Fishery Notice

The Fraser River Panel met Tuesday, September 4, to receive an update on the 
migration of the Fraser Sockeye runs to date and review the status of migration 
conditions in the Fraser River watershed.	

Purse Seine test fishery catches in both Areas 12 and 20 remained at low levels 
for the past several days with Area 12 having catches in the 500 to 600 fish 
per day for the last two days. Area 20 catches have been below 20 sockeye for 
the most recent four days of testing. This has resulted in an increase in the 
diversion rate to 94% based on the most recent 5 day average of catch in the 
Area 20 and 12 purse seine test fisheries. The Area 20 test fishery is being 
terminated on September 5. Stock identification samples from the most recent 
Area 12 purse seine test fishery was comprised of 28% Summer run and 72% Late 
Run stocks. No Early Summers were present in this sample. 

Gill net test fishery catches in the Fraser River have been steady for the past 
several days with Whonnock catches fluctuating between 61 on august 31 and 27 
on September 3. Cottonwood catches have also fluctuated but at slightly higher 
levels from 56 on August 31 to 96 on September 3. Daily Mission escapement 
estimates have increased from 26,000 on August 30 to between 30,300 and 41,800 
over the last 4 days. The estimated total Sockeye escapement past Mission to 
September 3 is 3,698,800. This is comprised of 121,400 Early Stuarts, 1,094,000 
Early Summers, 1,992,800 Summers and 490,600 Late run fish. Stock 
identification analyses from recent samples taken in the lower Fraser River 
indicate that Early Summers have dropped to 9% of the stock composition while 
Summers decreased to 42% and Lates increased to 48% in the most recent below 
Bridge sample. Within the Early Summer run group the later timed South Thompson 
Early Summer stocks continue to be the dominant stock while the Summer run 
timing group are primarily Chilko/Quesnel with lower proportions of Late 
Stuart/Stellako and Raft/North Thompson. The current estimate for holding Late 
Run fish is approximately 1.6 to 2.2 million fish.

Pre-season the Fraser Panel adopted management adjustments(MA) for Early Stuart 
based on the historical median for all years, Early Summer based on the 
historical median for dominant years only (2018 cycle) and Summer run Sockeye 
based on the historical median for all years. Model predicted management 
adjustments based on the water discharge and temperature predictions were not 
adopted largely due to the high degree of uncertainty in the temperature 
forecasts and run timing. Management adjustments are additional fish that are 
removed from identified harvest levels and allowed to escape upstream in an 
attempt to assist in achievement of identified escapement objectives for the 
different run timing groups. In-season information over the coming weeks will 
help to inform future decisions on management adjustments for the Early Summer, 
Summer and Late run management groups while the Early Stuart management group 
continues to be managed based on the Low Abundance Exploitation Rate (LAER) of 
10%. It is anticipated the Early Stuart Sockeye return will result in a 
spawning escapement being below goal.

The observed water temperature at Qualark on September 3 was 16.9° Celsius 
which is 0.4° Celsius above average for this date.  The Fraser River discharge 
at Hope on September 3 was 1,782 cubic meters per second which is 27% below the 
average discharge for this date.

During the Panel meeting today there were no changes made to run size or 
Management Adjustment for any of the run timing groups. 

The sixth spawning ground report was released on August 30.  The Scotch Creek 
counting fence was operational on August 9 with 62,652 sockeye enumerated to 
date, the majority of which being in good condition. Some fish had net marks 
and wounds. The Eagle River Hydroacoustic site was operational on August 10 
with 120,016 fish having been estimated to have passed the site to date.  The 
Nadina Spawning Channel operations continue to be influenced by forest fire in 
the immediate area. Water has been turned on in the channel and about 15,000 
fish have entered the spawning channel at this time.  The Stellako River 
hydroacoustic site was operational on August 1 with a total of 177,733 sockeye 
estimated to have passed to date. The majority of these fish would be Nadina 
sockeye at this time. Sockeye have recently been observed in Gates Creek with 
loading of the spawning channel expected to begin on August 30. The Chilko 
River hydroacoustics site was operational on August 3 with a total of 170,851 
sockeye estimated to date. In the Quesnel River the hydroacoustics site was 
operational on August 7 with 401,623 sockeye estimated to date. The counting 
fence at Sweltzer Creek was installed on July 31 and 14 Sockeye have been 
counted into Cultus Lake to date. 

Currently, First Nations food, social and ceremonial (FSC) and Economic 
Opportunity Sockeye fisheries are winding down in Marine areas and the lower 
Fraser River.  First Nation 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. 

Retention of sockeye in marine and in-river recreational fisheries began on 
August 1 and 7 respectively. Commercial fisheries for Areas B and H are 
scheduled to close today. All other commercial fishing areas are currently 
closed. 

US commercial fisheries are now complete unless run size increases above the 
current adopted levels. 

The next Panel meeting will be on Friday, September 7 at 11am.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0943
Sent September 4, 2018 at 1610

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on February 17, 2026 at 0945