MOE Update to July 17, 2011

Here is the first Ministry of Environment Update for 2011. Information copyright/courtesy of Ministry of Environment, Smithers.

Please find, attached, the Skeena Update to July 18th, 2011. This file contains the Tyee Test Fishery generated Skeena River summer steelhead index to July 17th, including daily, cumulative and escapement estimate figures, in addition to a summary table showing cumulative index data since 1998, overall and decadal averages, et cetera.

Moricetown (Bulkley-Morice) steelhead abundance estimates have been delayed due to high water.

The Upper Sustut River Enumeration Weir counts will commence on August 1^st.

The Department of Fisheries and Ocean’s pre-season forecast of 1.66 million sockeye for the Skeena River has been increased to 1.86 million as a result of Tyee Test Fishery sockeye catches to date.

Commercial fishing activity to date can be found in the attached: Commercial Openings 2011. A 6 day/week seine ITQ fishery began on July 15^th; , which equates to 300 sockeye/license for the first week of this fishery.