Somas (Alberni) Sockeye Bulliten

[IronNoggin]

SOMASS SOCKEYE BULLETIN # 1 – 2013 Date: June 14, 2013
Somass Sockeye Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast:
Somass (Great Central and Sproat) 350,000 (range: 300,000 to 500,000);
Henderson Lake sockeye outlook ~ 15,000
Escapement to June 12: ~ 14,200 (1000 Great Central, 13,200 Sproat Lake)
Test Fishery: June 10-11: Estimate 10K inside 10-mile Point; 15K outside
Expected Somass Stock Composition: 45% Great Central, 55% Sproat Sockeye
Expected Somass Age Composition: 68%, 27%, 4%, and 1% for age 42, 52, 53 and 63 adults, respectively. Age 32 “jacks” sockeye are expected to be abundant.
First in-season reforecast: June 27

Catch Estimate: ~ 10,720 adults
Somass First Nations – 8771
Maanulth First Nations Domestic harvest - 1200
Recreational - 400

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations
Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht) Economic Agreement for sales signed.
Gill-nets – Sunday June 16th 12 pm to Tuesday June 18th 12 pm from Papermill Dam to Hook Bay.
Communal Drag Seine – Thursday June 13th to Sunday June 16th 5 am to12 pm daily at Papermill Dam pool.
Maa-nulth – June 15th to June 20th The harvest plan includes contracting of designated Area D Gillnet vessels to harvest sockeye. These vessels will be displaying Maa-nulth identification flags.

Commercial
Area D Gill - Tuesday June 18th net fishery will open 14 hours from 6 am to 8 pm, from the Bamfield line to the Pocahontas line.
Area B Seine - First possible fishery June 24. There will be a closed area for seines as agreed to by the Area 23 Harvest Committee. This area is subject to adjustment by the committee, depending on sockeye abundance in-season. The initial seine closed area will be bounded in the north by a line from Dunsmuir Point to the pilings north of China Creek and, in the south by a line drawn from Hocking Point easterly to the opposite shore.

Recreational
• May 1 to June 14th 2 sockeye per day in area 23 except for a sockeye non retention area from Lone Tree to the green flashing light at the mouth of the Somass River.
• June 15 until further notice 4 sockeye per day in Area 23 except for sockeye non retention area from Lone Tree to the green flashing light at the mouth of the Somass River. Note: the tidal portions of Somass River remain at 2 sockeye per day. This area is closed 10 pm to 5 am daily.

For more information please contact the DFO office in Port Alberni at 250 720-4440

 

[IronNoggin]

SOMASS SOCKEYE BULLETIN # 2– 2013 Date: June 21, 2013
Somass Sockeye Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast:
Somass (Great Central and Sproat) 350,000 (range: 300,000 to 500,000);
Henderson Lake sockeye outlook ~ 15,000

Escapement to June 19: ~ 32,000 (9000 Great Central, 23,000 Sproat Lake)

Test Fishery: June 17-18: Estimate 20K inside 10-mile Point; 10K outside

Expected Somass Stock Composition: 45% Great Central, 55% Sproat Sockeye
Expected Somass Age Composition: 68%, 27%, 4%, and 1% for age 42, 52, 53 and 63 adults, respectively. Age 32 “jacks” sockeye are expected to be abundant.

First in-season reforecast: June 27

Catch Estimate: ~ 32,265 adults

Somass First Nations – 20,537
Maanulth First Nations Domestic harvest - 4277

Recreational - ~ 1500

Area D Gillnet - 4919

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations

Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)
Gill-nets – Monday June 24th 12 noon to Tuesday June 25th12 noon from Papermill Dam to Hook Bay.
Communal Drag Seine – Thursday June 20th to Sunday June 23rd 5 am to 12 noon daily at Papermill Dam pool.

Maa-nulth – June 21 June 27 The harvest plan includes contracting of designated Area
D Gillnet vessels to harvest sockeye. These vessels will be displaying Maa-nulth identification flags.

Commercial

Area D Gill - Tuesday June 25th net fishery will open 14 hours from 6 am to 8 pm, from the Bamfield line to the Pocahontas line.

Area B Seine – Monday June 24th 10 am to Wednesday June 27th 10 am or until target catch of 10,932 pcs are taken or whichever occurs first. There will be a closed area for seines as agreed to by the Area 23 Harvest Committee. This area is subject to adjustment by the committee, depending on sockeye abundance in-season. The initial seine closed area will be bounded in the north by a line from Dunsmuir Point to the pilings north of China Creek and, in the south by a line drawn from Hocking Point easterly to the opposite shore.

Recreational

• June 15 until further notice 4 sockeye per day in Area 23 except for sockeye non retention area from Lone Tree to the green flashing light at the mouth of the Somass River. Note: the tidal portions of Somass River remain at 2 sockeye per day. This area is closed 10 pm to 5 am daily.

For more information please contact the DFO office in Port Alberni at 250 720-4440

 

[Whole in the Water]

So what is the rec fishing like up there for sox right now?

 

[IronNoggin]

No Idea. Concentrating my efforts offshore. Will check with a few of the Usual Suspects when I can and get back to you when I can...

Cheers,
Nog

 

[spring fever]

I'm hearing pretty poor!!

 

[IronNoggin]

I'm hearing pretty poor!!

Can't say either way. High, cool river water and rain...

