Earth Scientist
Earth Scientist

Biography

Ryan Harnish is a senior research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Since joining PNNL in 2007, his work has primarily focused on using acoustic telemetry, release-recapture study designs, and population dynamic modeling to evaluate the effects of hydroelectric dams and their operation on the behavior, survival, and population-level productivity of anadromous salmonids.

Research Interest

  • Acoustic telemetry
  • Conservation of native fishes
  • Effects of hydropower on fisheries resources
  • Fish population dynamics
  • Release-recapture study designs
  • Survival and behavior of anadromous salmonids

Disciplines and Skills

  • Project management
  • Data analyses (release-recapture survival estimation, correlative analyses [simple and multivariable logistic, linear, nonlinear, spline, general additive modeling, Bayesian model averaging, stepwise model-building, nonparametric multiplicative regression, decision tree analyses], power analyses, time series analyses, cluster analyses, ANOVA, ANCOVA, nonparametric hypothesis testing)
  • Programs (JMP, R, SigmaPlot, SQL, Hyperniche, PC-ORD, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)
  • Field sampling (acoustic telemetry [JSATS], radio telemetry, passive interrogation [PIT], rowboat and motorboat operation, snorkeling, electro-fishing, gillnetting, fry trapping, spawning surveys, aquatic habitat and water quality sampling, fish identification, wilderness navigation, staff coordination/lead)

Education

  • MS in fish and wildlife management, Montana State University, 2007
  • BS in biology, Montana State University, 2001

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • American Fisheries Society, 2001–Present
  • Associate Editor, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, 2015–2017

Publications

2021

  • Bellgraph B.J., T.C. Douville, A. Somani, K.R. DeSomber, R.S. O'Neil, R.A. Harnish, and J.D. Lessick, et al. 2021. Deployment of Energy Storage to Improve Environmental Outcomes of Hydropower. PNNL-SA-157672. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Do Vale Beirao B., B.D. Pflugrath, R.A. Harnish, S.F. Harding, M.C. Richmond, and A. Colotelo. 2021. “Empirical investigation into the applicability of surrogacy for juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) exposed to hydropower induced rapid decompression.” Ecological Indicators 121.
  • Harnish, R.A., and P. Hoffarth.  2021. “Hanford Reach fall Chinook salmon productivity analysis, brood years 1975–2016.” PNNL-33823. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A., K.D. Ham, J.R. Skalski, and R.A. Buchanan. 2021. Factors affecting dam passage routing and in-river survival of juvenile salmonids in the lower Snake and Columbia rivers. PNNL-30641. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A., K.D. Ham, E.L. McCann, R.L. Townsend, J.R. Skalski, and R.A. Buchanan. 2021. Factors affecting smolt-to-adult return rates of Snake River hatchery spring/summer Chinook salmon and steelhead. PNNL-30213. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A., C. Baldwin, K. Malone, C. Giorgi, T. Biladeau, and B.J. Bellgraph. 2021. “Study plan for evaluating juvenile Sockeye salmon survival through Lake Roosevelt, Grand Coulee Dam, Rufus Woods Lake, and Chief Joseph Dam.” Phase 2 implementation plan: Testing feasibility of reintroduced salmon in the upper Columbia River basin. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.    
  • Harnish, R.A., C. Baldwin, K. Malone, C. Giorgi, T. Biladeau, and B.J. Bellgraph.  2021.  “Implementation plan for evaluating survival of reintroduced anadromous salmon with passive integrated transponder tags upstream of the blocked area of the Columbia River.” Phase 2 implementation plan: Testing feasibility of reintroduced salmon in the upper Columbia River basin. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Hughes, J.S., F. Khan, S.A. Liss, R.A. Harnish, G.E. Johnson, B.J. Bellgraph, and K.R. Znotinas. 2021. “Evaluation of juvenile salmon passage and survival through a fish weir and other routes at Foster Dam, Oregon, USA.” Fisheries Management and Ecology 28:241–252.
  • Janak J.M., T.J. Linley, R.A. Harnish, and S.D. Shen. 2021. "Partitioning maternal and exogenous diet contributions to otolith 87Sr/86Sr in Kokanee Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 78, no. 8:1146-1157. PNNL-SA-154023. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2020-0242
  • Liss, S.A., K.R. Znotinas, S.E. Blackburn, E.S. Fischer, J.S. Hughes, R.A. Harnish, H. Li, and Z. Deng. 2021. “From 95 to 59 millimeters: a new active tag size guideline for salmon.” Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 78:943–957.
  • Skalski J.R., S. Whitlock, R.L. Townsend, and R.A. Harnish. 2021. "Passage and survival of juvenile salmonid smolts through dams in the Columbia and Snake Rivers, 2010-2018." North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41, no. 3:678-696. PNNL-SA-155948. doi:10.1002/nafm.10572

