An adult Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) escapement estimate was generated in the lower Deschutes River during run year 2008. This included a mark-recapture study to determine adult abundance and a tribal subsistence creel. Fish measuring less than 10.5 cm received two marks for the mark-recapture estimate while those measuring greater than 10.5 cm were surgically implanted with radio transmitters to monitor migration upstream of Sherars Falls (rkm 70.4). Radio telemetry was used to determine habitat, focal spawning areas and spawn timing. All fish were collected at the Sherars Falls fish ladder from July-October 2008 using a long handled dip-net. Escapement was generated using a two event mark-recapture experiment. Adult lamprey populations were estimated at 3,471 (95% CI = 2,384-5,041; M = 101; C = 885 R = 25) using Chapman's modification of the Peterson estimate. The relative precision around the estimate was 31.42. Tribal harvest was approximately 806 adult lamprey (95% CI = +/- 74) with a total escapement of 2,669. Fourteen lamprey received radio tags and were released at Lower Blue Hole recreation site (rkm 77.3). Movement was recorded by mobile, fixed site and aerial telemetry methods. Upstream movements of lamprey were documented from July through December 2008 with most lamprey over-wintering in the mainstem Deschutes River.

We will report results of an ongoing project in the Deschutes River Subbasin to describe Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) life history. Project objectives were to determine adult lamprey escapement from Sherars Falls located at Rkm 70.4 and determine lamprey focal spawning areas, spawn timing and habitat through radio telemetry. A mark-recapture study and tribal creel was conducted to determine adult escapement. Lamprey were radio tagged and are currently being mobile, aerial and fixed site tracked to describe spawning. Adult lamprey were collected at Sherars Falls using a long-handled dip net from June-September 2007. The fate of lamprey collected at Sherars Falls was determined based on girth measurements. Fish measuring less than 10.5 cm received two markings for the mark-recapture estimation while those measuring 10.5 cm or greater were implanted with radio transmitters. Two-hundred and nine lamprey were marked during first event sampling, 2,501 lamprey inspected for marks and 64 recaptured during second event sampling. We estimate lamprey abundance to be 8,083 (6,352-10,279) with a relative precision of 19.8. Tribal harvest was 2,303 +/- 88. Escapement was estimated at 5,780 adult lamprey. Thirty-six lamprey received radio transmitters. Lamprey were transported upstream 6.3 Rkm for surgery, held to recover from anesthesia and released. Mobile tracking efforts started mid-July 2007 and are on-going. To date 35 of the 36 lamprey have been detected. Upon release, extensive ground-based tracking was conducted until fish became dormant in mid-October. Since, fixed site downloading and tracking have occurred weekly on the mainstem Deschutes River. Majority of lamprey (88%) are holding in the mainstem Deschutes River. Three lamprey moved upstream more than 70 Rkms into westside tributaries from August-December. Three moved approximately 18 Rkms downstream of the release site. Tracking will continue through the spawning season when redd characteristics will be measured and reported in the 2008-2009 annual report.

Information about lamprey species composition, distribution, life history, abundance, habitat requirements and exploitation in lower Deschutes River tributaries is extremely limited. To assess the status of lampreys in the Deschutes River subbasin, baseline information is needed. We operated to rotary screw traps in the Warm Springs River and Shitike Creek to gain an understanding of species composition, migration time and production. We identified Pacific lampreys in two life stages, ammocoete and macropthalmia. It appears that Pacific lamprey macropthalmia out-migrate during winter in the Warm Springs River. We saw peak movements by ammocoetes in the spring in Shitike Creek and winter in the Warm Springs River. We found no relationship between stream discharge and the number of lamprey collected. Very few macropthalmia were collected in Shitike Creek. Ammocoete size in the Warm Springs River and Shitike Creek were different. The ammocoetes in the Shitike Creek trap were close in size to the macropthalmia collected in the Warm Springs River trap. We also completed planning and preparation for larval and associated habitat data collection. This preparation included purchasing necessary field equipment, selecting and marking sampling areas and attending training with US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Because lamprey identification is difficult we met with US Geological Survey (USGS) to assist us with larval lamprey identification techniques. We have also been working in coordination with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to prepare and implement creel surveys and a mark-recapture study at Sherar's Falls to estimate adult lamprey escapement.

