Department of Fisheries Resources Management
Fall Chinook Acclimation Project

The Fall Chinook Acclimation Project commonly called "FCAP" began in 1996. Funding to sponsor the three fall chinook acclimation satellites initially came from the Hatfield Congressional Ammendment. Today annual operating expenses are provided by the Bonneville Power Mitigation for hydrosystem impacts. Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries is contracted to operate and maintain three facilities, Captain John Rapids and Pittsburg Landing facilities are located on Snake River, and Big Canyon facility is on the Clearwater River. Operations occur between February and June each year. Annual releases are 400,000 yearling smolts and upwards of 1.7 million subyearling smolts annually.

FCAP releases have increased adult fall chinook returns above Lower Granite Dam to more than 18,000 for the last 4 years. Redd counts in the Clearwater River exceeded 650 last fall. This is a marked change from only 13 redds in 1987. Adult returns have been so encouraging in recent years that co-managers are considering a fishery in the Snake River - something that has not occurred in over 20 years.

In 2008, FCAP released 1,434,987 fall Chinook sub yearling smolts and 451,870 yealings into the Clearwater and Snake rivers. The project also outplanted apporximately 800+ surplus spring Chinook adults to the Selway River.

Publications:
1999 Annual Report
2000 Annual Report
2001 Annual Report
2002 Annual Report
2003 Annual Report
2004 Annual Report

Related Project: Monitoring and Evaluation of Yearling Fall Chinook Released Upstream of Lower Granite Dam