Predictions seem to be correct.

capt hook

Well-Known Member
The Alaska Department of Fish & Game reports that trollers landed a total of 55,000 kings between October and April, which is their best season since 2005.

But it was that last week of April that re-wrote the record books.

Pattie Skannes is a troll fish management biologist for the state.

“It was impressive to see. Right now, 12,500 fish were harvested during the last full week of this year’s fishery. That’s higher than anything we’ve seen going back to ‘86.”

The winter troll fishery became its own established season in 1981.
The guideline harvest level for the fishery was 47,000 kings. It’s not certain at the moment if that target has been exceeded, since fish produced in Alaska’s hatcheries don’t count against that total.

Skannes says that salmon abundance is so high this year that exceeding the harvest level in the winter is not likely to affect summer fishing.

“I think we’ll be looking at a couple of long openings in July and August. July is likely to be two weeks — maybe three. I don’t think we’ll be hearing too many people bemoaning the fact that we caught a few extra in the winter, if that happens.”

Prices for kings also hit a record this year, averaging over $10 per pound for 2-and-a-half months. Toward the end of the winter fishery, that dropped to around $6 per pound. Averaged over the season, the winter king salmon fishery this year was worth $4.7-million.

Spring fishing opened on May 1, but Skannes says the spring fishery is not an extension of winter fishing. The boundaries shift to inside waters to target salmon returning to the region’s hatcheries.

Skannes says many trollers use the spring to stand down.

“Usually what we see in the spring, at least in the first couple of weeks is a drop in effort and harvest. People usually use the time to do some boat work. Regroup. We’ll get some people venturing out, testing it out, but generally it doesn’t roll right from winter into spring. It will gradually build. Late in May we’ll start seeing a good amount of effort, and the harvest will pick up.

Commercial trollers are allocated the lion’s share of king salmon. They’ll land over 325,000 kings by the end of the summer season. All other gear groups, including sport fishermen, will land about 110,000 fish.

All told, this is about a quarter-million more king salmon this year than last.

One question mark for the fishery is size. Skannes says this year’s winter kings averaged one-pound lighter than fish caught over the last five years. They were one-and-a-half pounds lighter than fish caught over the last ten years.

No one is sure exactly why it’s happening.

“We’ve seen a trend toward decreasing size over a number of years recently. The reasons? There’s speculation about all sorts of reasons.”

Skannes say research biologists are studying the question. There’s evidence that the fish are maturing sooner, and returning to spawn before reaching larger sizes.
 
I just vomited in my mouth. I'm not against commercial fisheries especially species specific ones but my god those boys sort through the fish
 
Commercial trollers are allocated the lion’s share of king salmon. They’ll land over 325,000 kings by the end of the summer season. All other gear groups, including sport fishermen, will land about 110,000 fish.

Sounds like greed to me.
 
No, not greed. They are just trying to make a living like everyone else. THEY dont make the rules... ADFG does. Lets hope this statement is right, however.............. Skannes says that salmon abundance is so high this year that exceeding the harvest level in the winter is not likely to affect summer fishing.
 
Does anyone know which country puts more fish in the water through hatchery programs??
I,m thinking Alaska and Washington and Oregon probably spend more money and put more hatchery fish back than BC.
Is this correct?
 
Compared to the hatchery effort of Washington and Oregon B.C.'s contribution is laughable.
Does anyone know which country puts more fish in the water through hatchery programs??
I,m thinking Alaska and Washington and Oregon probably spend more money and put more hatchery fish back than BC.
Is this correct?
 
The hatchery budget on the Columbia alone eclipses the entire DFO budget for BC...go talk to your MP. DFO is so grossly underfunded it is shameful. The guys can't lift a pencil without first filling out a 10 page form justifying the lead they will use in the pencil. Harper needs a reality check in the next election...maybe if they didn't elect any Conservative MP's in BC that might get them to wake up.
 
DFO is like the Coast Guard , useless , and needs a total overhaul.
The Coast guard has books of rules and regs as to whether or not a diver can enter a sinking boat while they hear children screaming. So they dont go and let them drown. They have volumes of red tape that make them defunct useless.
DFO is now the same , simple things and reasonable things that anyone with a pea for a brain knows needs to be done , will never happen.
Just go into the offices and see how many people are employed pushing paper, and then if you reallllly want a mind blower , go to Ottawa and see all the lawyers who do not even know where the west coast is and all are busy , making paper. thousands of them. Seriously ... thousands of them.
But the Norweigans got more salmon farms after the Cohen report spent 26 million and said no more.
We could put in one or two hatcheries with big red springs around the lower gulf , Indian River or Squamish and create a huge industry and put us on the map , but try to convince a lawyer from ottawa that does not know a Chinook from a tadpole.
rant ...lol ,,,, dont get me going!!!
 
more hatcheries and more hatchery fish do not = more sustainable wild salmon populations. While many hathcery / enhancement projects have contributed greatly to the fisheries we now enjoy they do come at a cost that experts feel in much higher than previously thought. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next 5-10 years as I have a feeling hatcheries as we know them will not been seen as THE solution to our problems of poor salmon populations.
 
There is 106 seats in Ontario. http://www.parl.gc.ca/parlinfo/list...&Section=03d93c58-f843-49b3-9653-84275c23f3fb

This has and always will away be the problem for us and Alberta and Saskatchewan. Our resources keep Canada going, and we all are not thanked very much. The money is taking way and extracted to what Ontario and east wants. Why do you think there is no money for teachers and healthcare?

That is why they can cut back,and screw us around here... Even if everyone voted no to conservative it wouldn't make much difference. Think of how rich our provinces could be without the rest of Canada. DFO is not the real problem your problem lies with the current prime minister and the party mandate. But now if there is a switch of power you likely will see whoever get in continue the same path.

This government has figured out to sell off our resources quietly...Keep following the news. You think those companies in Fort Mac are Canada. No a lot are Chinese and other foreign investors! Think about that when you sob at the pump when you fill your truck.

My belief unfortunately to get this sport fishing industry to survive we need to go at it alone to support net pen, hatcheries and stream enhancement activities as a sport fishing group, and forget about the government. IE We get the salmon back so we can catch them. People have to get involved and open there wallets...The days of government funding are over I am afraid...I am with you its sad but this is the reality we have right now. Each of you should at least donate something to your own Salmon enhancement each year or volunteer. That's really what we need or more of that, and not waiting around for the magic hand of money. In perspective just myself alone I donate a lot of my own money from my company in these fundraisers every year plus volunteer hours. At least I know that my money goes to something and the people directly. I don't see enough of that unfortunately amongst others... Just my 2 cents.

Don't blame DFO on our coast most are great group of guys. Its just the guys out east that are real problem..
 
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Predicitions

more hatcheries and more hatchery fish do not = more sustainable wild salmon populations. While many hathcery / enhancement projects have contributed greatly to the fisheries we now enjoy they do come at a cost that experts feel in much higher than previously thought. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next 5-10 years as I have a feeling hatcheries as we know them will not been seen as THE solution to our problems of poor salmon populations.

I'm wondering in a few years whether you will be able to distinguish a wild salmon from a from hatchery stock. Recently listened to salmon society group largely funded through stamps and take away from that discussion was there was no longer any funding available to clip smolts . Bottom line all smolts released unclipped.
 
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