North Coast Update #5 to July 21

Here is the most recent North Coast Update to July 21 from DFO North Coast.
Information courtesy/copyright DFO.
Of note is the first Observer Program data in Area 3....61 gillnet sets observed with 1 steelhead recorded. Hhmmnn...wonder if the observers know how to recognize a steelhead or just rely on the fisherman to tell them???



North Coast Salmon Update – Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Please note that in-season updates always deal in preliminary numbers. Usually these change somewhat upon receipt and analysis of all the data.

Area 1
From Joel Sawada, Stock Assessment:

The two sources of inseason information are showing good coho returns.

The Haida Creel survey for June showed good CPUE of 1.35 fish / boat day. Note: the predictive ability of this regression is diminishing over time.
The Toboggan Creek CWT recoveries in the Alaskan Troll fishery is showing a predicted marine survival of around 2% (+ - 1%). This value is still low but better than the last few years.

Monitoring the CPUE of coho in the troll fishery will provide additional information.

More to follow as more data arrives.

Area 3
From Nisga’a Fisheries:
The in-season Nass sockeye projected TRTC (468,000) has been downsized from the pre-season estimate (511,000) based on a conservative approach to the run timing estimate of Nass sockeye and other assessment information. The median (93-08) run timing estimate for Nass sockeye to date is 48%, however, if the run was early, the run would be more advanced. Last year, the run timing to 19 July was 63% and if we used that run timing, the TRTC would be 404,000. We have chosen a 3-d early estimate resulting in a run timing projection of 54% to be conservative resulting in a TRTC estimate of 468,000.

Meziadin Fishway started operations on 1 July and counts to 19 July are: 47,157 adult sockeye (881 tags recovered) and 20 sockeye jack; and 25 adult Chinook (no tags).
Area 3 commercial fishery:
Ttl catch to July 21 (rounded to nearest 100):
Sockeye Coho Pink Chum Chinook
Gn 85,200..............0..........105,400...........44,800.............1300
Sn 4,600...............0........137,400...........0......................0
Ttl 89,800...............0........242,800..........44,800..............1300

July 20 – 142 gn, 12 sns.
July 21 – Although catches were modest on July 20, extended for July 21 due to the total sockeye catch and allowable TAC to date.

Comparison GN fleet counts:
2009................2008...........2007.........2006........2005.........2004
Jul 20–142.......Jul 21–22......Jul 19–3.....Jul 20–86......Jul 21–101...Jul22-72

In past years, Area 3 effort drops off as focus switches to the Skeena.

Expected Nass sockeye return to Canada is 468,000. 325,000 are reserved for escapement needs and fulfilling FSC and treaty requirements. This leaves approximately 143,000 available for commercial harvest. Of these, approximately 75% are expected to be harvested by gill net and 25% by seine. Therefore, the expectations are:
................TTL TAC........Gill net TAC.............Seine TAC
Allowed: 143,000........107,250....................35,750
Current: 89,800..........85,200....................4600
..................................95%..................... 5%



Caution must be used when using these numbers due to a variety of reasons. Less sockeye may be available than indicated here.

Observer Data:
Gill net: July 6 – 7.........sets observed: 61...........steelhead observed: 1
Seine: July 13.............sets observed: 18...........steelhead observed: 0
Further observer data has been collected, will be reported as we receive it.

Area 4
Sockeye escapement to July 20 = 402,038. To reach the production escapement target of 900,000 and to achieve 150,000 for FSC purposes, we would have wanted about 464,000 in the river by now. Projected return is now estimated to be 985,000.

Tyee test indices:
(to July 20) 2009 index 2000s average 90s average
Coho...............2.05.............1.41.........................1.10
Pink...............12.91............37.82........................15.16
Chum...............0.78..............0.64........................1.71
Chinook............175.53............252.49.....................198.97
Steelhead..........13.65.............9.06........................12.47

Area 3 / 4 Chatham Sound Recreational Creel Survey (in-season preliminary numbers):

June:.............2009...........2008
Chinook............5113..........7708
Coho...............4394..........3913
Sockeye.............3............no data

Area 6
Douglas Channel (6-1) opened for gn Mon July 20. 31 gn vessels fished, average catch was 38 chum by mid-day, therefore fishery was closed as scheduled.

Seine fishery around Gil Island took place Monday, July 20. 36 seines fished. Catch by mid-day was 7200 pink average, so extended one day.

Area 8
Gn and Sn fished Monday, July 20. Catches were modest, closed as scheduled.

Area 10
Docee Fence total sockeye to end of July 16:
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
5707 6406 8988 5939 1624 2566

North Coast troll -
Overflight on July 17 counted 55 trollers operating.

Estimated chinook catch to date about 50,000 from a TAC of 93,000. WCVI chinook estimated taken is about 2200 out of an allowance of 2860. Estimations are presently being made to determine whether the chinook fishery can stay open until the scheduled Aug 3 closure.

Sockeye and chum are closed.
General coho opening is scheduled for July 22.
Chinook closure planned for Aug 3, or before if the situation warrants.