The main objective of this study is to evaluate metrics of growth in otolith samples of natural origin recruits (NOR) to test the hypothesis that early freshwater growth of Hanford Reach Fall Chinook salmon is related to adult spawner and/or subsequent juvenile abundance (density dependent effects). The proposed project will determine whether the prior year adult escapement and/or pre-smolt abundance of juvenile fall Chinook salmon in the Hanford Reach is related to early freshwater growth in these fish.
