No drone footage that I’m aware of but needless to say I would say that there would be many holding immediately downstream of the slide. But this can’t last for long as they only have so much energy for migration. As for numbers of salmon that have made it past the slide.....the website provided by GLG provides numbers transported above the slide to date. If you are talking about those that have made it on their own past the side that’s not as easy to determine (I’m being completely honest here) because of the fish that have been transported above by helicopter would be part of that number.
Rock slide in Fraser River, B.C., may hinder salmon passage
- Thread starter wildmanyeah
- Start date
Seems like there is a lot of conflating going on here, in my opinion. You have your beefs with the department with fisheries management and the slide. Two separate issues. Fish farms, which many here dislike with a passion, didn’t cause thousands and thousands of cubic metres of rock to fall into the Fraser River. First Nations downstream of the slide weren’t jumping up and down with excitement when they heard of the slide. Hobnobbling with big business, while probably not a very ethical practice, did not cause the slide. Pretty certain about that. Dumping of salmon, as horrible as it is, didn’t cause the slide. But I understand this is after all a public forum and you are free (within limits of this board) to express those views. However, you are likely talking to the choir to many here while others involved with the slide are carrying on doing what they need to do under trying circumstances.
Shuswap.
You clearly miss my point about Politicians using this for political gain. Lies and mistruths and lots of them continue.
As said hats off to those trying their best to help the situation.
But I wont stand idle and listen to the mistruths of no fishing by FNs down river or statements like weve been on this for a few months also complete blockage. Wrong on all above.
You clearly miss my point about Politicians using this for political gain. Lies and mistruths and lots of them continue.
As said hats off to those trying their best to help the situation.
But I wont stand idle and listen to the mistruths of no fishing by FNs down river or statements like weve been on this for a few months also complete blockage. Wrong on all above.
GLG
Well-Known Member
2019 Fraser River Sockeye and Pink pre-season forecasts as of March 2019
http://www.frafs.ca/sites/default/files2/Day 1 2019 Fraser Sox and Pink Forecast.pdf
http://www.frafs.ca/sites/default/files2/Day 1 2019 Fraser Sox and Pink Forecast.pdf
GLG
Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2019 Big Bar Landslide update.
• The scaling crew continued rock manipulation yesterday to increase site safety. Work today will focus on creating pools and channels for salmon to move further up the slide.
• Yesterday afternoon salmon caught in the fish wheel were successfully transported above the obstruction. Fish wheel operations will continue today.
• Two new 1200 litre transport tanks are on site today and will be field tested this morning.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/p..._update_big_bar_landslide_incident_aug_12.pdf
• The scaling crew continued rock manipulation yesterday to increase site safety. Work today will focus on creating pools and channels for salmon to move further up the slide.
• Yesterday afternoon salmon caught in the fish wheel were successfully transported above the obstruction. Fish wheel operations will continue today.
• Two new 1200 litre transport tanks are on site today and will be field tested this morning.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/p..._update_big_bar_landslide_incident_aug_12.pdf
GLG
Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2019 Big Bar Landslide update.
• Rock scaling personnel are continuing to assess and move large boulders at the west side of the river to re-establish natural upstream fish migration corridors. Establishing natural fish passage remains a priority for scaling personnel at the landslide site.
• Fish wheel operations remain ongoing. Five buckets of salmon were transported upstream, past the obstruction.
• Opportunities for new fish capture sites along the river are being identified due to the decreasing water level. Personnel are assessing these new sites in order to determine if they are suitable for salmon seining (netting) and transport operations.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/p..._update_big_bar_landslide_incident_aug_13.pdf
• Rock scaling personnel are continuing to assess and move large boulders at the west side of the river to re-establish natural upstream fish migration corridors. Establishing natural fish passage remains a priority for scaling personnel at the landslide site.
• Fish wheel operations remain ongoing. Five buckets of salmon were transported upstream, past the obstruction.
