DWR finalizes kokanee stocking strategy, seeks to add Mil Meadow as third brood source

Trina Hedrickk presented a finalized Washington State-style kokanee (referred to in the transcript as "cocon") strategy at the council meeting, summarizing months of discussion among fisheries staff and partners. The plan codifies statewide early‑ and late‑run egg quotas, monitoring metrics by water type (forage, opportunity, brood, quality), and procedures to distribute shortages and excesses among water bodies.

Under the strategy Flaming Gorge and Strawberry remain the principal brood sources, Fish Lake is an existing brood source and DWR plans to certify Mil Meadow as an additional brood source after disease testing and one year of demonstrated run reliability. The department set an annual production target in the transcript of roughly 2.3 million early-run eggs and 1.3 million late-run eggs (department-level planning figures), and defined pounds‑per‑acre stocking guidance by water type to guide regional stocking decisions.

The plan includes rules for shortages (small shortages lead to pro rata cuts; larger shortages prioritize brood waters with subsequent regional redistribution) and for excesses (regional allocation based on quotas). It also considered captive-brood options but noted hatchery capacity constraints and tradeoffs with rainbow trout production currently housed in facilities.

DWR staff said they conducted an angler survey that showed most kokanee anglers still visit Strawberry and Flaming Gorge but indicated opportunity to direct anglers to other kokanee waters in years when runs vary. The department will monitor metrics annually, adjust stocking rates and revisit the strategy as environmental conditions change.

"It was a big undertaking," Trina said, noting the plan aims to be adaptive and equitable in distributing limited kokanee production while protecting brood sources and recreational opportunity.