North Coast Salmon Update To Tuesday Aug.18th

Here is the latest North Coast Salmon Update provided courtesy of DFO North Coast, Prince Rupert.



North Coast Salmon Update – Tuesday, August 18, 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 3
From Nisga’a Fisheries:
Sockeye: The net escapement estimate for Nass sockeye to date has dropped to 209,758 with an update of the harvest data (29,629) above GW. The current net escapement target is ~200,000 (160,000 to Meziadin River and ~40,000 to non-Meziadin systems) and has been reached based on in-season data.

The 2009 pre-season total return to Canada (TRTC) prediction (511,000) was expected to be below average (636,000) based on TRTC returns from 1994 to 2008. Depending on the cumulative run timing estimate used to date, the in-season Nass sockeye projected TRTC is between 392,000 and 419,000 with 95% CI of 405,000 and 434,000.

Chinook: The Nass Chinook run size estimate to Gitwinksihlkw (23,193) is tracking above average (22,000). The run size target for Nass Chinook to Gitwinksihlkw is 17,000 depending on harvests projected above Gitwinksihlkw. The run size target for 2009 has been reached based on in-season data.

Coho: The run size estimate of Nass coho to Gitwinksihlkw to 13 August is 84,769 with ~38% (94-08 median) of the run estimated to have passed Gitwinksihlkw to date. The run size target for Nass coho to Gitwinksihlkw is ~65,000 depending on harvests projected above Gitwinksihlkw. Based on the in-season data to date, the run size target to GW has been achieved for 2009.

Pink: The total fishwheel catch (28,936) of pink salmon to 13 August is above the mean catch (21,000) for odd-year returns from 2000 to 2008.

Chum: The total fishwheel catch of chum salmon (25) to 13 August is below the mean catch (61) level based on total fishwheel catches from 2000 to 2008.

Steelhead: The total fishwheel catch of Nass steelhead (311) to 13 August is above average (281) based on fishwheel operations from 2000 to 2008. During typical Gitwinksihlkw fishwheel operation (July to early to mid September), the preliminary minimum run size target for Nass summer-run steelhead to Gitwinksihlkw is ~4,200 depending on any losses projected above Gitwinksihlkw and has been reached in 2009 based on in-season data.

Area 3 commercial fishery:
Seines fished Thu and Fri August 13 & 14. On August 14, coho retention was allowed. Seines re-opened on Tuesday, August 18.

On August 14, 779 coho were retained by 3 seine vessels (average of 260 per vessel).

Total seine catch of pinks in Area 3 (for the year) is 832,475.

Nass River demonstration fishery:
The Gitanyow have been approved to harvest 1500 Nass sockeye for commercial sale, in a demonstration fishery similar to the Skeena demonstration fishery. Harvest began at Meziadin on Tuesday, August 18.

Area 4

Area 4 commercial fishery:

Total Areas 3, 4, & 5 catch to date:

..........Sockeye.....Coho......Pink......Chum......Chinook...Stld release
Gill net:.103760.......0.......184679....47197........3737........370
Seine:....13532.......779.....1203511.....0...........0...........306

Totals...117,292.....779.....1388190....47,197.......3737..........676

Allocative split :
..................Gill net..........Seine
Sockeye:............88%..............12%
Pink :.............13%...............87%


Seines fished Thu and Fri, August 13 and 14. Pink salmon were the only species allowed to be retained. 19 seine vessels on Thu, 13 on Fri. Total seine catch of pinks in Area 4 is 323,666. Seines were re-opened Tuesday, August 18.

Skeena River Demonstration Fishery:
A Pink salmon demonstration commercial fishery has been approved at Babine Fence. Harvest will begin later in this week. Quota of 48,162 has been assigned (equivalent to 6 seine licences).

An ESSR fishery for pinks has been approved for the Wet’suwet’en at Moricetown Canyon. Harvest of approximately 10,000 has occurred.


Area 4 Seine Monitoring Program Summary (Table provided does not copy well to blogger: info will be contained in a following post)

Seine vessels are making on average 14 sets per day.

Sockeye escapement through August 17 = 843,117. Babine fence prediction for the year is currently at 683,000.

Estimated pink escapement = 2,000,000. Estimated total Skeena pink run = 2.75M.

Tyee test indices (through August 10):
.............2009 index........2000s average............90s average
Coho...........48.09................38.88...................25.21
Chum...........18.23................27.42...................34.31
Chinook.......214.54...............287.93..................220.91
Steelhead.....98.86................86.52...................72.05




Area 3 / 4 Chatham Sound Recreational Creel Survey (in-season preliminary numbers):
June:................2009................2008
Chinook............5113................7708
Coho................4394................3913

July:
Chinook............4191................3080
Coho...............18927..............15982
Effort...............3925 trips.........3750 trips

From the Gitanyow Fisheries Program:
· Sockeye = 897
· Chinook = 578
· Pink = 20,928
· Chum = 22
· Coho = 146
To date we have counted 897 sockeye through the Kitwanga Salmon Enumeration Facility (KSEF) with over 90% of the fish migrating through the site in the last week. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 2,099 in 2003 which resulted in an overall escapement of 3,377 and the minimum observed to the day of 113 in 2007 which resulted in an overall estimated escapement of 245 for the year. Based on average run timing through the KSEF (2003-2008) it is predicted that approximately 33% of the run should now be past the KSEF.

To date we have counted 578 chinook through the KSEF. Chinook escapement to the Kitwanga River for 2009 to the day are the lowest observed since counts were initiated in 2003. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 2,851 in 2007 which resulted in an overall escapement of 3,225 and the minimum observed to the day of 1,399 in 2003 which resulted in an overall escapement of 1,776 for the year. Based on average run timing to the day we would predict that approximately 80% of the run should have traversed the KSEF at this point.

To date we have counted 20,928 pink salmon through the KSEF. Pink escapement to the Kitwanga River for 2009 to the day for odd year cohorts are the lowest observed since counts were initiated in 2003. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 118,886 in 2005 which resulted in an overall escapement of 229,226 and the minimum observed to the day of 23,192 in 2007 which resulted in an overall escapement of 196,768 for the year. Based on average run timing to the day we would predict that approximately 30% of the run should have traversed the KSEF at this point.

To date we have counted 22 chum through the KSEF. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 223 in 2005 which resulted in an overall escapement of 1,862 and the minimum observed to the day of 0 in 2008 which resulted in an overall escapement of 150 for the year.

To date we have counted 146 coho through the KSEF. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 248 in 2005 which resulted in an overall escapement of 7,100 and the minimum observed to the day of 0 in 2006 and in 2008 which resulted in an overall escapement for both years of less than 3,000 for the year.

Area 6
Gil Island seine fishery fished Thu and Fri August 13 & 14. Re-opened Tuesday August 18, retention of coho allowed starting August 18. Catch is just over 5.6M pinks, which makes this the second or third best years on record for pink catch.

Areas 7 & 8
Gn and Sn were both closed this week.

Area 10
Docee Fence total sockeye to end of August 16:

Total Sockeye to date: 18237 Total Coho to date: 4854

North Coast troll -
The Salmon Area F Demo ITQ Chinook fishery re-opening announced for Saturday, August 22. Current catch is 69,722 validated Chinook landings. TAC increased from 93,000 to 103,000. WCVI catch is 2436 from an allowance of 2860, leaving 424 WCVI Chinook for the Aug 22 fishery.

The coho fishery remains open, and sockeye and chum salmon are closed. Coho catch is currently estimated to be just over 110,000. Approximately 50 trollers are currently fishing.