• Opportunities for new fish capture sites along the river are being identified due to the decreasing water level. Personnel are assessing these new sites in order to determine if they are suitable for salmon seining (netting) and transport operations.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/p..._update_big_bar_landslide_incident_aug_13.pdf
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
IMO they have about a month left to make this passable till we have a catastrophic problem . Helicoptering may keep the gene pool alive but in terms of these runs being fishable again they need for all the fish to get past and they have about a month to do it.
What also seems to be lacking is the mortality rate how many fish have died? I understand it would be hard to estimate but is it 1 or is it thousands?
What also seems to be lacking is the mortality rate how many fish have died? I understand it would be hard to estimate but is it 1 or is it thousands?
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wildmanyeah
Crew Member
The second spawning ground report of the season was provided by DFO Stock
Assessment on August 8. To date no Sockeye have been observed in the Early
Stuart stock group which is past the time when fish would normally be observed.
So did any early Fraser chinook make it by? What’s going on their spawning grounds??
Assessment on August 8. To date no Sockeye have been observed in the Early
Stuart stock group which is past the time when fish would normally be observed.
So did any early Fraser chinook make it by? What’s going on their spawning grounds??
cohochinook
Well-Known Member
The slide happened end of October. Pretty depressing about how long it took to get action? It's time we had appropriate monitoring of the Fraser River by DFO?
It's time the Federal Government adequately funded proper salmon management!
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Don’t worry if this is as bad as it seems I’m sure upper Fraser First Nations will be suing DFO for damages.
So are any new hatchery plans being talked about on these upper Fraser tributaries?
Big new facilities on the same levels as the production for the upper Columbia!
I am not talking about the few stuart sockeye that are being brought to Cultus.
There should be plans for this asap!
Hopefully some of FN leadership sees this and gets it going! The benefit to FN as well as everybody else would be huge!
Big new facilities on the same levels as the production for the upper Columbia!
I am not talking about the few stuart sockeye that are being brought to Cultus.
There should be plans for this asap!
Hopefully some of FN leadership sees this and gets it going! The benefit to FN as well as everybody else would be huge!
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GLG
Well-Known Member
Aug 14, 2019 Big Bar Landslide update.
• Yesterday, scaling personnel conducted small-scale controlled detonations. This allows large boulders to be manipulated when hydraulic jacks and inflatable airbags are ineffective. Boulder manipulation is necessary to create a natural fish passage on the edge of the river. This may allow salmon to bypass the obstruction, avoid strong currents and continue their migration.
• Relocating salmon upstream, with the assistance of helicopters, is ongoing. Salmon are transported in large oxygenated holding tanks. This continues to be a successful strategy that enables salmon to bypass the obstruction.
• The Unified Command Incident Management team continues to assess and explore all options that will restore fish passage at the landslide site.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/p..._update_big_bar_landslide_incident_aug_14.pdf
• Yesterday, scaling personnel conducted small-scale controlled detonations. This allows large boulders to be manipulated when hydraulic jacks and inflatable airbags are ineffective. Boulder manipulation is necessary to create a natural fish passage on the edge of the river. This may allow salmon to bypass the obstruction, avoid strong currents and continue their migration.
• Relocating salmon upstream, with the assistance of helicopters, is ongoing. Salmon are transported in large oxygenated holding tanks. This continues to be a successful strategy that enables salmon to bypass the obstruction.
• The Unified Command Incident Management team continues to assess and explore all options that will restore fish passage at the landslide site.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/p..._update_big_bar_landslide_incident_aug_14.pdf
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Apparently some fish that have been transported above the slide have fell back down below the slide can anyone confirm that?????
From Facebook
Data being gathered from D.F.O. information and Salmon Commission:
1. Fraser Sockeye returns are not looking good. Test fishing catches and daily escapements continue to track WELL BELOW pre-season forecast expectations. The Panel adopted a Summer-run run size of 1,065,000 sockeye. Most groups are tracking below escapement levels. If this continues, we could be looking at a return lower than the 2005 run (the lowest on record). There are currently no sockeye directed fisheries occurring and the test fisheries are not collecting any pay fish.
