Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 635 - DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE › Division 500 - FISH MANAGEMENT PLANS › Section 635-500-6650 - Implementing the Conservation Plan for Fall Chinook Salmon in the Rogue Species Management Unit

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1) Policy. The
			 Conservation Plan for Fall Chinook Salmon in the Rogue Species Management Unit
			 of 2012 (Rogue Fall Chinook Conservation Plan, available at Department offices)
			 implements the Commission's strategy for the management of these populations of
			 naturally produced native fish by the Department, in cooperation with other
			 state, federal and local partners. The Rogue Fall Chinook Conservation Plan is
			 based on the general premise that habitat management and fishery management are
			 critical to ensure the conservation and enhancement of these populations of
			 native fish. The Commission believes that habitat management is most likely to
			 be successful by working cooperatively with other federal, state, and local
			 management agencies, and by encouraging the maintenance, restoration, and
			 enhancement 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 Fall
			 Chinook Conservation 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
			 fall Chinook salmon includes that area of coastal Oregon south of Elk River
			 (near Port Orford). Based on differences in genetic attributes and
			 genetic-based life history attributes, fall Chinook salmon (CHF) populations
			 were assigned to one of two strata: the Rogue Stratum or the Coastal Stratum.
			 There are five independent CHF populations in the Rogue Stratum (Upper Rogue,
			 Middle Rogue, Lower Rogue, Applegate, and Illinois) and four independent CHF
			 populations in the Coastal Stratum (Chetco, Winchuck, Pistol, and
			 Hunter).
(3) Desired Status. The
			 desired status goal is to manage Rogue fall 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 five measurable criteria that
			 describe the desired status goal for fall Chinook salmon populations in the
			 Rogue Stratum are:
(A) Adult
			 abundance;
(B) Adult migration
			 timing;
(C) Adult age
			 composition;
(D) Adult composition
			 (% hatchery); and
(E) Population
			 persistence.
(e) The
			 above measurable criteria are defined in Table 36 of the Desired Biological
			 Status section of the Rogue Fall Chinook Conservation Plan, and are adopted by
			 reference into this rule. The desired status goal for the Rogue Stratum shall
			 be judged to be achieved when all of the populations achieve 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. Implementation
			 of any new criteria, or the deletion of any current criteria, will necessitate
			 modification of this rule.
(f) The
			 five measurable criteria that describe the desired status goal for fall Chinook
			 salmon populations in the Coastal Stratum are:
(A) Spawner abundance;
(B) Spawner age composition (Chetco
			 only);
(C) Spawner composition (%
			 hatchery);
(D) Juvenile abundance
			 (Winchuck only); and
(E) Population
			 persistence.
(g) The
			 above measurable criteria are defined in Table 37 of the Desired Biological
			 Status section of the Rogue Fall Chinook Conservation Plan, and are adopted by
			 reference into this rule. The desired status goal for the Coastal Stratum shall
			 be judged to be achieved when all of the populations achieve 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. Implementation
			 of any new criteria, or the deletion of any current criteria, will necessitate
			 modification of this rule.
(h) The
			 desired status goal for the entire SMU shall be judged to be achieved when the
			 two strata both achieve desired status.