Fishery Notice

The Fraser River Panel met on Friday, September 11th, to receive another update 
on the migration of the Fraser sockeye and pink runs to date and review the 
status of migration conditions within the Fraser River watershed.

The marine test fisheries were terminated on September 8th and as such there is 
no additional information on marine migration for sockeye or pink salmon at 
this time.  Sockeye migration into the Fraser River has fluctuated in recent 
days with daily estimates ranging between 8,000 and 21,600.

The most recent DNA samples taken in the lower Fraser gillnet test fisheries 
show sockeye stock compositions of 0 to 3% Early Summers, 61 to 86% Summer runs 
and 11 to 39% Late run stocks. The last stock compositions from the Johnstone 
Strait test fishery showed equal proportions of Summer and Late run sockeye.

During the Panel call today, there were no changes made to the run sizes for 
any of the sockeye run timing groups or the pink salmon run size.  The number 
of Early Summer, Summer and late run sockeye estimated to have passed Mission 
through September 10th is 348,100, 1,398,700 and 140,700 respectively.

Daily pink escapements into the Fraser River have been estimated using the 
Mission hydro-acoustics and species composition information from the in-river 
gillnet test fisheries. Earlier in the week daily estimates past Mission 
approached 600,000 pink salmon but have recently declined to 117,000 on 
September 10th. The total estimate of Fraser pink salmon past Mission to date 
is approximately 4.3 million.

First Nations food, social and ceremonial (FSC) fisheries in marine areas and 
the Fraser River mainstem up to French Bar Creek remain closed to sockeye 
retention at this time. At the current run sizes there will be no sockeye 
directed FSC fisheries in non-terminal areas for the remainder of the season. 
FSC fisheries upstream of French Bar Creek remain open to sockeye retention at 
this time however effort is declining significantly in recent days.

Fishers are requested to check for the opening times and any restrictions in 
their local area. There are no planned commercial or recreational fisheries on 
sockeye at this time. 

The Area B seine assessment ITQ fishery for pink salmon in portions of Area 29 
with non-retention sockeye was closed on September 10th at 16:00hrs due to poor 
catches of pink salmon. No additional commercial opportunities are expected at 
this time unless the abundance of pink salmon increases significantly.

A decision will be made on Monday, September 14th whether a future meeting of 
the Fraser Panel is required.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Jennifer Nener 604-666-6478

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1026
Sent September 11, 2015 at 1556

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