update from DFO on the Fraser River 5-2 Chinook Run's

[N2013]

Category(s):
ABORIGINAL - General Information,
COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net,
COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Troll,
RECREATIONAL - Salmon

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0515-Fraser River Spring 5(2) and Summer 5(2) Chinook - Abundance Update June 7, 2017

In 2017, the Department has identified concerns associated with expected poor
returns of Fraser River Spring 5-2 and Summer 5-2 chinook. Management of these
stocks is based on an in-season assessment of returns using the cumulative
catch per unit effort (CPUE) of chinook caught at the Albion Test Fishery. A
three zone management approach is used to identify management actions.

The Department initiated the 2017 season with management actions based on the
lowest management zone (zone 1) given uncertainties in expected marine survival
rate, and recent years of poor returns for these stock aggregates.

The model used to predict the return of Fraser River Spring 5-2 and Summer 5-2
chinook uses data from the standard chinook net fished by the Albion Test
fishery and does not incorporate catch from the multi-panel net (which is
currently fished on alternate days). The standard chinook net is an 8 inch
(approx. 20 cm) mesh. Catch and effort data are cumulated by week, starting
the first full week in May, to provide the input to the model.

In 2017, the Albion chinook test fishery began operating on April 23. The
total catch in the standard net for the period of this update (May 7 to June 2)
was one (1) chinook. Based on this input, the current predicted return to the
mouth of the Fraser for the Fraser River Spring 5-2 and Summer 5-2 chinook
aggregates ranges from 26,000 to 63,000 chinook (median value of 40,210).

The final in-season update is planned for June 19, 2017 but may be earlier if
there is a clear indication of higher abundance.

 

[Last Chance]

How many fish were actually intercepted in the test fishery?

 

[scott craven]

How many fish were actually intercepted in the test fishery?

one only in the first set

 

[2xeagle16]

Here is a link to the Lower Fraser First Nation chinook catch for this year ........824 chinook as of June 4

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fraserriver/firstnations/PDFs/ChinookKeptCatch.pdf

 

[Whole in the Water]

Does anyone know what this means? Is it low, high or...?

 

[scott craven]

I think we'll find out June 19 with a dfo announcement

 

[Rockfish]

Is it just me or are they slowly moving the announcement date forward June 15, June 17 now June 19th ?? It is hard not to get the impression the long term plan is to wipe out our fishery an inch at a time coupled with the expanded slot restrictions and the boundary change past Sheringham.

 

[profisher]

Yes the announcement normally comes before the Father's Day weekend at the latest. The 19th is the Monday after?!? We seem to be on a slippery slope to matching the fishing season of our friends to the south of us. There is no need for any further restrictions as we are already exceeding the reduction in catch DFO asked us to meet. We were exceeding it without adding the boundary change from Sheringham to Sombrio. This is what happens when politics supersedes science.

 

[scott craven]

The writing is on the wall, we will never be rid of the slot closure now.
it will only get worse.
If all user groups were treated equally I would have no problem with it
but that's not the case.

 

[2xeagle16]

Does anyone know what this means? Is it low, high or...?

Less than 20 chinook were recorded each year (in early June) from 2010 - 12, then it picked up in 2013 to over 400, in 2014 close to 1000 chinook recorded. No info right now on 2015 and 16.

 

[Derby]

Did the increase in numbers in 2013 and 2014 come from better creel information or was it in the same ?

 

[profisher]

I'm assuming this is from the Albion test fishery which is in river...nothing to do with creel surveys. It will be interesting to see what the creel numbers are for this June as there are so very few boats out fishing. On the days I've been out I would say less than 10 boats from Secretary to Sheringham.

 

[Derby]

makes sense..sorry I was thinking of something different....

 

[Whole in the Water]

So many times the DFO numbers are bogus especially in this issue. First, they allow net harvesting of Chinook below the test fishery for years! How does allow this provide accurate data? They need to move the test fishery to take place before/below where any harvesting takes place - duh!

DFO has also in the past fudged the data to reflect political pressures to keep rec. fishers in zone 1. The only way for the rec. sector to get better treatment in this issue is for citizens to get politically active and/or join/support a group(s) that will lobby on our behalf.

"Scientific data" is many times used in DFO used when it benefits a political position, if it doesn't then it is not collected, shelved, forgotten or manipulated some how to do so. IMHO DFO is no longer run by good scientific data and conservation management principles, but more by political agendas. Ongoing citizen based advocacy and lobbying can help change this.

 

[ericl]

I am from WA so excuse my ignorance but isn't FN priority on Salmon a part of the constitution?

 

[scott craven]

I am from WA so excuse my ignorance but isn't FN priority on Salmon a part of the constitution?

for food and ceremonial purposes, not for commercial resale.

 

[agentaqua]

for food and ceremonial purposes, not for commercial resale.

Used to be - as far as DFO was concerned. However, there's been some recent developments in case law about the right to make a "reasonable living" wrt the "social' component of the FSC (food, social and ceremonial) allocations - as well as strait-up commercial First nation allocations (Ahousat decision): http://fnbc.info/blogs/judith-sayers/nuu-chah-nulth-major-court-victory-right-sell-all-species-fish

As many already know - about the Bolt decision in the states - 50% allocation to the First Nations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Washington

 

[Whole in the Water]

I am from WA so excuse my ignorance but isn't FN priority on Salmon a part of the constitution?

The resource should be managed to meet conservation needs first and foremost. Common sense dictates that one would collect the data on how many chinook there are before any sector harvests them and then decide how to best allocate the salmon in a sustainable, long term manner. Kinda hard to have good data to manage wisely from when one sector takes their cut before the measurement data is collected!

The other sad fact is that for political reasons DFO does not accurately monitor how many salmon FN harvest, so how to you sustainably manage a resource this way? The simple answer - you don't, you just get one sector trumping another. This is political management, not management by science or data. If this continues our salmon are in trouble!

 

[scott craven]

Fisheries advised this a.m. that unless there is an announcement by June 16,
the area 19/20 reg's will revert back to 2- Chinook 45cm or greater until further notice.

 

[agentaqua]

The resource should be managed to meet conservation needs first and foremost. Common sense dictates that one would collect the data on how many chinook there are before any sector harvests them and then decide how to best allocate the salmon in a sustainable, long term manner. Kinda hard to have good data to manage wisely from when one sector takes their cut before the measurement data is collected!

The other sad fact is that for political reasons DFO does not accurately monitor how many salmon FN harvest, so how to you sustainably manage a resource this way? The simple answer - you don't, you just get one sector trumping another. This is political management, not management by science or data. If this continues our salmon are in trouble!

Yes, WitW - conservation first.

However, w/o picking any side - your comment around "Common sense dictates that one would collect the data on how many chinook there are before any sector harvests them " is always a problem - from SouthEast Alaska all the way down the coast and up the Fraser. Everyone "downstream" of the final spawning area gets a crack at them....