Wendy Holloway’s scientific contributions

California’s coastal salmon and steelhead populations are currently listed as either threatened or endangered under the federal and state Endangered Species Acts; both require monitoring to provide measures of recovery. Since 2004 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and NOAA Fisheries have been developing a monitoring plan for California’s coastal salmonids (the California Coastal Salmonid Monitoring Plan- or CMP). The CMP monitors the status and trends of salmonids at evolutionarily significant regional scales and provides population level estimates. For the CMP, data to evaluate adult populations are collected using a spatially balanced probabilistic design (e.g., Generalized Random Tesselation Stratified- or GRTS). Under this scheme a two-stage approach is used to estimate status. Each year regional redd surveys (stage 1) are conducted in stream reaches in a GRTS sampling design at a survey level of 15% of available habitat or a minimum of 41 reaches, whichever results in fewer reaches. Spawner: redd ratios are derived from Life Cycle Monitoring (LCM) stations (stage 2) where “true” escapement is estimated using capture-recapture methods. These ratios are used to estimate regional escapement from expanded redd counts. The CMP was first implemented in California in 2008- 19, using the methods described above, to estimate salmonid escapement for the Mendocino coast region. Here we present the results of the seventh year (2014–15) of this monitoring effort and discuss our findings in the context of expanding the CMP to all of coastal California. We present escapement data for major portions of the California Coastal (CC) Chinook Salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU), the Central California (CCC) Coho Salmon ESU, and the Northern California (NC) Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (DPS). In addition, we present 2014–15 data from five LCM stations, in which multiple stages of salmonid life history data are collected, and combine this information with previous year’s data to evaluate status and trends for Coho Salmon and steelhead

Understanding the relationship between fish abundance and stream habitat variables is critical to designing and implementing effective freshwater habitat restoration projects for coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and other anadromous salmonids. In this study, we investigated the relationship between summer coho salmon and steelhead trout (O. mykiss) parr abundance and physical stream habitat variables in Caspar and Pudding creeks in Mendocino County, California. Relationships between summer habitat and juvenile abundance were investigated using a stratified random experimental design. Our hypothesis was that one or more of the habitat unit types and variables examined would be associated with salmonid abundance. Habitat differences were examined between the two streams, and we tested our hypotheses regarding habitat variables and salmonid abundance using a variety of statistical tools that included two-way ANOVA, factor analysis, and negative binomial regression modeling. The results indicated that juvenile coho salmon abundance was positively (proportionally) associated with slow water, water volume, and dry large-wood abundance, and negatively associated with fast-water habitat variables. Young-of-the-year steelhead trout were positively associated with water volume and dry large-wood and negatively (or inversely) associated with overhead vegetation and fast water habitats. Older age steelhead abundance was positively associated with slow water, water volume; cover habitat formed by wet and dry wood, and undercut banks. We discuss our findings relative to the use of large wood in anadromous salmonid habitat recovery programs in California coastal watersheds.

California's coastal salmon and steelhead populations are currently listed as either threatened or endangered federal or state endangered species acts; both require monitoring to provide measures of recovery. Since 2004 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (formerly California Department of Fish and Game) and NOAA Fisheries have been developing a monitoring plan for California's coastal salmonids (the California Coastal Salmonid Monitoring Plan-or CMP). The CMP monitors the status and trends of salmonids at evolutionarily significant regional scales and provides population level estimates. For the CMP, data to evaluate adult populations are collected using a spatially balanced probabilistic design (e.g., Generalized Random Tesselation Stratified-or GRTS). Under this scheme a two-stage approach is used to estimate status. Each year regional redd surveys (stage 1) are conducted in stream reaches in a GRTS sampling design at a survey level of 15% of available habitat or a minimum of 41 reaches, whichever results in fewer reaches. Spawner: redd ratios are derived from smaller scale census watersheds (stage 2) where " true " escapement is estimated using capture-recapture methods. These ratios are used to estimate regional escapement from expanded redd counts. The 2008–09 season was the first implementation of the CMP in the state, using the methods described above, to estimate salmonid escapement for the Mendocino coast region. Here we present the results of the sixth year (2013–

Understanding the relationship between fish abundance and stream habitat variables is critical to designing and implementing effective freshwater habitat restoration projects for coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and other anadromous salmonids. In this study, we investigated the relationship between summer coho salmon and steelhead trout (O. mykiss) parr abundance and physical stream habitat variables in Caspar and Pudding creeks in Mendocino County, California. Relationships between summer habitat and juvenile abundance were investigated using a stratified random experimental design. Our hypothesis was that one or more of the habitat unit types and variables examined would be associated with salmonid abundance. Habitat differences were examined between the two streams, and we tested our hypotheses regarding habitat variables and salmonid abundance using a variety of statistical tools that included two-way ANOVA, factor analysis, and negative binomial regression modeling. The results indicated that juvenile coho salmon abundance was positively (proportionally) associated with slow water, water volume, and dry large-wood abundance, and negatively associated with fast-water habitat variables. Young-of-the-year steelhead trout were positively associated with water volume and dry large-wood and negatively (or inversely) associated with overhead vegetation and fast water habitats. Older age steelhead abundance was positively associated with slow water, water volume; cover habitat formed by wet and dry wood, and undercut banks. We discuss our findings relative to the use of large wood in anadromous salmonid habitat recovery programs in California coastal watersheds.