CORVALLIS, Ore. – In the space of a few days, many rivers in western Oregon have gone from near-record low levels to flood stage, jeopardizing riverside homes, causing flooding and challenging Chinook salmon, steelhead and other native fishes.
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CORVALLIS, Ore. – The impact of hatcheries on salmonids is so profound that in just one generation traits are selected that allow fish to survive and prosper in the hatchery environment, at the cost of their ability to thrive and reproduce in a wild environment.

The findings, published last week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show a speed of evolution and natural selection that surprised researchers.
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Tacoma Power has submitted its 2011 Fisheries & Hatchery Management Plan Update to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for review and approval. It is available for download as a PDF file from FERC’s site Here.

The submitted update is not yet approved by FERC.

More information about the final draft FHMP Update is in a special section Here at Cowlitzfish.net.

The Draft Cowlitz River Fisheries & Hatchery Management Plan Update documents are now available for download. Go to the FHMP Update page here at cowlitzfish.net to access the downloads along with the public meeting schedule and information about the public comment process.

The new draft Cowlitz River Fisheries & Hatchery Management Plan (FHMP) is the subject for a series of public meetings this month in Lewis County. (The draft FHMP update should be available for download at cowlitzfish.net by this Wednesday).

• Monday, August 15, 5:00-7:30 p.m. at Centralia College Washington Hall Room 103 in Centralia.
• Tuesday, August 16, 5:00-7:30 p.m. at Mossyrock High School multipurpose room in Mossyrock.
• Monday, August 22, 1:00-4:00 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Academy in Toledo.

The August 15 meeting will present an overview of the new draft FHMP and the same presentation will be given at the August 16 meeting. Presenters are Mark LaRiviere, Tacoma Power senior fisheries biologist, and Pat Frazier, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Region 5 fish manager.

The first session of the August 22 meeting will review details of the statistical analysis used to arrive at the FHMP strategies. The second session is for the public to officially comment on the draft plan.

Written public comments can be submitted by mail or email until September 12, 2011.

The Cowlitz River Fisheries Technical Committee (FTC) is working to complete a federally required update to the Cowlitz River Fisheries & Hatchery Management Plan (FHMP). Their objective was to have the draft updated plan completed and to review it with the public this Spring. However, some portions of the plan are not yet final. Tacoma Power recently informed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that an additional six months may be needed to complete the plan update.
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Tacoma Power is planting catchable rainbow trout at various locations in the Cowlitz River watershed. A chart showing the quantity and location of the trout plants – as well as the size in fish per pound – is posted in the Fishing Info section of Cowlitzfish.net. The chart will be updated weekly through September 5, 2011. Click here...

The attendance signup list from the March 18 public meeting in Morton is now posted along with the reports from the meeting’s presentations. Click here....

Tacoma Power is planting catchable rainbow trout at various locations in the Cowlitz River watershed. A chart showing the quantity and location of the trout plants – as well as the size in fish per pound – is posted in the Fishing Info section of Cowlitzfish.net. The chart will be updated weekly. Click here...

A rumor is reported that there will be no more hatchery winter-run steelhead produced. This is false. The late-winter-run steelhead hatchery program is continuing. Being discontinued is production of the non-native early-winter steelhead hatchery stock. This was explained at a public meeting October 29 in Centralia. Go to this page to learn the truth about future plans for Cowlitz hatchery production. Check out the Hatchery Program Alternatives document on that page.

Nearly 100 fishing enthusiasts attended a public meeting on Cowlitz fisheries plans Thursday, March 18 in Morton. The hot topic was productivity testing. The testing affects only late-winter-run steelhead in the Tilton River and upper watershed. Sports fishing will continue in those areas for other species.

Information about productivity testing and audio files of other meeting presentations are now available here on cowlitzfish.net.

SALEM, Ore. - The technical committee advising Columbia River fishery managers has released its forecast for the 2010 spring chinook run. If the fish show up as projected, the forecast of 470,000 spring chinook would be the largest return to the Columbia since 1938.

The forecasted run is up significantly from last year’s final run of 169,300 fish.
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The more than 40 attendees at a public meeting in Centralia Thursday night heard details about alternatives for production of hatchery salmon and steelhead for the Cowlitz River system. Pat Frazier, WDFW Region 5 Fisheries Program Manager, and Mark LaRiviere, Tacoma Power Senior Fisheries Biologist, presented the alternatives being considered by the Cowlitz River Fisheries Technical Committee. New hatchery production levels will be part of a required update for the Fisheries and Hatchery Management Plan that is part of Tacoma Power's Cowlitz River Project License.

