Columbia River Basin Steelhead Kelt Reconditioning Research

Andy Pierce1, 2, Doug Hatch2, Dave Fast3 , Scott Everett4, Matt Abrahamse3, Jim Nagler1

Laura Jenkins1, Lea Medeiros1, Luke Caldwell1, Tim Cavileer1, Neil Graham2, Ryan Branstetter2, Joe Blodgett3, Bill Bosch3, Chris Frederiksen3, Noah Jackson, Thomas Tall

Bull4, USFWS and NPT Dworshak National Fish Hatchery staff, and many others.

WDAFS 2017 Missoula

1University of Idaho, Moscow ID2Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Portland OR

3Yakama Nation, Toppenish WA4Nez Perce Tribe, Lapwai ID

Kelt reconditioning is a restoration strategy that takes advantage of the repeat spawning life history of steelhead.

100%70%<3%

Kelt reconditioning is being implemented at multiple locations in the Columbia River Basin.

Natural repeat spawning female steelhead have two major post-spawning life histories.

Spawning

Kelt Migration

Ocean

Return Migration

ConsecutiveSpawner5 months

SkipSpawner17 months

Skip spawning is common in seasonally breeding iteroparous fishes, and is driven by energetics (Rideout 2005).

Repeat spawners tagged at McNaryDam were 47% consecutive spawners/53% skip spawners (Keefer 2008).

Fecundity and egg size are greater in skip spawning than consecutive spawning Atlantic salmon (Reid & Chaput 2012).

Hypothesis:Reconditioned female steelhead may be consecutive or skip spawners.

In salmonids, maturation is initiated during a critical period about 1 year before spawning.

Spring

Survival, Growth, and Energy Reserves

SPAWNINGINITIATION CONTINUATION

Summer/Fall SpringApril August/September

Questions: When is rematuration determined in steelhead kelts? What are the inputs to the decision?

The Reproductive Endocrine Axis regulates reproductive maturation in female salmonids.

Pituitary

Ovary

(FSH, LH)

Steroids (E2, 17,20DHP)

Estradiol(E2)

Vitellogenin(VG)

Liver

Brain

Environmental cues:Photoperiod

Internal cues:Energy stores

In rainbow trout, E2, VG, and Gonadosomatic Index increase beginning 6-9 months before spawning.

Ma r c h

Ap

r i l

Ma y

J un

eJ u

l y

Au

gu

s t

Se p

t em

be r

Oc t o

be r

No

v e mb

e r

De c e m

be r

J a nu

a r y

Fe b

r ua r y

0

1 0

2 0

3 0

4 0

0

1 0 0 0

2 0 0 0

3 0 0 0

4 0 0 0

5 0 0 0

V G

E 2

G S I

M o n t h

GS

I (%

B

W),

Vtg

(m

g/m

l)E

2 (p

g/m

l)S p a w n i n g

Sources: Bromage, Whitehead & Breton 1982 Gen Comp Endocrinol; Whitehead, Bromage & Breton 1983 Gen Comp Endocrinol; Tyler, Sumpter & Witthames 1990 Biol Reprod; Prat, Sumpter & Tyler1996 Biol Reprod

Overall Approach Apply tools from fish physiology and endocrinology to questions and issues in kelt reconditioning.

MethodsBlood Sampling Plasma hormone assay

Post-spawning rainbowtrout model

DNFH hatchery steelheadmodel

Consecutive and skip spawning life histories are found in captive reconditioned kelts.

A. Pierce et al., 2017, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

Plasma estradiol (E2) and vitellogenin (VG) levels in Prosser female kelts sampled in October in 2009-2011 (A-C). Fish were grouped by cluster analysis, and thresholds for maturation status are indicated by lines.

Survival and maturation rates vary over time in Columbia River Basin kelt reconditioning projects.

D. Hatch et al., Kelt Reconditioning and Reproductive Success Evaluation Research 1/1/2016-12/31/2016, Bonneville Power Administration Annual Report.

2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 2 0 1 4 2 0 1 6

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

Y e a r

D N F H H O R

W i n t h r o p

L o w e r G r a n i t e

P r o s s e r

2 0 0 8 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 2 0 1 4 2 0 1 6

0

2 0

4 0

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

Y e a r

S u r v i v a l t o r e l e a s e ( % ) F e m a l e c o n s e c u t i v e m a t u r a t i o n ( % )

Fish can be screened for maturation status using plasma E2 level from mid-August onward.

