Protection Measures Selection Tool

The following methods shall be used during relocation activities associated with either method of capture (electrofishing or seining):
1. Fish shall not be overcrowded into buckets, allowing no more than 150 0+ fish (approximately six cubic inches per 0+ individuals) per 5 gallon bucket and fewer individuals per bucket for larger/older fish.
2. Every effort shall be made not to mix 0+ steelhead with larger steelhead, or other potential predators, that may consume the smaller steelhead. Have at least two containers and segregate young-of-year (0+) fish from larger age-classes. Place larger amphibians in the container with larger fish.
3. Salmonid predators, including other fishes and amphibians, collected and relocated during electrofishing or seining activities shall not be relocated so as to concentrate them in one area. Particular emphasis shall be placed on avoiding relocation of predators into the steelhead relocation pools. To minimize predation of steelhead, these species shall be distributed throughout the wetted portion of the stream to avoid concentrating them in one area.
4. All captured steelhead shall be relocated, preferably upstream, of the proposed construction project and placed in suitable habitat. Captured fish shall be placed into a pool, preferably with a depth of greater than two feet with available instream cover.
5. All captured steelhead will be processed and released prior to conducting a subsequent electrofishing or seining pass.
6. All native captured fish will be allowed to recover from electrofishing before being returned to the stream.
7. Minimize handling of steelhead. However, when handling is necessary, always wet hands or nets prior to touching fish. Handlers will not wear insect repellants containing the chemical N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET).
8. Temporarily hold fish in cool, shaded, aerated water in a container with a lid. Provide aeration with a battery-powered external bubbler. Protect fish from jostling and noise and do not remove fish from this container until time of release.
9. Place a thermometer in holding containers and, if necessary, periodically conduct partial water changes to maintain a stable water temperature. If water temperature reaches or exceeds those allowed by CDFW and NMFS, fish shall be released and rescue operations ceased.
10. In areas where aquatic vertebrates are abundant, periodically cease capture, and release at predetermined locations.
11. Visually identify species and estimate year-classes of fish at time of release. Count and record the number of fish captured. Avoid anesthetizing or measuring fish.
12. If more than 3 percent of the steelhead captured are killed or injured, the project permittee shall contact NMFS (Anthony Spina, (562) 980-4045 or via email, anthony.spina@noaa.gov and CDFW (Mary Larson, (562) 342-7186 or via email, mary.Larson@wildlife.ca.gov).
13. The purpose of the contact is to review the activities resulting in take and to determine if additional protective measures are required. All steelhead mortalities must be retained, placed in an appropriately sized, zip-sealed bag, labeled with the date and time of collection, fork length, location of capture, and frozen as soon as possible. Frozen samples must be retained until specific instructions are provided by NMFS.