"June 1993"

INCOMPLETE COPY. Missing even numbered pages MAIN

Includes bibliographical references (p. 7-9)

INTRODUCTION: Spawning ground surveys in the Columbia River and tributaries for spring and fall chinook, coho, sockeye, and chum salmon have been emphasized in recent years (DeVore, Fiscus, Hawkins, Hymer, LeFleur, Norman). Information collected during these survyes is used to estimate natural spawning population sizes, age and stock compositions, and to formulate a coded-wire tag (CWT) recovery database. Information gathered for Columbia River fall chinook is used in the Pacific Salmon Treaty pass through analysis, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council ocean regulatory process, and Columbia River harvest management. In addition, information for all species has been recently incorporated into the Coordinated Information System (CIS) and the Salmon and Steelhead Stock Inventory (SASSI). While the emphasis of this report focuses on fall chinook for the 1992 spawning year, mark recovery information is also presented for other salmon species. Spring chinook and chum natural spawn escapement estimates and mark sample data can also be found in this report. The 1992 spring chinook natural spawn age composition for Washington Columbia River tributaries located below and above Bonneville Dam can be found in Columbia River Laboratory (CRL) Progress Reports No. 93-2 and No. 93-4, respectively. Lower Columbia River chum salmon natural spawn age composition and peak index counts have also been previously summarized (Fiscus, 1993). The age and stock composition of natural spawning fall chinook upstream from McNary Dam are summarized annually in other Columbia River Lab progress reports (LaVoy, Roler). Fish that returned to Washington hatcheries and were put upstream outside spawning ground index areas or after spawning ground counts have been completed were considered hatchery escapement for inclusion in Columbia River fall chinook run reconstruction.