Information about lamprey species composition, distribution, life history, abundance, habitat requirements, and exploitation in the lower Deschutes River Subbasin is extremely limited. During 2002, we began a multi-year study to assess the status of lamprey in the Deschutes River subbasin. The objectives of this project are to determine ammocoete (larval lamprey) distribution and associated habitats; Lampretra species composition; numbers of emigrants; adult escapement and harvest rates at Sherars Falls. This report describes the preliminary results of data collected during 2005. We continued documenting ammocoete (larval) habitat selection by surveying four perennial eastside tributaries to the Deschutes River (Warm Springs River, Badger, Beaver and Shitike creeks) within the known ammocoete distribution. The results of 2003-2005 sampling indicate that positive relationships exist between: presence of wood (P =

Recent decline of Pacific lamprey Lampetra tridentata adult migrants to the Snake River drainage has focused attention on the species. Adult returns in 1995-1999 were more than ten magnitudes less than returns in the early 1960's. Human activities in the Snake River and Clearwater River drainages have altered ecosystem habitat in the last 100 years and likely the productive potential of Pacific lamprey habitat. Logging, stream impoundment, road construction, grazing, mining, and community development have dominated habitat alteration in the Clearwater River system and Snake River corridor. Hydroelectric projects in the Snake River corridor impact juvenile Pacific lamprey outmigrants and returning adults. Juvenile lamprey outmigrants potentially pass through turbines, turbine bypass and collection systems, and spillway structures at lower Snake River hydroelectric dams. Clearwater River drainage hydroelectric facilities including the Pacific Power and Light Dam on the Clearwater River in Lewiston, Idaho, impacted Pacific lamprey populations, however, the degree of impact is unknown (1920's-early 1970's). Hydroelectric dam construction (Harpster Dam) on the South Fork of the Clearwater River resulted in obstructed salmonid passage in the mid-1900's. Habitat alterations in the Snake River basin and Clearwater River drainage have had numerous negative effects on salmon Oncorhynchus spp. and steelhead trout O. mykiss populations (wild fish), but the magnitude of impacts on lamprey productivity and survival is unknown. Thorough understanding of Pacific lamprey habitat use and life history processes is needed to facilitate management and restoration of the species. Through Bonneville Power Administration support, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game began investigation into the status of Pacific lamprey populations in Idaho's Clearwater River drainage in 2000. Trapping, electrofishing, and spawning ground redd surveys were used to determine where Pacific lamprey persist in the South Fork of the Clearwater River drainage. Habitat surveys evaluating juvenile habitat use were primarily conducted in the Red River subbasin. Red River subbasin resource manipulations have resulted in elevated stream sediment, stream destabilization, riparian canopy reduction, and water temperature extremes. A total of 262 juvenile Pacific lamprey were captured during the 2000 field season. Sampling in the Red River drainage yielded the largest number of Pacific lamprey juveniles. Preliminary findings indicate Pacific lamprey juveniles, while present, are not numerous or widely distributed. Age of juveniles captured was determined using length frequency.

The once abundant stocks of Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata) above Bonneville Dam are currently depressed (Close et al. 1995). It is likely that many of the same factors that led to the decline of wild stocks of Columbia River Pacific salmon and steelhead have impacted Pacific lamprey populations. The Pacific lamprey is an important part of the food web of North Pacific ecosystems, both as predator and prey. Lamprey (a.k.a. eels) are also a valuable food and culture resource for American Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest. Depressed Pacific lamprey runs have impacted treaty secured fishing opportunities by forcing tribal members to gather this traditional food in lower Columbia River locations. The Pacific Lamprey Research and Restoration Project, funded by Bonneville Power Administration, is a cooperative effort between the Confederated Tribes of The Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission, and Oregon State University with the goal to increase Pacific lamprey stocks above Bonneville Dam. The initial objectives of the project are to determine the past and current abundance of Pacific lamprey stocks in major mid Columbia tributaries and at various hydroelectric facilities, and to determine factors limiting Pacific lamprey abundance and distribution. Ultimately, Pacific lamprey restoration plans will be developed and implemented. Part (A)-CTUIR: (1) determine past and present abundance and distribution in NE Oregon and SE Washington tributaries; and (2) determine limiting habitat factors. Part (B)-CRITFC: (1) adult abundance monitoring at Columbia and Snake River dams; (2) juvenile abundance monitoring at Columbia and Snake River dams; and (3) juvenile passage impediments and needed improvements at Columbia and Snake River dams. Part (C)- OSU: (1) adult passage impediments and needed improvements at Columbia and Snake River dams; and (2) juvenile passage impediments and needed improvements at Columbia and Snake River dams.

