Steelhead and nets. By Bob Hooton
- Thread starter OldBlackDog
- Start date
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
More evidence in support of trends and catch reporting and the obstacles faced by the steelhead advocacy community in illustrating, let alone proving, there is a problem with net interception comes from earlier days of hatchery steelhead programs. In the late 1970s and through the 1980s hatchery steelhead production reached its peak in BC. By convention, every hatchery steelhead had to be adipose fin clipped and bear a coded wire tag (cwt). Those tags were all about evaluating different hatchery program strategies but they were also intended to provide a data base for where, when and to what extent steelhead were being harvested by commercial fishing nets. There was a major port sampling program conducted by a DFO contractor through those years. The contractor’s target was to sample 20% of the commercial fish landed to recover cwt’s from all species. I was close contact with the mark recovery people at the time. Their leader provided me with the most compelling evidence of the extent of the steelhead catch cover-up when he confided his staff routinely counted more steelhead in their sampling of 20% of the landings than were reported caught by the entire fleet in any given opening. Unfortunately, just when the picture of the origin of steelhead harvested by nets was coming into focus, cwt’s were abandoned as a cost saving measure. In retrospect, the timing couldn’t have been worse unless you were a commercial fishery supporter.
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Proof of harm done by nets to IFS in contemporary times is hopeless. There are not enough of those fish left, nor is there any credible commercial fishery catch monitoring and reporting to illustrate the problem. Then we have the gall of DFO to publish “data” on the First Nations harvest of steelhead in the lower 175 km of the Fraser. In the last four years combined DFO is telling us the cumulative total for steelhead harvested by FN fisheries during the time when IFS are expected to be passing (Sept 1 – Nov 15) was three fish, one in each of 2018, 2016 and 2015 and none in 2017. No footnote or asterisk as to the limitations of such data, just straight up rubbish. Ten years from now, the computer modellers of the day will pull this up and consider it golden. The same can be said for the commercial fishery catch reports of steelhead caught (and released safely and unharmed).
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
The Fraser River has problems.... Seems some are now recognizing that its a Fraser River problem and not an ocean or coastal one.
The Nahatlatch River Only 8 Chinook spawners this year. Most Chinook stocks on the Fraser wont make escapements and most are less than the parent broods.
Even the South Thompson chinook that has been a pretty big success may not even make 40K out of a Parent brood of 84K.
S. Thompson 4-1 summers • Surveys and m/r’s (Mid and Lower Shuswap) underway; mixed returns so far and early indications point to returns at about 1/2 - 2/3 brood. Reduced size apparent too. • Mid Shuswap appears poor (~1,200 from 2,200 in parent brood, plus hatchery smolts). Lower Shuswap might make 13,000, which is similar to last year but not even half of the parent escapements (~44,000). Adams appears to be about 60% of brood (3,300 from 5,300). • Preliminary estimates for the South Thompson of 18k and Little River 6k so Summer 4-1’s not looking encouraging either. BY for S.Thompson of 29k and Little River of 3.4k • Aggregate total unlikely to exceed 40K (Brood = 84K)
The Nahatlatch River Only 8 Chinook spawners this year. Most Chinook stocks on the Fraser wont make escapements and most are less than the parent broods.
Even the South Thompson chinook that has been a pretty big success may not even make 40K out of a Parent brood of 84K.
