IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Stock Status: WCVI Chinook are a stock of concern. Escapement of populations that receive little or no enhancement declined during the 1990s, largely as a result of El Nino events and sustained harvest levels. Many of these populations remain at low levels despite significant
reduction in exploitation rates and improvements in marine conditions.
Escapement Monitoring: For 2012, a new digital video counting system has been installed at Stamp Falls and will be operating for chinook counts starting in late August. Extensive escapement surveys of other WCVI chinook systems will begin in early September. More
detailed bulletins describing escapement observations are available once the programs are initiated.
Catch Monitoring: Ocean and terminal fisheries are monitored to estimate catch and effort and determine population and age composition of the catch through biological sampling for scales and marks (such as CWTs, DNA and thermally marked otoliths). First Nation and Commercial
catch are typically reported through a hail-in system. Recreational catch is estimated through the WCVI Creel Survey.
WCVI TERMINAL CHINOOK (ISBM*) FISHERIES
Terminal fisheries are those fisheries harvesting stocks originating from the local area. Given the low status of WCVI wild-origin Chinook, several measures are in place to restrict their harvest in terminal areas. However, in time and areas where hatchery surpluses exist and
where hatchery stocks are dominant, fisheries targeting these surpluses occur.
2012 Pre-Season Expectations:
Somass/RCH Chinook: Approximately 34,000 Somass chinook are forecast to return to Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet in 2012. The predicted adult age composition is 5%, 33% and 62% of 3, 4 and 5-year olds, respectively. Given the age composition, about 24,000 spawners are required to meet the 57.2M egg target for the system. Therefore, about 10,000 Somass chinook are available for harvest in the ‘terminal fishery’ from Alberni Inlet seaward to Barkley Sound.
Other WCVI Chinook Populations: Based on the Somass/RCH forecast, expectations are for declines relative to 2011:
Conuma Hatchery Terminal Return: 29,000 (range18,000 to 40,000);
Nitinat Terminal: 13,000 (range 8000 to 18,000);
Nahmint River: <300;
San Juan River: 700 – 1600;
WCVI Wild about 6,000 total
In-Season Assessment:
The catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) in recreational fisheries in Nootka-Esperanza and Barkley-Alberni is related to the terminal return in each of those areas. To date, the cumulative CPUE in the Nootka-Esperanza recreational fishery is about 0.95, suggesting the return of Conuma chinook is in the range of about 26,500 to 29,800. The Barkley-Alberni Sport Index is not informative until about the fourth week of August. To July 31, the WCVI ISBM recreational catch is about 8,950, mostly accounted for in the Nootka-Esperanza (Area 25) fishery.
OCEAN CHINOOK (AABM**) FISHERIES
Mixed-stock fisheries occur in more offshore areas and harvest mixed stocks originating from many areas. WCVI origin Chinook are harvested in mixed-stock fisheries from Alaska south. These fisheries are managed according to provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. For each area, an annual total allowable catch (TAC) is set according to forecast abundance of the stocks contributing to that fishery. Within Canada, additional measures are implemented to limit the annual harvest of WCVI origin Chinook to a maximum of 10% of the forecast return to Canada in Canadian AABM fisheries.
Southeast Alaska (SEAK): WCVI origin Chinook are harvested in troll, net and recreational fisheries. For 2012, the SEAK TAC is limited to 266,800 based on an Abundance Index (AI) of 1.52.
Northern BC (NBC): WCVI origin Chinook are harvested in the commercial troll (NTR) and NSPT recreational fisheries (predominately in the Queen Charlotte Islands). For 2012, the NBC TAC is limited to 173,600, based on an AI of 1.32 and including an expected 47,000 and
126,600 catch in the NSPT and NTR fisheries, respectively. The NTR fishery is further limited to a maximum harvest of 3.2% of the forecast return of WCVI Chinook to Canada. This limit is maintained by monitoring the stock composition of the catch through in-season DNA analysis. To date, the estimated WCVI Chinook harvest in the NTR fishery is about 3,027 fish out of an allowance of 3,150. Therefore, the NTR fishery was closed for chinook retention on August 11th with a total catch estimated at about 72,383 (out of 126,600 potential catch). The QCI Recreational catch is estimated at about 23,400 chinook through July.
West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI): For 2012, the WCVI AABM TAC is limited to 133,300 based on an AI of 0.89 and including expected catches of 5,000 for Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation FSC, 4,300 for Maa-nulth First Nation FSC, 7,700 for the T’aaq-wiihak Demonstration Fishery, 60,000 for Recreational (WSPT) and 56,300 for WCVI Troll. Measures, such as time, area, size and bag-limit restrictions, are in place in the commercial and recreational fisheries to reduce the impact of the fisheries on WCVI origin Chinook. As a result, WCVI Chinook contribute a very low portion to the annual catch in these fisheries. Since 2001, average annual mortality of WCVI Chinook has averaged 2.4% and <0.5% in the offshore recreational and troll fisheries, respectively.
To July 31, the total estimated recreational catch (WSPT) in the WCVI AABM is estimated at about 41,900. To date, the total commercial catch (WCVI Troll) is estimated at 38,200.
July catch in the demonstration T’aaq-wiihak (First Nations commercial) fishery was 1200.
