Fishery Notice

The Fraser River Panel met Monday, August 30, to receive an update on the migration of the Fraser Sockeye and Pink salmon runs to date and review the status of migration conditions in the Fraser River watershed.

Sockeye and Pink catches in the Area 12 purse seine test fishery have declined and continue to fluctuate over the last 3 days with Sockeye catches ranging from 89 to 532 and Pink catches ranging from 401 to 1,879. Sockeye and Pink catches in the Area 20 purse seine test fishery have been variable but declining in the last 3 days as well with Sockeye catches ranging from 5 to 20 and Pink catches ranging from 594 to 1,473. There were no weather-related issues noted with either the Area 12 or Area 20 purse seine test fisheries over the last 3 days. Gill net test fishing catches of Sockeye at Cottonwood have declined over the last 3 days, with a low of 3 Sockeye caught on August 28. Sockeye catches at Whonnock have declined slightly but still remain modest overall with catches ranging from 29 to 34 Sockeye over the last 3 days. Pink catches in river have declined slightly in the last 3 days with catches of 21 at both Cottonwood and Whonnock on August 29.

The most recent Sockeye DNA samples from the marine area test fisheries indicated that between 0% and 1% are Early Summer run stocks, between 52% and 83% are Summer run stocks, and between 15% and 48% are Late run stocks. The most recent DNA samples from Cottonwood and Whonnock gill net test fisheries indicated that between 0% and 3% are Early Summer run stocks, between 64% and 83% are Summer run stocks, and between 17% and 35% are Late run stocks. The current 5 day average Sockeye diversion rate through Johnstone Strait is estimated to be 86% based on information from the purse seine test fisheries.

The most recent Pink DNA samples from the Area 12 and Area 20 purse seine test fisheries indicated that the Fraser River Pink salmon contributions have increased in Area 12 from 54% to 63% and in Area 20 from 45% to 64% from previous samples. While it is still early in the migration, the current 5 day average Fraser Pink salmon diversion through Johnstone Strait is estimated to be 23%.
  
The total Sockeye escapement at Mission to August 29 is estimated to be 1,488,100 of which 69,200 are Early Stuart Sockeye, 107,600 are Early Summer run stocks, 1,204,900 are Summer run stocks and 106,400 are Late run stocks. The total Pink escapement at Mission to August 26 is estimated to be 1,006,800. 

During the Panel call today the run size for Early Stuart Sockeye remained unchanged at 69,000 with an Area 20 peak timing of July 5, the run size for Early Summer run Sockeye also remained unchanged at 115,000 with an Area 20 peak timing of August 4 and the run size for Summer run Sockeye remained unchanged at 1,350,000 and an Area 20 peak timing of August 12. As a reminder there is no TAC for Early Stuart, Early Summer run, and Summer run Sockeye at these run sizes. The run size of Late run Sockeye was increased during the Panel call today from the pre-season forecast of 159,000 Sockeye to 234,000 Sockeye with an Area 20 peak timing of August 16.  At this run size for Lates there is no TAC available.

During the Panel call today the run size of Fraser River Pink salmon was increased to 5,700,000 Pinks with an Area 20 peak timing of August 18. At this run size there was an increase to the international TAC and US commercial fishery catches to date have been similar to what was expected. At the Panel meeting today US Pink fisheries were extended in 4b, 5, 6c through until September 4 with non-retention in place for Sockeye. In addition purse seine, gill net and reef net fisheries are planned to open, with fisheries starting August 31 with non-retention Sockeye restrictions in place. For details on US fisheries planned for Panel Area waters refer to the Pacific Salmon Commission Regulatory Announcement from today's Panel meeting. In Canada, Pink salmon First Nations FSC fisheries are being considered with Sockeye non-retention restrictions in place. The Pink run size will continue to be assessed and will be re-evaluated during upcoming Panel meetings. 