 

[vetteman]

Talked to China Creek and to Macktush yesterday. Little to nothing in the way of Sockeye coming in. If it rained in Port like it did in Nanaimo yesterday then it isn't going to make things any better. My boat is all geared up, hooked up and waiting for the word. Maybe I'll just go out and sit in it for a while and dream.
DFO just announced another Gillnet opening next Tuesday for 14 hours and a Siene opening on Monday for 48 hours.
Dave

 

[IronNoggin]

SOMASS SOCKEYE BULLETIN # 3 – 2013 Date: June 27, 2013
Somass Sockeye Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast:
Somass (Great Central and Sproat) 350,000 (range: 300,000 to 500,000);
Henderson Lake sockeye outlook ~ 15,000

Escapement to June 26: ~ 70,500 (18800 Great Central, 51,700 Sproat Lake)

Test Fishery: June 24-25: Estimate 5000 inside 10-mile Point; 5000 outside

Expected Somass Stock Composition: 45% Great Central, 55% Sproat Sockeye
Expected Somass Age Composition: 68%, 27%, 4%, and 1% for age 42, 52, 53 and 63 adults, respectively. Age 32 “jacks” sockeye are expected to be abundant.

June 27 reforecast - Run size remains at 350,000

Catch Estimate: ~ 63,722 adults

Somass First Nations – 30,599
Maanulth First Nations Domestic harvest - 7244
Recreational - ~ 4000 (The majority caught at Paper Mill Dam)
Area D Gillnet – 10,936
Area B Seine – 9000
Test Fish - 2422

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations

Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)
Communal Drag Seine – Friday June 28, 5 am to 12 noon at Papermill Dam pool. No further fisheries planned.
Maa-nulth – June 28 to July 4 The harvest plan includes contracting of designated Area D Gillnet vessels to harvest sockeye. These vessels will be displaying Maa-nulth identification flags.

Commercial

Area D Gill – No fishery planned.
Area B Seine – No fishery planned.

Recreational

• June 15 until further notice 4 sockeye per day in Area 23 except for the tidal portions of the Somass River which remains at 2 sockeye per day.
• The tidal portions of the Somass River are closed 10 pm to 5 am daily.
• Non retention area for sockeye from Lone Tree to Hoik Island in Alberni Harbour no longer in effect.

For more information please contact the DFO office in Port Alberni at 250 720-4440

 

[IronNoggin]

SOMASS SOCKEYE BULLETIN # 4 – 2013 Date: July 4, 2013
Somass Sockeye Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast:
Somass (Great Central and Sproat) 350,000 (range: 300,000 to 500,000);
Henderson Lake sockeye outlook ~ 15,000
Escapement to July 1: ~ 113,121 Adults (32,869 Great Central, 80,252 Sproat Lake)
Escapement will be monitored closely through the weekend.
Test Fishery: July 1-2: Estimate 5,000 inside 10-mile Point; 15,000 outside
Expected Somass Stock Composition: 45% Great Central, 55% Sproat Sockeye
Expected Somass Age Composition: 68%, 27%, 4%, and 1% for age 42, 52, 53 and 63 adults, respectively. Age 32 “jacks” sockeye are expected to be abundant.
July 4 reforecast - Runsize remains at 350,000

Catch Estimate: ~ 69,072 adults
Somass First Nations – 31,208
Maanulth First Nations Domestic harvest – 8,366
Recreational - ~ 5,513 (The majority caught at Paper Mill Dam)
Area D Gillnet – 11,250
Area B Seine – 9,128
Test Fish – 3,637

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations

Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)
No fisheries planned.
Maa-nulth – July 5 to July 11 The harvest plan includes contracting of designated Area
D Gillnet vessels to harvest sockeye. These vessels will be displaying Maa-nulth identification flags.

Commercial

Area D Gill – No fishery planned.
Area B Seine – No fishery planned.

Recreational

• June 15 until further notice 4 sockeye per day in Area 23 except for the tidal portions of the Somass River which remain at 2 sockeye per day.
• The tidal portions of the Somass River are closed 10 pm to 5 am daily.
• Non retention area for sockeye from Lone Tree to Hoik Island in Alberni Harbour no longer in effect.

For more information please contact the DFO office in Port Alberni at 250 720-4440

 

[IronNoggin]

Missed # 5 due to FISHING!

SOMASS SOCKEYE BULLETIN # 6 – 2013 Date: July 18, 2013
Somass Sockeye Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast:
Somass (Great Central and Sproat) 350,000 (range: 300,000 to 500,000);
Henderson Lake sockeye outlook ~ 15,000

Escapement to July 17: ~ 142,213 Adults (50,806 Great Central, 97,404 Sproat Lake)

Test Fishery: July 15-16 Estimate 17-20,000 inside 10-mile Point; 5- 7,000 outside

Expected Somass Stock Composition: 45% Great Central, 55% Sproat Sockeye
Expected Somass Age Composition: 68%, 27%, 4%, and 1% for age 42, 52, 53 and 63 adults, respectively. Age 32 “jacks” sockeye are expected to be abundant.

July 18 reforecast - Runsize remains at 300,000 (downgraded July 11)

Catch Estimate: ~ 84,487 adults

Somass First Nations – 31,208

Maanulth First Nations Domestic harvest – 11,814

Recreational - ~ 12,901

Area D Gillnet – 11,250

Area B Seine – 9,128

Test Fish – 5,186

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations
Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)
No fisheries planned.
Maanulth – July 19 to July 25 no Somass fishery plan. Small possible fishery in Uchucklesit Inlet targeting Henderson Sockeye.

Commercial
Area D Gill – No fishery planned.
Area B Seine – No fishery planned.

Recreational
• Limit change effective 0001 hours Monday July 22, 2013 the daily limit will be two (2) sockeye per day in Area 23 except for: The following area is closed to fishing for all finfish, from the tidal boundary of the Somass River at Paper Mill Dam downstream including Alberni Inlet south to Lone Tree Point.

For more information please contact the DFO office in Port Alberni at 250 720-4440