Cushman Hydroelectric Project: 2024 Annual Report for Hatchery Monitoring Plan

The 2024 Annual Report for the Hatchery Monitoring Plan of the Cushman Hydroelectric Project, submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), highlights the progress made in supplementing and restoring salmon populations in the North Fork Skokomish River. The report outlines the operations of the North Fork Salmon Hatchery (NFSH) and Saltwater Park Sockeye Salmon Hatchery (SWP), which have completed their ninth year of operation in 2024. The Cushman Project Supplementation Program, guided by the co-managers Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Skokomish Indian Tribal Community, aims to protect, address damages to, and enhance anadromous and resident fisheries.

Key Takeaways:

• The Cushman Hydroelectric Project's Hatchery Monitoring Plan is a requirement resulting from the FERC order issued June 11, 2014, and has been submitted annually since 2017.
• The Cushman Project Supplementation Program has three primary objectives: 1) Support the reintroduction, restoration, and long-term maintenance of spring Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and winter steelhead in the North Fork Skokomish Watershed; 2) Provide harvest opportunities for treaty Indian and non-treaty fisheries; and 3) Provide recreational fishing opportunities.
• In 2024, juveniles of spring Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and winter steelhead were incubated/reared at NFSH, while Sockeye Salmon were incubated/reared at SWP.
• The Cushman Project Fish Supplementation Program has released juvenile spring Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and winter steelhead into the North Fork Skokomish River, and Sockeye Salmon into Lake Cushman and the North Fork Skokomish River.
• Adult Sockeye Salmon have returned to the North Fork of the Skokomish River for the fourth consecutive year, with 2024 being the third year that captive broodstock Sockeye Salmon were spawned.
• The 2024 hatchery production was affected by bacterial kidney disease (BKD), resulting in the early release of subyearling parr in September 2024 instead of the planned spring 2025 release.

Statistics:

• The total eyed egg-to-release survival rate for BY 2022 was 93.3%, compared to 89.4% for BY 2021.
• The fry-to-parr survival rate for BY 2023 was 97.3%.
• A total of 77,764 yearling (age-2) smolts were released in April 2024 for BY 2022.
• 439,108 subyearling (age-1) parr were released in April and May 2024 for BY 2023.
• 154,631 green eggs were collected from 37 females at NFSH for BY 2024.
• 42,991 eggs were culled from 10 females due to BKD.

Sources:

• FERC order issued June 11, 2014.
• Settlement Agreement for the Cushman Project (Tacoma Power 2009).
• License Article 417 of the Cushman Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 406 (2011).
• Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Skokomish Indian Tribal Community.