gold river
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Summer stocks are only strong if you compare them to the nearly extinct winter runs.
"In two days, he swam with 19 fish during the snorkel count and tallied a total of 42."
According to the article they found summer runs in one location and there were either 19 or 42 fish in that location. Either way, not many fish.
"In two days, he swam with 19 fish during the snorkel count and tallied a total of 42."
According to the article they found summer runs in one location and there were either 19 or 42 fish in that location. Either way, not many fish.
Are there enough returning fish for broodstock?
1. A dead river like this is the rivers we should be having hatcheries on.
2. Hatch smolts will be spending very little time within the system as they could be released into the lower river and migrating directly to the sea. Smolts taken care of within a hatchery facility.
Couldn’t agree with you more in regards to the logging....
Just thinking of a way to keep upper island economy going as well as providing opportunities for recreational fisherman.
Almost all of our fishing is only being held in place to due to hatcherys,as all of our steelhead stocks within B.C. except for MAYBE a handful are in bad shape.
Or we just keep it dead and remember what used to be
2. Hatch smolts will be spending very little time within the system as they could be released into the lower river and migrating directly to the sea. Smolts taken care of within a hatchery facility.
Couldn’t agree with you more in regards to the logging....
Just thinking of a way to keep upper island economy going as well as providing opportunities for recreational fisherman.
Almost all of our fishing is only being held in place to due to hatcherys,as all of our steelhead stocks within B.C. except for MAYBE a handful are in bad shape.
Or we just keep it dead and remember what used to be
I fully admit I do not know the full science behind these things, but wouldn't hatchery Steelhead smolts still have to be raised for 2-3 years in the existing river water?
I love the Gold. Spent many a day on it. Some of the best fighting fish on the island and a 20#'r was a real expectation. I don't think it would be the same if it was full of wind-ups like those on the Stamp system.
I think a hatchery would be a useful tool and a just small part of the rehab. of the river . . . if there is the will for such a huge undertaking. Sad.
I love the Gold. Spent many a day on it. Some of the best fighting fish on the island and a 20#'r was a real expectation. I don't think it would be the same if it was full of wind-ups like those on the Stamp system.
I think a hatchery would be a useful tool and a just small part of the rehab. of the river . . . if there is the will for such a huge undertaking. Sad.
newbie here,...but an oldie, and along ti
yep, rather have the memories (just my opinion)
Putting a hatchery on the Gold is simply a foolish idea based on the current science. That being said it would be interesting to see if there are similar genetics in rainbows in the Muchalat and other resident populations located in the watershed. For those that are interested in river recovery take a look at the Elwha in WA where summer run steelhead once thought extinct are now returning in good numbers.
Wishful thinking for sure. Thompson steelhead have also been used in the argument of residual rainbows.
Comparing the Gold to a river that still had summers returning(almost functionally extinct) and taking out a dam is a hard argument. Not many are also talking about how many summer steelhead stray. Given the close proximity of the Elwha to other OP flows I am sure it helped. I remember reading a study a few years ago that said a pretty decent % of Columbia/Washington summer runs will stray.
I do agree in regards to the water problems on the Gold....I just hate to see the river being a memory as most of our steelhead rivers are turning into.
I am sure that the people in charge of our steelhead would love the approach of sitting back doing NOTHING and hoping in river rainbows will bring the river back to life...
Comparing the Gold to a river that still had summers returning(almost functionally extinct) and taking out a dam is a hard argument. Not many are also talking about how many summer steelhead stray. Given the close proximity of the Elwha to other OP flows I am sure it helped. I remember reading a study a few years ago that said a pretty decent % of Columbia/Washington summer runs will stray.
I do agree in regards to the water problems on the Gold....I just hate to see the river being a memory as most of our steelhead rivers are turning into.
I am sure that the people in charge of our steelhead would love the approach of sitting back doing NOTHING and hoping in river rainbows will bring the river back to life...
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more than 1 river with native stocks in big trouble did far better once the river's hatchery was shut done. I haven't see any assessment of the Gold's summer runs that described them as "functionally extinct"... doing better than they were some years ago and without hatchery enhancement.
With Thompson rainbows the hypothesis is that the resident rainbows (not residuals) and steelhead are functionally the same stock. The residents thrive while the steelhead diminish in the face of poor ocean conditions and mixed stock net interceptions. There is no genetic evidence to support this as the Province doesn't provide funds for this sort of research.
However Bob Hooton in his book Days of Rivers Past claims the native Chinook stocks on the Gold was wiped out by hatchery strays from the Robertson Creek hatchery on the Stamp. Perhaps the same process doomed the Gold winter runs.
Replacing the Gold's winter run with hatchery clones almost certainly guarantees their loss.
With Thompson rainbows the hypothesis is that the resident rainbows (not residuals) and steelhead are functionally the same stock. The residents thrive while the steelhead diminish in the face of poor ocean conditions and mixed stock net interceptions. There is no genetic evidence to support this as the Province doesn't provide funds for this sort of research.
However Bob Hooton in his book Days of Rivers Past claims the native Chinook stocks on the Gold was wiped out by hatchery strays from the Robertson Creek hatchery on the Stamp. Perhaps the same process doomed the Gold winter runs.
Replacing the Gold's winter run with hatchery clones almost certainly guarantees their loss.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
I had the pleasure of talking to a few old timers long time steelheader and members of the steel head society,
their main points where closing down hatcherys never brought the fish back, bait bans never brought the fish back and closing down the fishery never brought the fish back.
funny how many of them now work as ocean salmon guides supported by....you guessed it hatcherys
their main points where closing down hatcherys never brought the fish back, bait bans never brought the fish back and closing down the fishery never brought the fish back.
funny how many of them now work as ocean salmon guides supported by....you guessed it hatcherys
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