and Population Description. The Species Management Unit (SMU) for Rogue
			 spring chinook salmon includes that area of the Rogue River Basin upstream of
			 Gold Ray Dam. Gold Ray Dam is located on the Rogue River at river mile 126.
			 Only one population of spring chinook salmon is present in the SMU.
(3) Desired Status. The desired status goal
			 is to manage Rogue spring chinook salmon and their habitat so that:
(a) The population is sustained for a minimum
			 of 100 years;
(b) The productive
			 capacity of the habitat is maintained in order to provide ecological, economic,
			 and cultural benefits; and
(c) The
			 opportunities for sport and commercial fishers are consistent with population
			 status.
(d) The six measurable
			 criteria that describe the desired status goal for Rogue spring chinook salmon
			 are:
(A) Abundance;
(B) Migration timing;
(C) Age composition;
(D) Spawning distribution;
(E) Spawner composition; and
(F) Population persistence.
(e) The above measurable criteria
			 are defined in Table 9 of the Desired Biological Status section of the Rogue
			 Spring Chinook Plan, and are adopted by reference into this rule. The desired
			 status goal for the SMU shall be judged to be achieved upon attainment of all
			 of the measurable criteria. Other criteria related to productivity
			 (standardized rate of population growth) and survival rate to each critical
			 life history stage may be developed in the future if new information becomes
			 available, or may be developed in the event that the fish counting station at
			 Gold Ray Dam becomes inoperable. Implementation of any new criteria, or the
			 deletion of any current criteria, will necessitate modification of this
			 rule.