Kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka provide valued recreational fisheries and also serve as a prey resource for economically, socially, and ecologically important fishes. As such, management of kokanee is a major focus of natural resource agencies. Kokanee are typically monitored using midwater trawls, but the interpretation of data collected using midwater trawls is difficult due to the unknown size selectivity of the gear. We sought to assess the length selectivity of midwater trawls by comparing estimates obtained from midwater trawls with estimates obtained from gill nets adjusted for size selectivity. Experimental curtain gill nets and midwater trawls were used in conjunction to sample kokanee in seven lentic systems in Idaho. The size selectivity of gill nets was estimated by accounting for the probability of encounter and the probability of retention. Estimates of size selectivity were then used to adjust the length distribution of fish sampled in gill nets. The adjusted length distribution of fish sampled in gill nets was compared with estimates obtained from midwater trawls to identify potential size selectivity of midwater trawls. A pattern of size selectivity was apparent for both sampling techniques. The average length of kokanee sampled with midwater trawls was 111 mm; whereas, kokanee sampled with gill nets had a mean length of 235 mm. Our results suggest experimental gill nets are useful for common sampling of kokanee (e.g., trend monitoring) because the gear is less size selective than midwater trawls and is adjustable for size selectivity. However, midwater trawls are likely the best gear for addressing questions associated with early life history. Overall, our results provide a better understanding of gill-net and midwater trawl selectivity and ultimately improve the ability to sample and manage the species.

Among the many threats posed by invasions of nonnative species is introgressive hybridization, which can lead to the genomic extinction of native taxa. This phenomenon is regarded as common and perhaps inevitable among native cutthroat trout and introduced rainbow trout in western North America, despite that these taxa naturally co-occur in some locations. We conducted a synthetic analysis of 13,315 genotyped fish from 558 sites by building logistic regression models using data from geospatial stream databases and from 12 published studies of hybridization to assess whether environmental covariates could explain levels of introgression between westslope cutthroat trout and rainbow trout in the U.S. northern Rocky Mountains. A consensus model performed well (AUC, 0.78–0.86; classification success, 72–82%; 10-fold cross validation, 70–82%) and predicted that rainbow trout introgression was significantly associated with warmer water temperatures, larger streams, proximity to warmer habitats and to recent sources of rainbow trout propagules, presence within the historical range of rainbow trout, and locations further east. Assuming that water temperatures will continue to rise in response to climate change and that levels of introgression outside the historical range of rainbow trout will equilibrate with those inside that range, we applied six scenarios across a 55,234-km stream network that forecast 9.5–74.7% declines in the amount of habitat occupied by westslope cutthroat trout populations of conservation value, but not the wholesale loss of such populations. We conclude that introgression between these taxa is predictably related to environmental conditions, many of which can be manipulated to foster largely genetically intact populations of westslope cutthroat trout and help managers prioritize conservation activities.

No abstract

Human‐induced hybridization between fish populations and species is a major threat to aquatic biodiversity worldwide and is particularly relevant to management of the subspecies of cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii. The upper Snake River basin in Wyoming contains one of the largest remaining populations of Yellowstone cutthroat trout O. clarkii bouvieri, a subspecies of special concern throughout its range; however, little is known about levels of hybridization between Yellowstone cutthroat trout and exotic rainbow trout O. mykiss or about the overall genetic population structure for this river basin. There is concern that the Gros Ventre River is a source of hybridization for the Snake River basin. We sampled across the upper Snake River basin to estimate levels of hybridization and population structure and to describe hybrid zone structure and spatial patterns of hybridization throughout the basin. We used this information to help resolve whether the Gros Ventre River was acting as a potential source of hybridization for the upper Snake River basin. We found that Yellowstone cutthroat trout genotypes dominated the river system, but hybridization was detected at low levels in all populations. The Gros Ventre River contained the highest levels of hybridization (population and individual) and displayed evidence of ongoing hybridization between parental genotypes. Levels of hybridization decreased as a function of distance from the Gros Ventre River, suggesting that this population is acting as a source of rainbow trout genes. These patterns were evident despite the fact that levels of genetic connectivity appeared to be higher than those observed in other cutthroat trout populations (global genetic differentiation index F ST = 0.04), and we did not find evidence for genetic isolation by distance. Management actions aimed at reducing the presence of highly hybridized cutthroat trout or rainbow trout individuals in the Gros Ventre River will help to maintain the upper Snake River basin as an important conservation area. Received August 30, 2010; accepted August 9, 2011

Hatchery supplementation has been developed to conserve salmonid populations and provide fisheries. We evaluated supplemented and reference Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations prior to, during, and after supplementation ceased for 22 years in two major drainages in Idaho, USA. Basin-level analyses showed supplementation increased abundance at some life stages, but effects did not persist into the postsupplementation phase and had no apparent influence on productivity. Natural-origin juvenile abundance increased during supplementation but results for adults were ambiguous. After supplementation ceased, abundance and productivity in supplemented and reference populations returned to their presupplementation relationships. Intensive analyses of supplemented populations with weirs showed abundance increased at some life stages with the addition of female spawners. However, the rate of increase varied with female origin (natural > supplementation ≥ nontreatment hatchery), and effects diminished through the life cycle. Based on these findings, we provide guidance for conservation programs. Supplementation alone is not a panacea because it does not correct limiting factors, which must be addressed to achieve population levels capable of sustaining ecological function and harvest.