North Coast Update #1

Here is the North Coast Salmon Update to Tuesday, Jun 29, 2010. Information provided courtesy of DFO North Coast, Prince Rupert.

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
It is early to make a forecast for the Total Return to Canada (TRTC) for Nass sockeye. The pre-season forecast that appears in the IFMP is for a slightly below average return of 648,000. Using two forecasting methods, the in-season projection puts the TRTC at 640,000 or 518,000, but since it is so early the confidence limits are very wide.

Area 3 commercial fishery: 
Ttl retained catch to June 21:
Effort Sockeye Coho Pink Chum Chinook
Jun 15 150 3512 0 3 43 199

Jun 21 168 5111 0 45 268 168

Jun 28 216
Jun 29

Comparison GN fleet counts:
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
Jun 29 – 253 Jul 1 – 209 Jul 1 – 314 Jun 27 – 357 Jun 28 – 298 Jun 28- 409


Area 4
Sockeye escapement through June 28 = 25,241.

It is early to make any run size forecasts for the Skeena. The pre-season forecast that appears in the IFMP is for a run size of 633,000. Using two forecasting methods, early in-season projections put the run at 684,000 or 713,000.

Chinook Gill Net Fishery:
Fishery opened for 30 hrs Jun 24-25.
135 gill nets caught 746 chinook. That is the lowest chinook catch for this fishery, when comparing to previous years catches. No further chinook gill net fishery is being planned unless the run size increases significantly.

Tyee test indices:
(to June 28) 2010 index 2000s average 90s average
Chinook 72.03 128.09 102.77
Currently too early for other species, but they will appear in this table in future weekly updates.

Area 3 / 4 Chatham Sound and the Skeena River non-tidal Recreational Creel Surveys are both underway, and preliminary numbers will appear in future weekly updates.

Area 6
Douglas Channel (6-1) scheduled to open for gill nets Jul 12.

Area 8
Area 8 opened for gill net Atnarko Chinook on May 31 as scheduled, and also fished for one day the second week, on June 7. Chinook catches indicated a below average run, with a predicted escapement of about 13,000. There was no fishery on the third week, and then the chum fishery was opened, with chinook retention, on Jun 21 for one day, and again on Jun 28 for one day. Chum catches to date have been poor. Approximately 40 gn vessels have been operating in Area 8.


North Coast Troll
Troll opened on the north coast for Chinook and pink salmon on June 15, as scheduled. Estimated catch to date is about 29,000, out of a troll TAC of 107,100. There are 122 troll vessels hailed out. A gear count on opening day by the FPV Arrow Post counted 88 trollers operating.

The first troll DNA sampling (June 15 – 19) indicated that WCVI made up 2.2% of the catch, Skeena 1.4%, and Nass 0.6%.

Sockeye, coho, and chum are closed.

Coho on the A-B line open on July 1, as scheduled.