More on Skeena Chinook

Here is the latest Fishery Notice updating the situation with Skeena chinook. Obviously, DFO North Coast have noticed the Tyee Index is lower than last year and the decade average and they are hesitant to allow the second gillnet opening in Skeena with such low numbers.

Or are they? Remember, today and tomorrow are openings for gillnetters in Area 3 Nass....so maybe DFO is just following the historic commercial fishing timetable rather than anything to do with fish returns. As per history, you cant have a Skeena gillnet opening while all the gillnetters are up in the Nass....and having two openings at once would just confuse the poor gillnetters who wouldnt know which opening to attend.
So, DFO saves them the trouble and staggers the openings to allow the fleet to fully participate in each opening. At least thats how it looks from the outsider view. We'll see if DFO sticks with the precautionary approach in not allowing another Skeena chinook opening (like last year) or whether they roll the dice and allow the second opening.

Gillnetters will be catching chinook either way...as chinook are only on voluntary release in Area 3...and we see in the Catch Reports how many chinook are being released lately....0.

Category(s):
COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
 Subject: FN0516-COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net - Area C - Area 4 - Update
         
Area 4:

Assessment of Skeena Chinook run size continues. Cumulative Tyee Test Fishery
index to June 26 is 46.71. On the same date in 2010 the cumulative index was
61.91 and the decadal average was 115.40.