A. Pierce et al., 2017, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

C o l l e c t i o n 6 / 2 2 8 / 6 1 0 / 2 9

1 0 0

1 0 1

1 0 2

1 0 3

1 0 4

1 0 5

D a t e ( 2 0 0 9 )

Pla

sm

a E

2 (

pg

ml-1

)

*

**

*

a

a b

b b

x

y

z

zA

C o l l e c t i o n 7 / 2 1 8 / 1 8 1 0 / 1 3

1 0 0

1 0 1

1 0 2

1 0 3

1 0 4

1 0 5

D a t e ( 2 0 1 0 )

Pla

sm

a E

2 (

pg

/ml)

*

*

*

a b b a b a

x

x

y

y

C

C o l l e c t i o n 7 / 1 9 9 / 8 1 0 / 1 3

1 0 0

1 0 1

1 0 2

1 0 3

1 0 4

1 0 5

D a t e ( 2 0 1 1 )

Pla

sm

a E

2 (

pg

/ml)

*

* *

a a

b

a

x

y

zz

E

Studies in post-spawning rainbow trout and a hatchery kelt model suggest that the maturation decision is made by 10-20 weeks after spawning.

Energy restricted post-spawning rainbow trout.L. Caldwell et al., 2014, PLOS One.

DNFH hatchery kelt model.L. Jenkins in preparation.

1

1 0

1 0 0

1 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0 0

D a t e ( 2 0 1 5 )

E2

(p

g/m

l)

b a

bb

c

c

C

M a t u r in g

N o t m a t u r in g

A

C

B

D

*

* *

F e b A p r i l J u l y S e p t D e c S p a w n

1 00 2 0 3 0 4 0

W e e k s P o s t S p a w n

Increased growth and energy reserves are associated with consecutive maturation.

A. Pierce et al., 2017, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

DNFH hatchery kelt model.L. Jenkins in preparation.

2015 2016

Compared with maiden spawners, reconditioned kelts were larger, had greater energy reserves, and had similar or higher plasma E2 levels at the

same point in migration.

Maiden steelhead were sampled at Prosser Dam from late September to early November in 2012 and 2013, and compared with rematuring kelts released at the same location in October.

Re m

a t ur i n

g K

e l ts

Ma i d

e ns

Re m

a t ur i n

g K

e l ts

Ma i d

e ns

0

2

4

6

8

We

igh

t (k

g)

a ab

c

2 0 1 2 2 0 1 3

Re m

a t ur i n

g K

e l ts

Ma i d

e ns

Re m

a t ur i n

g K

e l ts

Ma i d

e ns

0 . 5

1 . 0

1 . 5

Co

nd

itio

n F

ac

tor

ab

cc

2 0 1 2 2 0 1 3

Re m

a t ur i n

g K

e l ts

Ma i d

e ns

Re m

a t ur i n

g K

e l ts

Ma i d

e ns

1 0 3

1 0 4

1 0 5

1 0 6

Pla

sm

a E

2 (

pg

/ml)

2 0 1 2 2 0 1 3

a

cb b

D. Hatch et al., Kelt Reconditioning and Reproductive Success Evaluation Research 1/1/2015-12/31/2015, Bonneville Power Administration Annual Report.

At the second spawning, Dworshak hatchery kelts increased in fecundity and egg size. Spawn timing of consecutive spawners was similar to maiden

spawning, whereas skip spawners were shifted slightly earlier.

DNFH hatchery kelt model. L. Jenkins in preparation.

2 0 1 4 - 16 M

a i de n

Co

ns e c u

t iv e

Sk i p

5 0 0 0

1 0 0 0 0

1 5 0 0 0

# E

gg

s

a

b

N = 3 1N = 4 4 9 N = 1 9

F e c u n d i t y

b

2 0 1 4 - 16 M

a i de n

Co

ns e c u

t iv e

Sk i p

0 . 0 0

0 . 0 5

0 . 1 0

0 . 1 5

0 . 2 0

Eg

g S

ize

(g

)

E g g S i z e

n = 2 0 n = 1 7n = 5 0 9

a bc

C o n s e c u t i v e S k i p

- 1 0

- 5

0

5

1 0

We

ek

vs

Ma

ide

n S

pa

wn

We

ek

N = 2 3

S p a w n T i m i n g

N = 2 0

*

ConclusionsReconditioned kelts express the consecutive and skip spawning life histories.

Fish can be screened for maturation status before release.

Maturation is determined early in reconditioning.

Rematuring kelts appear to be on track to spawn.

QuestionsWhat is the reproductive success of reconditioned kelts in the wild?

Is there a genetic basis for successful iteroparity?

Do ESA-listed target populations have sufficient spawning and rearing habitat to accommodate reconditioned kelt spawners and their progeny?

What is the best way to handle skip spawners?

How is information about energy stores transmitted? When are the critical developmental windows?

What is the neuroendocrine mechanism?

Brain

Pituitary

Reproductive Metabolic

Pancreatic IsletGonad

FSH,LH

E2, 11-KT

Growth

Liver

GH

IGF-IInsulin,

Glucagon

Muscle FatSecondary Sexual Characteristics

B. Campbell et al., 2006. Biology of Reproduction.

Kisspeptin and GnIH neuronal networks are thought to be major stimulatory and inhibitory regulators of pituitary gonadotropin

secretion.

I. Parhar et al., 2016. Frontiers in Endocrinology.