Increasing numbers of Chinook and Sockeye salmon continue to migrate above the landslide at Big Bar in the Fraser River upstream of Lillooet, with moderate abundances of Sockeye spawning in their natal streams in the upper Fraser watershed. Recently Pink salmon have been observed passing Big Bar as well. Significant work has occurred over the winter and spring months to further improve passage for fish, combined with robust assessment programs to evaluate passage success, as well as mitigation measures including fish transport and brood stock collection for enhancement purposes. Additional information can be found at the following link: http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pacific-smon-pacifique/big-bar-landslide-eboulement/index-eng.html.

The observed water temperature at Hope on August 29 was 17.6°Celsius which is 0.2°Celsius above average for this date. Water temperatures are forecast to decrease to 16.9°Celsius by September 4. The Fraser River discharge at Hope on August 29 was 2,069 cubic meters per second which is 19% below the average discharge for this date. Discharge levels are forecast to drop to 1,795 cubic meters per second by September 4. 

The fifth spawning ground report of the season was provided by DFO Stock Assessment on August 26. Early Stuart Sockeye are past the peak of die-off and visual surveys of spawning fish are now complete. The counting fence at Scotch Creek was fish-tight and operational as of August 4, and 4,089 Sockeye has passed through the fence to date. Cyclic visual surveys of Early Summer run populations in the North and South Thompson Rivers began August 16 with Sockeye observed as primarily holding to date. Visual surveys have been conducted in the Lower Fraser watershed with Sockeye in the upper Chilliwack River reported to be in or past peak of spawn while Sockeye in the Nahatlatch River are primarily holding. The Nadina River and Stellako River hydroacoustic sites were operational on July 24 and July 25, respectively. To August 21, 4,253 Sockeye have been enumerated at the Nadina site and 7,528 Sockeye have been recorded at the Stellako site to August 24. The first visual survey of Gates Creek was conducted on August 21 with Sockeye observed off the mouth of the creek holding in Anderson Lake. The Quesnel and Chilko hyrdroacoustic sites have been operational since August 5 and 6, respectively. To August 24 a total of 4,466 Sockeye have been recorded at the Quesnel site and 18,523 at the Chilko site to August 24. The Birkenhead River hydroacoustic site was operational on August 20 and 132 Sockeye have been estimated past the sonar site through August 23. The Cultus Lake fence was installed on July 26 and 1 Sockeye has been manually counted through the fence or passively recorded on video to August 22. The water temperature in Sweltzer Creek is 25°Celsius.  

First Nations food, social and ceremonial (FSC) Sockeye fisheries have been closed to Sockeye retention to date as there is no identified TAC for any Fraser management group. A limited Sockeye directed FSC fishery has been licenced in the Chilcotin watershed due to the strong return of Chilko Sockeye. Expectations are for a spawning escapement to the Chilko River that exceeds the Wild Salmon Policy upper benchmark by a considerable amount. The fishery and run size information will be reviewed regularly in the coming weeks to ensure management objectives are achieved. In addition another terminal FSC fishery has been licenced in the Stuart River watershed on Late Stuart Sockeye which are returning at a run size which is projected to result in an escapement in excess of 200,000 spawners. This would be one of the largest escapements since 1993 and well above the WSP lower benchmark of 126,400. As a result, a directed Sockeye fishery has been approved and is anticipated to catch less than 5,000 Sockeye. Fishing opportunities directed at Chinook salmon for FSC purposes have occurred to date with non-retention restrictions in place for Sockeye. Recent increases in Pink Salmon abundance in marine areas has resulted in an interest for Pink salmon directed FSC fisheries. As a reminder, all FSC fisheries in the Fraser River with the exception of the Chilcotin and Stuart fisheries currently have non-retention restrictions in place for Sockeye.

FSC fishers in marine approach areas as well as the Fraser River are requested to check for the opening times and any restrictions in their local area. Commercial and recreational fisheries are not anticipated on Fraser River Sockeye in 2021. 

The next in-season meeting of the Fraser River Panel is scheduled to occur on Friday, September 3, 2021.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Regional Salmon Team - DFO Pacific
DFO.PacificSalmonRMT-EGRSaumonduPacifique.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0866
Sent August 30, 2021 at 1616

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on June 27, 2024 at 1130