EXEC. SUMMARY: 1. Two-salt adults from the second of three genetically marked hatchery winter-run broods and three-salt adults from the first of three genetically marked broods returned to spawn in the Kalama River during the 1989-90 return year. The SOD B' frequencies for hatchery summer, wild summer, hatchery winter and wild winter parents of the 1990 brood were 0.273, 0.258, 0.887, and 0.369, respectively 2. An estimated 10% of the combined 2-salt and 3-salt hatchery winter-run steelhead returning to the Kalama River in 1989-90 originated from streams other than the Kalama (i.e. were genetically unmarked strays). This compares to the much higher stray rate (30%) observed during the 1988-89 return cycle. 3. Collections of subyearling steelhead from the 1990 brood suggested that the distribution of steelhead spawners in the Kalama watershed may not be random with respect to race. 4. For the second consecutive brood year, the winter-run genetic mark (SOD B') appeared to have no measurable effect on survival of steelhead to the subyearling stage. The first of three consecutive broods of test fish was created to evaluate the selective neutrality during the marine life history phase. 5. For the second of three consecutive years, direct observations of steelhead jumping activity were collected at the Kalama Falls Salmon Hatchery. During the period March 16, 1989 through February 22, 1990, a total of 1,360 fish were estimated to have successfully jumped the falls. For the period March 16, 1989 through September 13, 1989, the ratio of fish that jumped the falls to those which used the fishway was 1.88:1 using direct observation methods, compared to 1,81:1 using underwater observations of untagged and tagged fish. Similar to 1988-89, no steelhead successfully jumped over the falls from September, 1989 through the end of the observation period (February 1990), suggesting poor jumping success for winter steelhead. In contrast, the average proportion of fish successfully jumping the falls per week was 0.64 from early June through mid-August, 1990. 6. Information was collected as part of our ongoing research to develop a data base for evaluation of the effectiveness of wild steelhead release regulations. Based on data and limited methods used for the fourth consecutive year of evaluation (1990), a positive response was not conclusively demonstrated.

NA-87-ABH-00007 87-8