Fishery Notice

Mid Vancouver Island Chum Update (Areas 14 to 19)

AREA ESCAPEMENT AND UPDATES:

Area 14

Escapement estimates to date are as follows:

Puntledge River, October 7 - 4500 Chum - Target Escapement 60,000.
Big Qualicum River, October 2 - 6 Chum - Target Escapement 85,000.
Little Qualicum River, October 9 - 57 Chum - Target Escapement 85,000.

Due to low pre-season forecast levels of abundance, in-river escapement targets would need to be almost achieved (70% of Puntledge, 75% of Little Qualicum and of Big Qualicum), before commercial fishing opportunities would be considered.

At this time full fleet commercial fishing opportunities are not anticipated in the upcoming week as the observed escapement needs to be at least 70-75% of the target before fisheries will be considered. An Area D gill net assessment fishery may be conducted this season (FN0906) to collect in-season run size information for mid-Vancouver Island Chum.

Areas 15 and 16

Escapement estimates and observations to date are as follows:

Theodosia River, October 7 - 3120 Chum
Sliammon Creek, October 7 - 221 Chum - Target Escapement 11,000.
Lang Creek, October 7 - 843 Chum
Englishman River, October 7 - 31 Chum
Anderson Creek, October 2 - 11 Chum

Helicopter surveys for Chum in Jervis and Narrows Inlets will begin in October. The target escapement for the Jervis/Narrows aggregate is 85,000.

Commercial fishing opportunities are not expected in 2024 due to low pre-season forecast levels of abundance.

Areas 17, 18, and 19

Escapement estimates to date are as follows:

Nanaimo River, October 9 - 2189 Chum - Target Escapement 40,000.
Cowichan River, October 9 - 15 Chum fence count- Target Escapement 160,000.
Goldstream River, October 8 - 0 Chum - Target Escapement 15,000.
Sooke River, October 7 - 1485 Chum

Didson counters will be installed and operational on the Nanaimo and Cowichan Rivers and bi-weekly stream surveys will be conducted on the Goldstream River this upcoming season.

Demonstration fishery triggers in Areas 17-19 are a combination of the escapement estimate and run timing. At this time benchmarks have not been reached in these areas.

The 24 hour toll-free phone-in line for fisheries notices is 1-866-431-3474.

The next Mid Vancouver Island Chum Update will be October 17, 2024.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Please contact Andrea Haas (Andrea.Haas@dfo-mpo.gc.ca), Madeline Wanless (Madeline.Wanless@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or Teagan Wardrop (Teagan.Wardrop@dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1057
Sent October 10, 2024 at 1518

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Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on October 28, 2024 at 0324