Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Fishery Notice: Assessment Areas 3,4

The latest Fishery Notice about assessing the Skeena and Nass returns. The section highlighted in red by us sounds like DFO code for " the run is late...we are going to fish heavily into August...."
This adds up to big trouble for steelhead (and depressed Skeena chum)....Time to let DFO know what the public feels about our steelhead getting hammered in 2011.


Category(s):

COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Subject: FN0691-COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net - Area C - Areas 3,4,5 - Assessment

Area 3
Migration of Nass sockeye through marine waters is nearly complete. Sockeye escapements through the Nass fishwheels and to Meziadin are projected to meet target. Assessment of coastal pink streams continues with over-flights scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, August 9. No commercial surplus of pink identified at this time. Next update at 14:00 hours, Thursday, Aug 11.

Area 4
The Skeena sockeye run timing appears to be late. Daily run size forecasts have increased steadily since around July 25. The current run size estimate to August 7th is 2.0 million with a range of 1.8 to 2.5 million. Escapement past the Tyee test fishery is estimated to be 1.3 million.

Under the IFMP, the allowable Canadian commercial exploitation rate at a run size of 2.0 million is 20%. In addition to the aggregate Skeena sockeye commercial exploitation rate limits, management decisions are also informed by the following factors described in the IFMP:

• In recognition of the requirement to protect and rebuild stocks of concern such as late run sockeye and Skeena chum, there will limitations on sockeye harvests in the last week of July and in early August.

• Even if there was a late season determination that increased the sockeye harvest allowance, any potential harvest opportunities will still be restricted because of concerns regarding harvest impacts to late run stocks of concern.


• These measures include non-retention of some species, gear and fishing modifications, and specific timing closures or sockeye harvest rate reductions when weak stocks are present.

Next update at 14:00 hours, Tuesday, Aug 9.



No comments: