Skeena sockeye 2010

As we know from the IFMP, the Skeena sockeye forecast is below threshold for commercial fisheries to take place....again. This very preliminary update copied below shows this still to be the case.
This presents very mixed feelings, as from a steelhead perspective no commercial fishing for sockeye in Skeena is highly beneficial. However, some thought must be given to the people who rely on the fishery for their livelihood.
No commercial fishery would also preclude the inland First Nations selective fishery which we attempted to support in 2008 by advertising the sale of their sustainably caught smoked fish.




The closure has also effected the sportfishery for sockeye which is being closed. This new regulation seems oriented at aligning the sport/commercial sectors in the management hierarchy. Remember, after conservation and First Nations SFC rights, both the sport and commercial sectors are supposed to be managed equally. And due to commercial and First Nation concern over this topic, theinland sockeye sportfishery regulations have been changed.

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.