S. Thompson 4-1 summers • Surveys and m/r’s (Mid and Lower Shuswap) underway; mixed returns so far and early indications point to returns at about 1/2 - 2/3 brood. Reduced size apparent too. • Mid Shuswap appears poor (~1,200 from 2,200 in parent brood, plus hatchery smolts). Lower Shuswap might make 13,000, which is similar to last year but not even half of the parent escapements (~44,000). Adams appears to be about 60% of brood (3,300 from 5,300). • Preliminary estimates for the South Thompson of 18k and Little River 6k so Summer 4-1’s not looking encouraging either. BY for S.Thompson of 29k and Little River of 3.4k • Aggregate total unlikely to exceed 40K (Brood = 84K)
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
The IFS resource is literally on the brink. Yes, selective harvest is a wonderful idea but it can’t involve gill nets. The beach seine fisheries we see in practice today are nowhere near as fish friendly as they are made out to be either. (There are several reports in the primary scientific literature to confirm that.) The ocean will deliver what the ocean will deliver and we are not going to influence that. Pinniped harvest – great, but look beyond. It wasn’t pinnipeds that created the abundance trajectory displayed by IFS over the past 75 years. If by some stroke of socio-political magic half the seals alleged to be a problem for all the Fraser salmon and steelhead stocks could be removed overnight it would be five to ten years before any results might be seen. Even then, there would have to be unimaginable investment in stock assessment to draw any conclusions. What happens with the nets in the meantime? The bleeding has to stop here and now if IFS are going to have any chance to survive. No more process and subsequent commitments that time has proven repeatedly are never delivered. Stop fishing first and force people to change. Otherwise just own up to our collective inability to conserve and sustain fisheries and quit wasting time and resources better spent elsewhere.
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
And what do you think will happen here?
We see what has happened to other salmon stocks that have gone in the tank, nothing.
There are many rivers that if it were not for volunteers would be barren.
Anyone going to put the Nahatlatch stock forward to SARA?
If the Government is never going to actually do anything about fish listed in SARA, then Bob is right.
Just fish them till they are gone and quit wasting time and resources on them.
We see what has happened to other salmon stocks that have gone in the tank, nothing.
There are many rivers that if it were not for volunteers would be barren.
Anyone going to put the Nahatlatch stock forward to SARA?
If the Government is never going to actually do anything about fish listed in SARA, then Bob is right.
Just fish them till they are gone and quit wasting time and resources on them.
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OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Pretty hard to see what’s going on in the Fraser from Vancouver island....
Our south Thompson springs have been one of the healthiest stocks on the Fraser.
Weird how with the increase in ceremonial and economical openings have increased on the Fraser the last decade the south Thompson has gone downhill.
You can see on the Thompson what the netting downriver does...fish the Thompson after an opening and the river is barren for fish...except a few smaller battle scared fish that get through the nets.
Searun did you spend any time on the Thompson in end of August or September the last few years?
The FN bands in region 3 are fed up with the genocide that goes on below Hope.
Our south Thompson springs have been one of the healthiest stocks on the Fraser.
Weird how with the increase in ceremonial and economical openings have increased on the Fraser the last decade the south Thompson has gone downhill.
You can see on the Thompson what the netting downriver does...fish the Thompson after an opening and the river is barren for fish...except a few smaller battle scared fish that get through the nets.
Searun did you spend any time on the Thompson in end of August or September the last few years?
The FN bands in region 3 are fed up with the genocide that goes on below Hope.
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searun
Well-Known Member
Riddle me this...how many years will it take for removing nets before we see a recovery, as compared to addressing problem pinnipeds that are consuming upward of 64% of all out-migrant chinook smolts, and even more IFS (Steelhead). Putting all our effort into addressing nets is a crazy game. There's a complex series of issues impacting recovery - the CSAS paper addresses them. The reason I can't agree with the singular focused ban the nets approach is I see this as a complicated set of problems, and therefore a multi-faceted set of solutions is required - not a simplistic view that a whole new world order can be achieved by removing nets alone.
Its going to require a lot of tactics...some like:
1) Switching to selective and sustainable fishing methodology
2) Increasing targeted enhancement on specific stocks of concern
3) Addressing problem pinnipeds
4) Improving specific habitat to increase the freshwater productivity
5) Addressing pollution - un-treated sewage outfall discharge in the Fraser Estuary
Its going to require a lot of tactics...some like:
1) Switching to selective and sustainable fishing methodology
2) Increasing targeted enhancement on specific stocks of concern
3) Addressing problem pinnipeds
4) Improving specific habitat to increase the freshwater productivity
5) Addressing pollution - un-treated sewage outfall discharge in the Fraser Estuary
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Reason why people are saying its a Fraser problem and not a coastal or ocean one
Capilano chinook returns are this year are above their 5 year average. Capilano uses brood from the Chilliwack hatchery and are harrison white chinooks. Harrison white wild chinook returns this year have crashed. Same stock, Same ocean, only difference one returns to the Cap and one returns to the harrison.