Pacific lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus is a valuable icon and traditional food source for Indigenous people of western North America. Native Americans have utilized traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) since time immemorial to guide their ways of life, transmitting cultural values and natural history to further generational knowledge. Pacific lamprey are in decline throughout their range, and have historically been disregarded in western science. The Willamette River Basin, Oregon, U.S.A currently supports a traditional harvest location, Willamette Falls, which continues to persist, despite great losses in adjacent basins and remains a harvest stronghold amongst Columbia River Basin Tribes. To further understand Pacific lamprey, we utilized both Indigenous knowledge and western science to gain information that would aid recovery. My first goal was to determine traditional ecological knowledge and the cultural values of Pacific lamprey to provide guidance for future conservation planning. My second goal was to evaluate the fine scale habitat characteristics of larval Pacific lamprey. To determine tribal values for the purpose of informing conservation planning of Pacific lamprey, I used: 1) oral history interviews of tribal elders, and 2) questionnaires distributed across entire adult (18 years and older) tribal populations. We conducted semi-structured interviews with tribal elders to gain insights into the biology, distribution, and cultural value of lamprey. I interviewed 32 tribal elders, 11 from the Grand Ronde, 10 from the Siletz, and 11 from the Umatilla. To understand modern fishing practices and current values of lamprey, I distributed a standardized questionnaire (n = 753) to a sample of each adult (18 years and older) tribal population, and received a total of 188 responses total: 38 from the Grand Ronde, 60 from the Siletz, and 90 from the Umatilla. From my interviews, I found that each tribe has noticed a decline in Pacific lamprey populations within their ceded areas, and has witnessed traditional harvest locations lost due to population declines and/or anthropogenic damage, leaving Willamette Falls as the sole harvest site for the three tribes. Questionnaire results showed that the strongest issues relating to the traditional usage of Pacific lamprey amongst each tribe are cultural awareness, harvest accessibility, and Pacific lamprey populations. I evaluated two fine scale habitat associations of larval Pacific lamprey in the Willamette River Basin to understand the association of stream sediment and larval abundance. Study objectives were to: 1) evaluate the substrate size most closely associated with larval abundance, and 2) to evaluate the influence of organic material upon larval abundance. We used a backpack electrofisher to enumerate larval lamprey in six wadeable Willamette River tributaries, using a nested two-pass sample design at a lower, middle, and upper reach (each reach composed of ten 1-m2 quadrats). Stream sediment cores were collected for subsequent determination of particle size and organic composition content. I used particle size sieve analysis to estimate dominant substrate size class per sample, from the following size classes: silt (0.063 mm), very fine sand (0.063-0.125 mm), fine sand (0.125-0.25 mm), medium fine sand (0.25-0.50 mm), coarse sand (0.50-1.0 mm), very coarse sand (1.0-2.36 mm), and fine gravel (2.36 mm). I analyzed organic content by loss of weight through combustion. Larvae were present in 17 of 18 reaches (94%) 18), but only detected in 37% of the quadrats. Larval Pacific lamprey abundance was highest in habitats with predominantly medium fine sand (0.25-0.50 mm) substrate. I fit negative binomial mixed models using parameters for sediment depth, percentage of medium fine sand (0.25-0.50 mm), organic material and a random effect for basin. My top model consisted of percentage of medium fine sand (0.25-0.50 mm), organic material and a random effect for basin. At the fine scale, substrate characteristics were associated with the abundance of larval Pacific lamprey. Appropriate conservation measures should be taken to address the restoration of Pacific lamprey, activities that promote natural river flow and distribution of sediment could be of benefit. Efforts that educate mainstream society should be implemented to reduce further species decline. With the continued decline of Pacific lamprey, there is potential for further degradation of tribal cultural values. Conservation work that promotes the restoration of Pacific lamprey is crucial to the tradition and culture of the Grand Ronde, Siletz, and Umatilla Tribes.

Recent decline of Pacific lamprey Lampetra tridentata adult migrants to the Snake River drainage has focused attention on the species. Adult Pacific lamprey counted passing Ice Harbor Dam fishway averaged 18,158 during 1962-69 and 361 during 1993-2000. Human resource manipulations in the Snake River and Clearwater River drainages have altered ecosystem habitat in the last 120 years, likely impacting the productive potential of Pacific lamprey habitat. Timber harvest, stream impoundment, road construction, grazing, mining, and community development have dominated habitat alteration in the Clearwater River system and Snake River corridor. Hydroelectric projects in the Snake River corridor impact juvenile/larval Pacific lamprey outmigrants and returning adults. Juvenile and larval lamprey outmigrants potentially pass through turbines, turbine bypass/collection systems, and over spillway structures at the four lower Snake River hydroelectric dams. Clearwater River drainage hydroelectric facilities have impacted Pacific lamprey populations to an unknown degree. The Pacific Power and Light Dam on the Clearwater River in Lewiston, Idaho, restricted chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha passage in the 1927-1940 period, altering the migration route of outmigrating Pacific lamprey juveniles/larvae and upstream adult migrants (1927-1972). Dworshak Dam, completed in 1972, eliminated Pacific lamprey spawning and rearing in the North Fork Clearwater River drainage. Construction of the Harpster hydroelectric dam on the South Fork of the Clearwater River resulted in obstructed fish passage 1949-1963. Through Bonneville Power Administration support, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game continued investigation into the status of Pacific lamprey populations in Idaho's Clearwater River drainage in 2001. Trapping, electrofishing, and spawning ground redd surveys were used to determine Pacific lamprey distribution, life history strategies, and habitat requirements in the South Fork Clearwater River drainage. Forty-three sites in Red River, South Fork Clearwater River, and their tributaries were electrofished in 2001. Sampling yielded a total of 442 juvenile/larval Pacific lamprey. Findings indicate Pacific lamprey juveniles/larvae are not numerous or widely distributed. Pacific lamprey distribution in the South Fork of the Clearwater River drainage was confined to lower reaches of Red River and the South Fork Clearwater River.