Fishery Notice

The Fraser River Panel met Friday, September 21, to receive an update on the 
migration of the Fraser Sockeye runs to date.	

Gill net test fishery catches in the Fraser River have decreased significantly 
during the past two days with Whonnock catches decreasing to 37 on September 
20, while Cottonwood dropped to 19 on September 20. The Gulf Troll test fishery 
completed the last survey for the year yesterday with catches of 144, 343 and 3 
compared to 409, 135 and 18 for the previous test period. Daily Mission 
escapement estimates decreased significantly from 145,200 on September 19 to 
24,000 on September 20 suggesting that Late Run fish are holding again. The 
estimated total Sockeye escapement past Mission to September 18 is 4,817,900. 
This is comprised of 121,400 Early Stuarts, 1,131,300 Early Summers, 2,060,700 
Summers and 1,504,500 Late run fish. Recent stock identification samples from 
the Whonnock test fishery indicate a stock composition of 4% Early Summers, 3% 
Summers and 93% Late run fish. The current estimate for holding Late Run fish 
is quite uncertain at this time and is likely between 0.5 and 1.5 million fish.

During the Panel meeting today there were no changes to the run size for Summer 
or Late Run stocks however the proportional management adjustment was reduced 
to 0.04% for Lates based on a slightly later predicted river entry timing based 
on the average of the September 19 and 20 dates. Both the run size and river 
entry date are highly uncertain.  

The ninth spawning ground report was released on September 20.  The Scotch 
Creek counting fence was operational on August 9 with 79,300 sockeye enumerated 
to date. Fish are now past the peak of spawning in Scotch Creek. The Eagle 
River Hydroacoustic site was operational on August 10 with 233,325 fish having 
been estimated to have passed the site to date. Fish are at the peak of die 
off. The Nadina Spawning Channel operations are now back to normal as the fire 
issues have ended. About 26,515 fish have entered the spawning channel at this 
time.  Observations of elevated levels or pre-spawn mortality have been 
reported with increased levels of parasites in the fish in the spawning 
channel. The Stellako River hydroacoustic site was operational on August 1 with 
a total of 178,085 sockeye estimated to have passed as of August 28. The 
majority of these fish would be Nadina sockeye. Sockeye have recently been 
observed in Gates Creek with 1,874 counted into the spawning channel to date. 
Fish are past the peak of spawning.

The Chilko River hydroacoustics site was operational on August 3 with a total 
of 576,353 sockeye estimated to date. Fish are in the early stages of spawning. 
In the Quesnel River the hydroacoustics site was operational on August 7 with 
803,232 sockeye estimated to date. Fish are nearing the peak of spawning. The 
Stellako River hydroacoustics site was operational on August 1 with 141,340 
Stellako sockeye estimated since August 28. 

The hydroacoustics program in the Birkenhead River was operational on August 23 
with 12,163 fish enumerated past the site to date. Fish are reported to be at 
or near the peak of spawning. The counting fence at Sweltzer Creek was 
installed on July 31 and 30 Sockeye have been counted into Cultus Lake to date 
and an additional 11 fish have been captured for hatchery brood stock. 

Currently, First Nations food, social and ceremonial (FSC) and Economic 
Opportunity Sockeye fisheries are nearing completion in Marine areas and the 
lower Fraser River while FSC and commercial demonstration fisheries in the 
interior are ongoing.  First Nation fishers are requested to check for the 
opening times and any restrictions in their local area.

Retention of sockeye in marine recreational fisheries began on August 1 and 
remains open while the in-river fishery in the lower Fraser River is currently 
closed to retention of sockeye. The marine recreational fishery will remain 
open to sockeye retention until further notice but may be closed with 48 hours 
notice in the coming two weeks.

There was a slight increase in the available individual transferable quotas for 
Areas B and H based on today's information.  Please refer to fisheries notices 
for the individual fisheries for further details. 

The next Panel meeting will be on Tuesday, September 25 at 11am.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN1047
Sent September 21, 2018 at 1619

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Printed from the Pacific Region web site on November 13, 2025 at 1829