Also the Harrison stock spend its time in the same areas in the SOG as Cowichan chinook that are seeing great returns.
All they were asking was is for DFO to look into why fraser stocks are crashing but others are performing better. Its looking less and less like marine survival is the issue with Fraser Chinook. Yes it is an issue coast wide but it alone is not causing some of these huge crashes in Fraser Stocks.
As far is this point goes
1) Switching to selective and sustainable fishing methodology
DFO actually said that for FSC First Nations have the right to choose any harvest method they like. So for that option to change they will have to volunteer to change. Definitely an option tho for commercial fisheries and an option for FSC on a agreement basis. There is already quite a few First Nations using selective harvest in some fisheries.
Pinnipeds are a huge problem tho
Capilano chinook returns are this year are above their 5 year average. Capilano uses brood from the Chilliwack hatchery and are harrison white chinooks. Harrison white wild chinook returns this year have crashed. Same stock, Same ocean, only difference one returns to the Cap and one returns to the harrison.
Also the Harrison stock spend its time in the same areas in the SOG as Cowichan chinook that are seeing great returns.
All they were asking was is for DFO to look into why fraser stocks are crashing but others are performing better. Its looking less and less like marine survival is the issue with Fraser Chinook. Yes it is an issue coast wide but it alone is not causing some of these huge crashes in Fraser Stocks.
As far is this point goes
1) Switching to selective and sustainable fishing methodology
DFO actually said that for FSC First Nations have the right to choose any harvest method they like. So for that option to change they will have to volunteer to change. Definitely an option tho for commercial fisheries and an option for FSC on a agreement basis. There is already quite a few First Nations using selective harvest in some fisheries.
Pinnipeds are a huge problem tho
Maybe the Fraser runs are being effected by this practise.https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brit...natural-wildfire-defence-every-year-1.4907358 and this https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/monsanto-roundup-health-canada-1.4896311
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wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Looks like we are giving up on Thompson River steelhead and now just preparing their memorial. RIP
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OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
And the next run of fish to go extinct will be?
As noted by wildmanyea, salmon stocks in feeder streams of the Fraser already there, yet no action by any government to date.
If they ever do an actual real on the ground assessment of all the rivers and streams , I would think they would be in for a rude shock as to the decline.
As noted by wildmanyea, salmon stocks in feeder streams of the Fraser already there, yet no action by any government to date.
If they ever do an actual real on the ground assessment of all the rivers and streams , I would think they would be in for a rude shock as to the decline.
fish magnet
New Member
I can tell you how many years because in the early 1980's they had a commercial net fishing ban as well as no fishing to protect the coho and we went from basically no pinks in the Kitimat river to well over a million, few chum to hundreds of thousands and chinook improved from 10,000 to over 100,000 all in three years. Yes the net fishery is the biggest contributor to poor fish stock returns but not the only.
searun
Well-Known Member
Lots of scientific support for addressing the impacts of pinniped. Also hearing there will be $$ investment to bring about science based Hatchery programs to help provide a temporary enhancement lift for Steelhead on the Thompson. Slowly chipping away at some of the factors limiting steelhead recovery. Selective harvest is another strategy being explored.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
This recent SARA assessment is worth the read
Recovery Potential Assessment for Chilcotin River and Thompson River Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) designatable units
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/SAR-AS/2018/2018_050-eng.html
Recovery Potential Assessment for Chilcotin River and Thompson River Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) designatable units
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/SAR-AS/2018/2018_050-eng.html
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
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