Tuesday, August 17, 2010

North Coast DFO Update to Aug.17th, 2010

Here is the latest DFO North Coast Salmon Update to Aug.17, 2010.
Information courtesy of DFO North Coast, Prince Rupert office.


North Coast Salmon Update – Tuesday, Aug 17, 2010
Please note that in-season updates always deal in preliminary numbers. Usually these change somewhat upon receipt and analysis of all the data.

Areas 1 & 2
All key pink producers on Haida Gwaii have now been covered by either air or ground surveys. Escapement build-ups in front of streams appear to be as anticipated, with no surpluses observed at this time. Currently stream levels are very low, so very little actual escapement has occurred.

Area 3
From Nisga’a Lisims Government – Fish and Wildlife Department:
The TRTC estimate being used by Nisga’a Fisheries for Nass sockeye is ~357,000 (Min/Max ranges: 336,000, 409,000).

The TRTC estimate for Nass Chinook is 14,600 (Min/Max ranges: 14,000, 15,000).

The in-season TRTC estimate being used by Nisga’a Fisheries for Nass coho is ~379,000 (Min/Max ranges: 251,000, 727,000).

The GW catch (1,222 vs. 4,600 mean) of pink is well below average.

The GW catch (20 vs. 30 mean) of chum is below average.

The run size projection for Nass summer-run steelhead to GW to date is 10,000 (95% CI: 5,000, 15,000).

Area 4
Estimated sockeye escapement through August 15 = 875,775.
Skeena sockeye aggregate run size annual forecast has now dropped to 919,510.

Management Action: In accordance with the IFMP, the recreational daily limit on the Skeena mainstem for sockeye is being reduced from 2/day to 1/day.

Tyee test indices:
(to August 16).....2010 index.....2000s average......90s average
Chinook............179.44...........287.48.............220.59
Coho...............26.90............34.50..............22.73
Pink...............240.32...........339.75.............349.10..(even year averages)
Chum...............14.09............23.29..............30.73
Steelhead..........128.76...........79.45..............68.05

Area 3 / 4 Creel Survey – July summary
................2010..............2009................2008
Chinook........2643...............4191................3080
Coho...........14143.............18927................15982

Effort:
Weekday.........2528..............2580.................2725
Weekend.........1180..............1345.................1025
Ttl effort:.....3708 Boat trips...3925 Boat trips......3750 Boat trips

2010 Skeena Coho
Creel survey CPUE's, Tyee test fishery index and Toboggan Creek CWT's are all in agreement: not abundant like 2009 but not a conservation concern.

From Gitanyow Fisheries Authority:
The Kitwanga River Salmon Enumeration Facility has been in operation since July 7th, 2010 under lower than normal water conditions. Total salmon counts to the night of August 15th, 2010 are as follows:
• • Sockeye = 6,209 (including 81 hatchery)
• • Chinook = 102 (+16 jacks)
• • Pink = 4
• • Chum = 1
• • Coho = 18 (including 4 CWT)
Sockeye escapement to the Kitwanga River continues to increase at an impressive rate. To date we have counted 6,128 wild and 81 hatchery sockeye through the fence, this escapement is the highest observed to the day since counts were initiated in 2003. This year’s escapement compares to a previous maximum observed to the day of 2,015 in 2003, which resulted in an overall escapement of 3,377 and the minimum observed to the day of 103 in 2007, which resulted in an overall estimated escapement of 245 for the year. Presently, hatchery fish make up 1.3 % of the total return for 2010. Based on these preliminary results it appears that hatchery fish may have had a slightly higher survival rate then wild fish given that the total hatchery smolt output in 2008 was only 1.2%.

Chinook escapement to the Kitwanga River for 2010 to the day is 102, which is the lowest observed since counts were initiated in 2003. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 2,738 in 2007, which resulted in an overall escapement of 3,225 and the previous minimum observed to the day of 508 in 2009, which resulted in an overall escapement of 824 for the year.

To date we have only counted 4 pink and 1 chum salmon through the KSEF. In previous years pinks show-up between July 22nd (2006) and August 6th (2008) and chum between July 28th (2005) and August 21st (2006).

Coho escapement to the Kitwanga River for 2010 to the day is 18. Four of the 18 coho were adipose clipped indicating they had been implanted with a Coded Wire Tag (CWT) during our smolt program. This year’s escapement compares to a maximum observed to the day of 118 in 2009, which resulted in an overall escapement of 12,080 and the minimum observed to the day of 0 in 2006, which resulted in an overall escapement of 2566 for the year.

Areas 6, 7, & 8
Monitoring of Central Coast salmon returns is underway. No surpluses identified at this time.

On August 16, the recreational chum salmon fishery on Bella Coola and Atnarko Rivers closed due to low run size.

Area 10
Docee Fence - Comparative sockeye and coho counts to August 16:
................Sockeye.........Coho
2010 -.......38,442..........5235
2009 -.......18,210..........4617
2008 -.......16,380..........3606
2007 -.......19,951..........1292
2006 -.......26,259..........2549
2005 -.......14,797........14,152
2004 -.......7,814...........6072


North Coast Troll
The total number of WCVI chinook harvested to date indicates a total of 2,700 pieces (against the 2,600 allowance) based upon our most recent DNA results over the period July 6 to 26 at 5.2% and weighted against the projected chinook catch to August 5th. This total is a current estimate only and will be subject to retroactive change based upon the receipt of further sample results.

Area F Chinook TAC summary:

DFO owned licences (ATP, PICFI, etc) 20 licenses – 7,540 chinook
Total Chinook validated to date – 90,092 Chinook
Total catch plus DFO owned = 97,632.

There are 10 licences that have no validations nor reallocations made (4,726 chinook).

The total projected troll catch of coho suggests an approximate harvest of just under 76,000 pieces.

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