Stock Status: WCVI Chinook are a stock of concern. Escapement of populations that receive little or no enhancement declined during the 1990s, largely as a result of El Nino events and sustained harvest levels. Many of these populations remain at low levels despite significant
reduction in exploitation rates and improvements in marine conditions.
Escapement Monitoring: For 2012, a new digital video counting system has been installed at Stamp Falls and will be operating for chinook counts starting in late August. Extensive escapement surveys of other WCVI chinook systems will begin in early September. More
detailed bulletins describing escapement observations are available once the programs are initiated.
Catch Monitoring: Ocean and terminal fisheries are monitored to estimate catch and effort and determine population and age composition of the catch through biological sampling for scales and marks (such as CWTs, DNA and thermally marked otoliths). First Nation and Commercial
catch are typically reported through a hail-in system. Recreational catch is estimated through the WCVI Creel Survey.
WCVI TERMINAL CHINOOK (ISBM*) FISHERIES
Terminal fisheries are those fisheries harvesting stocks originating from the local area. Given the low status of WCVI wild-origin Chinook, several measures are in place to restrict their harvest in terminal areas. However, in time and areas where hatchery surpluses exist and
where hatchery stocks are dominant, fisheries targeting these surpluses occur.
2012 Pre-Season Expectations:
Somass/RCH Chinook: Approximately 34,000 Somass chinook are forecast to return to Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet in 2012. The predicted adult age composition is 5%, 33% and 62% of 3, 4 and 5-year olds, respectively. Given the age composition, about 24,000 spawners are required to meet the 57.2M egg target for the system. Therefore, about 10,000 Somass chinook are available for harvest in the ‘terminal fishery’ from Alberni Inlet seaward to Barkley Sound.
Other WCVI Chinook Populations: Based on the Somass/RCH forecast, expectations are for declines relative to 2011:
Conuma Hatchery Terminal Return: 29,000 (range18,000 to 40,000);
Nitinat Terminal: 13,000 (range 8000 to 18,000);
Nahmint River: <300;
San Juan River: 700 – 1600;
WCVI Wild about 6,000 total
In-Season Assessment:
The catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) in recreational fisheries in Nootka-Esperanza and Barkley-Alberni is related to the terminal return in each of those areas. To date, the cumulative CPUE in the Nootka-Esperanza recreational fishery is about 0.95, suggesting the return of Conuma chinook is in the range of about 26,500 to 29,800. The Barkley-Alberni Sport Index is not informative until about the fourth week of August. To July 31, the WCVI ISBM recreational catch is about 8,950, mostly accounted for in the Nootka-Esperanza (Area 25) fishery.
OCEAN CHINOOK (AABM**) FISHERIES
Mixed-stock fisheries occur in more offshore areas and harvest mixed stocks originating from many areas. WCVI origin Chinook are harvested in mixed-stock fisheries from Alaska south. These fisheries are managed according to provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. For each area, an annual total allowable catch (TAC) is set according to forecast abundance of the stocks contributing to that fishery. Within Canada, additional measures are implemented to limit the annual harvest of WCVI origin Chinook to a maximum of 10% of the forecast return to Canada in Canadian AABM fisheries.
Southeast Alaska (SEAK): WCVI origin Chinook are harvested in troll, net and recreational fisheries. For 2012, the SEAK TAC is limited to 266,800 based on an Abundance Index (AI) of 1.52.
Northern BC (NBC): WCVI origin Chinook are harvested in the commercial troll (NTR) and NSPT recreational fisheries (predominately in the Queen Charlotte Islands). For 2012, the NBC TAC is limited to 173,600, based on an AI of 1.32 and including an expected 47,000 and
126,600 catch in the NSPT and NTR fisheries, respectively. The NTR fishery is further limited to a maximum harvest of 3.2% of the forecast return of WCVI Chinook to Canada. This limit is maintained by monitoring the stock composition of the catch through in-season DNA analysis. To date, the estimated WCVI Chinook harvest in the NTR fishery is about 3,027 fish out of an allowance of 3,150. Therefore, the NTR fishery was closed for chinook retention on August 11th with a total catch estimated at about 72,383 (out of 126,600 potential catch). The QCI Recreational catch is estimated at about 23,400 chinook through July.
West Coast Vancouver Island (WCVI): For 2012, the WCVI AABM TAC is limited to 133,300 based on an AI of 0.89 and including expected catches of 5,000 for Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation FSC, 4,300 for Maa-nulth First Nation FSC, 7,700 for the T’aaq-wiihak Demonstration Fishery, 60,000 for Recreational (WSPT) and 56,300 for WCVI Troll. Measures, such as time, area, size and bag-limit restrictions, are in place in the commercial and recreational fisheries to reduce the impact of the fisheries on WCVI origin Chinook. As a result, WCVI Chinook contribute a very low portion to the annual catch in these fisheries. Since 2001, average annual mortality of WCVI Chinook has averaged 2.4% and <0.5% in the offshore recreational and troll fisheries, respectively.
To July 31, the total estimated recreational catch (WSPT) in the WCVI AABM is estimated at about 41,900. To date, the total commercial catch (WCVI Troll) is estimated at 38,200.
July catch in the demonstration T’aaq-wiihak (First Nations commercial) fishery was 1200.