2020

  • Harnish R.A., J.R. Skalski, R. Townsend, and K.D. Ham. 2020. "In Search of a Cost-effective Approach for Estimating Dam Passage Survival." North American Journal of Fisheries Management 40, no. 4:865-882. PNNL-SA-149326. doi:10.1002/nafm.10448
  • Harnish, R.A.  2020.  Priest Rapids Project adult salmonid conversion rates: methodologies and results.  Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
  • Pflugrath B.D., R.A. Harnish, B.M. Rhode, K.M. Engbrecht, B.V. Beirao, R.P. Mueller, and E.L. McCann, et al. 2020. "The Susceptibility of Juvenile American Shad to Rapid Decompression and Fluid Shear Exposure Associated with Simulated Hydroturbine Passage." Water 12, no. 2:Article number 586. PNNL-SA-151360. doi:10.3390/w12020586

2019

  • Harnish, R.A., J. Martinez, Z. Deng, T. Fu, B. Pflugrath, R. Mueller, C. Grant, X. Li, S. Titzler, K. Ham, X. Lin, and H. Li. 2019. Adult spring Chinook salmon passage at Little Goose Dam, 2018. PNNL-29172. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A., and E.L. McCann. 2019. Change in egg-to-presmolt survival required to affect productivity of Hanford Reach fall Chinook salmon. PNNL-28944.  Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Pflugrath B.D., R.A. Harnish, B.M. Rhode, B. Do Vale Beirao, K.M. Engbrecht, J.R. Stephenson, and A. Colotelo. 2019. "American Eel state of buoyancy and barotrauma susceptibility associated with hydroturbine passage." Knowledge and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems. PNNL-SA-138255. doi:10.1051/kmae/2019012

2018

  • Colotelo A., R.P. Mueller, R.A. Harnish, J.J. Martinez, T. Phommavong, K. Phommachan, and G.A. Thorncraft, et al. 2018. "Injury and Mortality of Two Mekong River Species Exposed to Turbulent Shear Forces." Marine and Freshwater Research 69, no. 12:1945-1953. PNNL-SA-132777. doi:10.1071/MF18126
  • Geist D.R., S.A. Liss, R.A. Harnish, K.A. Deters, R.S. Brown, Z. Deng, and J.J. Martinez, et al. 2018. "Juvenile Chinook Salmon survival when exposed to simulated dam passage after being implanted with a new micro-acoustic transmitter." North American Journal of Fisheries Management 38, no. 4:940-952. PNNL-SA-130560. doi:10.1002/nafm.10198
  • Harnish, R.A. 2018. Route-specific survival of yearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead during spill treatments at John Day Dam. PNNL-27194. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A. and 15 others. 2018. Yearling Chinook salmon and juvenile steelhead passage and survival through the FCRPS, 2018. PNNL-28325. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A., K.D. Ham, T. Fu, X. Li, and Z. Deng. 2018. Factors influencing migration depths and spillway passage routes of subyearling fall Chinook salmon. PNNL-27655. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