Audio recordings and handouts from the meeting are here.

A public meeting is scheduled for 6-8 p.m.Thursday, October 29 at Centralia College regarding plans for future Cowlitz salmon and trout hatchery production.
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Progress on determining the best methods for improving collection of Upper Cowlitz River smolts and juveniles is the topic for a public meeting Tuesday, June 23 in Morton, Washington. The meeting will be 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Bob Lyle Community Center, 700 Main Street.

Tacoma Power and its Fisheries Technical Committee put together a team of fish-passage and collection experts in early 2008 to identify the best methods to significantly increase the percentage of downstream smolts and juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Upper Cowlitz basin.

A final decision on which methods to use is scheduled for summer 2010.

The new fish separator at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery is in operation. Click here to view a video.

The Hatchery Scientific Research Group called for changes in the way salmon hatcheries are operated in a report submitted to Congress on Friday, March 27. Here are links to news reports. I’ll post a link to the actual report when I can find one. If you find links I should post here, please email me via the Feedback page.

The Oregonian
Seattle Times
Eugene Register-Guard

State, tribal and federal fishery managers will meet March 8-13 in SeaTac with the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) to develop options for this year's commercial and recreational ocean chinook and coho salmon fisheries. The PFMC establishes fishing seasons in ocean waters off the Pacific Coast.
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Jane Lubchenco, an Oregon State professor and marine biologist, is reported to be President-elect Obama’s pick to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Click here for a report in the Friday, Dec. 19 The Oregonian.

The Cowlitz River Fisheries Technical Committee (FTC) is holding a public meeting December 2, 2008 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Morton. The meeting will be in the Bob Lyle Community Center at Gust Backstrom Park.
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The Cowlitz River Fisheries Technical Committee will hold a public meeting Tuesday, August 19 in Centralia to discuss projects and plans for significantly improving downstream fish collection at and near Cowlitz Falls Dam. The meeting is set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Washington Hall at Centralia College. The meeting was originally scheduled for August 14 but is moved to August 19 to accommodate the attendance of Lewis County PUD.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has appointed Tim Romanski to succeed Brian Peck as the agency's representative on the Cowlitz River Fisheries Technical Committee. See the Who's Who? page for more information.

VANCOUVER, Wash. - Hunters and other area residents will have an opportunity to help shape future hunting seasons in southwest Washington at three "open house" events scheduled in August by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
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People interested in the future of the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery and fishing on the Cowlitz River will learn about Tacoma Power’s hatchery-rebuild plans on June 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Hosting the public meeting in Washington Hall at Centralia College are Tacoma Power and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The meeting also will allow fishing enthusiasts an opportunity to ask questions about Cowlitz River fisheries management plans and activities.
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Tacoma Power on Thursday, April 3, released 3,500 rainbow trout at Swofford Pond (located near Mossyrock Park and Riffe Lake). Other releases are planned in Cowlitz River watershed. Updated information will be in Monday's Cowlitz Fish Report. The trout are from the Nisqually Trout Farm and the WDF&W's net pens in Mayfield Lake.

More than 30 ideas for improving the safe capture of juvenile salmon at or near Cowlitz Falls Dam were described at a public meeting Thursday, May 20, in Centralia. Seven citizens attended the meeting to hear fisheries managers from Tacoma Power and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife explain the outcome from a recent two-day workshop of fish-collection experts.
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Click to open PDF of document describing the history of fish collection at Cowlitz Falls Dam.

A multi-agency technical group involved in rebuilding naturally spawning salmon and steelhead runs on the upper Cowlitz River will host a public meeting March 20 in Centralia to share input received from experts for improving fish collection at the Cowlitz Falls Dam.
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For many people, the sight of dead fish in a river might raise an alarm bell. For Tacoma Power, however, that sight in the Cowlitz River basin means the potential for a generation of hearty juvenile salmon. Before leaving a river to go to the ocean, juvenile salmon grow by eating salmon carcasses, salmon eggs and macro invertebrates that eat salmon carcasses.
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OLYMPIA - A new program for restoring naturally spawning coho salmon runs in the upper Cowlitz River will be the focus of a public meeting Nov. 20 in Morton.
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