2. Big Bar Slide continues to be a major concern for Fraser fish that spawn upstream of the slide. DFO estimates there are approximately 156,000 Chinook and Sockeye holding downstream of the slide site. As of August 12th, crews have transported approximately 8,500 sockeye and 2,700 Chinook past the slide, but a number of these fish are falling back downstream of the slide; anywhere from one to two thirds of the fish transported.
3. DFO requesting Marine Nations planning to fish for pinks this year instead of sockeye, to hold off until we see signs of increased pink abundance to reduce impacts to Fraser Sockeye. DFO is also asking that Nations provide release/encounter information for other salmon species encountered in fisheries, particularly to provide updates to the Pacific Salmon Commission.
From Facebook
Data being gathered from D.F.O. information and Salmon Commission:
1. Fraser Sockeye returns are not looking good. Test fishing catches and daily escapements continue to track WELL BELOW pre-season forecast expectations. The Panel adopted a Summer-run run size of 1,065,000 sockeye. Most groups are tracking below escapement levels. If this continues, we could be looking at a return lower than the 2005 run (the lowest on record). There are currently no sockeye directed fisheries occurring and the test fisheries are not collecting any pay fish.
2. Big Bar Slide continues to be a major concern for Fraser fish that spawn upstream of the slide. DFO estimates there are approximately 156,000 Chinook and Sockeye holding downstream of the slide site. As of August 12th, crews have transported approximately 8,500 sockeye and 2,700 Chinook past the slide, but a number of these fish are falling back downstream of the slide; anywhere from one to two thirds of the fish transported.
3. DFO requesting Marine Nations planning to fish for pinks this year instead of sockeye, to hold off until we see signs of increased pink abundance to reduce impacts to Fraser Sockeye. DFO is also asking that Nations provide release/encounter information for other salmon species encountered in fisheries, particularly to provide updates to the Pacific Salmon Commission.
cohochinook
Well-Known Member
Falling back down below the slide? How close are they dropping them to the slide area? Is it that they're to stressed or exhausted after being moved above?
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
No idea even it that's true just seen it posted on FB, perhaps you can try to get some answers from your contact it would sure be nice if they provided us with an update as it seems somethings are not being reported in their updates.
Fall back of fish would be expected. These fish have made it through Hells Gate, then are confronted with another barrier, then are seined, handled into transport buckets, etc. All major stress inducers for fish that are probably exhausted.
Having said that, kudos to all the people busting their butt's trying their best to save some of these fish.
Having said that, kudos to all the people busting their butt's trying their best to save some of these fish.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
https://soundcloud.com/bcgov/big-bar-landslide-media-briefing-call-august-15-2019
Media call from today
Some notes from the call
-No raido tagged fish have made it past the slide
- Out of 80 Fish that were tagged above the slide only 52% of tagged fish continued on their migration
- They have upgraded a road and plan on transporting fish by truck
- 14 thousand fish past the lower acoustic site yesterday
-Question was asked about how many fish have died since june, Answer was " it would be tough to estimate"
I got a sense tho that the amount of fish that have died is not a small number, I also think they may be avoiding talking about mortalities to avoid the well if there gonna die we might as well harvest them crowd.
Media call from today
Some notes from the call
-No raido tagged fish have made it past the slide
- Out of 80 Fish that were tagged above the slide only 52% of tagged fish continued on their migration
- They have upgraded a road and plan on transporting fish by truck
- 14 thousand fish past the lower acoustic site yesterday
-Question was asked about how many fish have died since june, Answer was " it would be tough to estimate"
I got a sense tho that the amount of fish that have died is not a small number, I also think they may be avoiding talking about mortalities to avoid the well if there gonna die we might as well harvest them crowd.
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