2017

  • Deng Z., J.J. Martinez, H. Li, R.A. Harnish, C.M. Woodley, J.S. Hughes, and X. Li, et al. 2017. "Comparing the survival rate of juvenile Chinook salmon migrating through hydropower systems using injectable and surgical acoustic transmitters." Scientific Reports 7. PNNL-SA-113136. doi:10.1038/srep42999
  • Harnish, R.A. 2017. Hanford Reach upriver bright productivity analysis update. PNNL-26569. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Harnish, R.A., K.D. Ham, K.A. Deters, A.H. Colotelo, P.S. Titzler, and E.E. Hockersmith. 2017. Examination of Ice Harbor Dam BiOp performance standard evaluation assumptions. PNNL-25957. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Mueller R.P., J.M. Janak, S.A. Liss, R.S. Brown, Z. Deng, and R.A. Harnish. 2017. "Retention and effects of miniature transmitters in juvenile American eels." Fisheries Research 195. PNNL-SA-120628. doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2017.06.017

2016

  • Harnish, R.A., K.D. Ham, E.D. Green, and E.E. Hockersmith. 2016. Snake River multi-dam BiOp performance standard evaluation feasibility study. PNNL-24742. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.   

2015

2014

2013

  • McMichael G.A., A.C. O'Toole, R.A. Harnish, and D.M. Trott. 2013. "Juvenile salmonid migratory behavior at the mouth of the Columbia River and within the plume." Animal Biotelemetry 1. PNNL-SA-94109. doi:10.1186/2050-3385-1-14

2012

  • Harnish R.A., G.E. Johnson, G.A. McMichael, M.S. Hughes, and B.D. Ebberts. 2012. "Effect of Migration Pathway on Travel Time and Survival of Acoustic-Tagged Juvenile Salmonids in the Columbia River Estuary." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 141, no. 2:507-519. PNNL-SA-70629. doi:10.1080/00028487.2012.670576
  • Harnish, R.A., R. Sharma, G.A. McMichael, R.B. Langshaw, T.N. Pearsons, and D.R. Bernard. 2012. Effect of Priest Rapids Dam operations on Hanford Reach fall Chinook salmon productivity and estimation of maximum sustainable yield, 1975–2004.  PNWD-4339. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • Mueller R.P., E.V. Arntzen, M.A. Nabelek, B.L. Miller, K.J. Klett, and R.A. Harnish. 2012. "Laboratory testing of a modified electroshocking system designed for deepwater juvenile lamprey sampling." Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 141, no. 3:841-845. PNWD-SA-9512. doi:10.1080/00028487.2012.675908

2011

  • Harnish R.A., A.H. Colotelo, and R.S. Brown. 2011. "A review of polymer-based water conditioners for reduction of handling-related injury." Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 21, no. 1:43-49. PNNL-SA-76621. doi:10.1007/s11160-010-9187-1
  • McMichael G.A., R.A. Harnish, J.R. Skalski, K.A. Deters, K.D. Ham, R.L. Townsend, and P.S. Titzler, et al. 2011. Migratory Behavior and Survival of Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia River, Estuary, and Plume in 2010. PNNL-20443. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 
  • McMichael G.A., R.A. Harnish, M.A. Weiland, Z. Deng, and M.B. Eppard. 2011. "Fish Passage: A New Tool to Investigate Fish Movement: JSATS." Hydro Review 30. PNNL-SA-78282.

2010

  • Brown R.S., R.A. Harnish, K.M. Carter, J.W. Boyd, K.A. Deters, and M.B. Eppard. 2010. "An evaluation of the maximum tag burden for implantation of acoustic transmitters in juvenile Chinook salmon." North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30. PNNL-SA-65472.
  • McMichael G.A., M.B. Eppard, T.J. Carlson, J.A. Carter, B.D. Ebberts, R.S. Brown, and M.A. Weiland, et al. 2010. "The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System; A New Tool." Fisheries 35, no. 1:9-22.
  • McMichael G.A., R.A. Harnish, B.J. Bellgraph, J.A. Carter, K.D. Ham, P.S. Titzler, and M.S. Hughes. 2010. Migratory Behavior and Survival of Juvenile Salmonids in the Lower Columbia River and Estuary in 2009. PNNL-19545. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

2009