North Coast Update to July 06, 2010

Here is the latest North Coast Update. Information courtesy of DFO Prince Rupert.


North Coast Salmon Update – Tuesday, Jul 6, 2010
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 & 2
Estimated recreational Chinook catch to end of June: 10,600 (last year 11,250).
Estimated coho catch: 3,780 (last year 7,300).

Area 3
Tree Point catches to Week 27 (This is an Alaskan gill net fishery that catches sockeye bound for the Nass River)
Sockeye 10,000 – 10 year average 16,655.
Chum 40.000 – 10 year average 23,061

The pre-season Nass River forecast was for a return of 648,000. The average of the two forecasting methods used in-season currently puts the run size at 587,000.

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........12647..........0.......40.....909........123

Jun 29.....216.........9649.........0......177.....1891........92

Jul 5......228........6953..........0.....1893....2521.........43

Jul 6 228

Ttl.....................37,872......0......2158....5632........625

Comparison GN fleet counts:
2009...........2008..........2007..........2006.............2005...........2004
Jul 6 – 264...Jul 7 – 174...Jul 8 – 314....Jul 5 – 369.....Jul 5 – 310....Jul 6- 313

From Nisga’a Lisims Government – Fish and Wildlife Department:

Latest Nass run size estimates to GW fishwheels to 4 July:
Sockeye=62,600 (94-09 mean=81,000)
Chinook=7,200 (94-09 mean=16,800)
This is the currently the lowest chinook escapement past the fishwheels since they started operating in 1994.

Area 3 expected fishing pattern:

The seine fishery is scheduled to begin on July 12. There will likely be a gill net and seine fishery in Management Area 3 on July 12 and probably on the 13th as well. Of concern is the incidental catch of chinook and chum. Although chum retention and possession is closed in 3-12, in the remaining approximately half of the open area (3-7) retention remains possible. Fishers are advised to release vigorous, healthy chum to the water, but are able to keep injured or dead chum. Retention of all species is being reviewed and changes may be implemented depending on run strengths and release success.

During the third week of July Area 3 may be kept closed to allow for non-Meziadin stocks to migrate through the fishing area. Fishing opportunities will be assessed on an on-going basis.

Area 4
Sockeye escapement through July 5 = 86,611.

The pre-season forecast is for a run size of 633,000. The average of the two methods used in-season predict a run size of 945,000.

No management actions are planned at this time.

Tyee test indices:
(to July 5) 2010 index 2000s average 90s average
Chinook 103.78 175.85 141.64
Coho 0.00 0.05 0.03
Pink 0.00 0.29 0.03
Chum 0.22 0.02 0.03
Steelhead 1.12 0.69 1.93

Other than Chinook, the other species indices are largely meaningless at this time, but they are included for completeness of this report.

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
Atnarko Chinook will likely see 14,000 escapement.

Area 8 opened for gill net on July 5. Preliminary catches:

BCGNA - 32 vessels operating estimated catch 226 chum and 262 chinook.
Fisher/Fitz - 10 vessels – catches still being collected


North Coast Troll
Estimated catch of just over 35,000 Chinook out of a TAC of 101,700. Last overflight gear count saw 63 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.

Regular coho fishery is scheduled to open July 22.