Chum Update

Just a quick update on chum numbers in Area 3 Nass fisheries. We reported yesterday that up to 18,012 chum had been 'harvested' so far with numbers not in for the July 6-7 openings yet. Well, in the Nisga'a Update some numbers are provided. Looks like another 5460 chum were killed during those two openings for an updated total of 23,472 plus another 3674 released with varying degrees of survival.
This would surpass all of last seasons impacts on this stock of concern and its only early July.

AREA 3 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES CONDUCTED IN 2009 TO DATE HAVE BEEN 6 GILLNET [16 JUNE (146 BOATS), 23 JUNE (224 BOATS), 29 JUNE (253 BOATS), 30 JUNE (253), 6 JULY (264 BOATS) AND 7 JULY (229 BOATS). TOTAL COMMERCIAL HARVEST ESTIMATES IN AREA 3 TO 8 JULY ARE: 52,981 SOCKEYE; 11,339 PINK; 23,472 CHUM AND 847 CHINOOK (SOURCE OF DATA IS FROM DFO PRINCE RUPERT FISHERIES MANAGEMENT). Info from Nisga'a Fisheries Update#1