2017 Bamfield and Barkley Sound Reports

Stunning weekend, weather and wind wise.
As a bonus, I didn't have to clean my cooler when I got home!
 
Some news came in from the Goldstream river near Victoria.
It shows a 90% decline in the last 5 years of returning spawning salmon.
https://victoriabuzz.com/2017/11/goldstream-salmon-run-experiencing-historically-low-numbers/
Only validate what I've been saying all season long that there is a problem with the stock.
We can only hope that this is only a temporary low and that the fishery will rebound in the future.
I still think that blocking river access to spawning fish is an extremely bad idea. My 2 cents....
 
This is a maybe a long shot but could be a possibility? That tanker flipped in 2011 spilling 43,000 litres of gasoline and 700 litres of diesel in to that stream. If the line share of the chum that return there are 5 year returns that could explain the huge decent in numbers 5 years later. I know the returns are 3-5 year for chum typically. Then after that for several years the gravel beds could be contaminated causing low survival rates. That was a huge mess.

Article----> http://www.timescolonist.com/news/l...-2011-fuel-spill-in-goldstream-river-1.694559
 
The rivers need to be sacred net fishing them is a no brainer way to kill returns. Or huge seiner openings in canals right in front of river mouths, anywhere the fish are condensed net fisheries should not be permitted IMO. Hay bales off the bridge :)
 
This is a maybe a long shot but could be a possibility? That tanker flipped in 2011 spilling 43,000 litres of gasoline and 700 litres of diesel in to that stream. If the line share of the chum that return there are 5 year returns that could explain the huge decent in numbers 5 years later. I know the returns are 3-5 year for chum typically. Then after that for several years the gravel beds could be contaminated causing low survival rates. That was a huge mess.

Article----> http://www.timescolonist.com/news/l...-2011-fuel-spill-in-goldstream-river-1.694559

I thought this way too....but. Locally every stream and river has seen a drop in fish activity since Saanich inlet chum fishery was opened within the Mill Bay area. We are seeing not just a reduction in chum but almost none at all downstream from that fishery. Also belief is they may have intercepted coho as well. For example before it opened we saw a fair bit of coho. It opened and then zero. Goldstream has almost none!

The issue is we had really not a lot of rain in this area when the fishery was happening. There was few pushes and then it went dry and then cold. That meant instead of fish darting up river they stayed in inlet between those areas of separation point, narrows and the bay. Anything coming to Goldstream or elsewhere would have been intercepted. I admit chum is down but we are looking at 75%+ drop in usually run size. That to me is weird. It isn't just Goldstream that is having the issue. Cowichan also has large unusual drop in chums and cohos. DFO really needs to answer why it opened that chum fishery up when it knew it had an issue within Cowichan , Mill Bay area and Goldstream. It is frankly unacceptable, and if Goldstream can't get its broodstock for Coho and chum someone at DFO needs to be accountable.

If Goldstream cant produce broodstock that will also affect Craigflower stream (Victoria area). That project pulls coho from Goldstream when they are low. I think the entire thing stinks if you ask me. Anyway sorry for talking about it on the wrong thread but thought I would share info since you guys mentioned it...
 
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