DFO opens The Campbell River for Chinook Retention

[winephart]

DFO , in their infinite wisdom have opened the Campbell River for retention of 2 Chinook per day from September 20 to October 31. The Campbell has not been open for Chinook retention in recent history. So much for DFO's commitment to conservation.

After a summer saltwater closure that made no sense, it seems we are seeing openings that make no sense.

Oh yeah thats right we have an election going on!

 

[SpringVelocity]

That means escapement was very good which is great thing. They only open it based on this. Hearing from guys fishing in marine salt CR is having good year. Anyone have the report on numbers that is encouraging if Chinook numbers are way up.

 

[gungadin]

13 registered tyees at Tyee Club this year. Not a particularly good year. Speaks volumes for how many are in the Campbell River.

 

[wildmanyeah]

wow, do you really want the guys on shore pointing a finger and telling DFO to close the salt.

only reason i can see it being open is the hatchery must of had good returns.

 

[winephart]

There isn't any fish, other than pinks, in the hatchery as the Quinsam is too low for springs to get up. There are no indications of swim counts Being done since July. Doesn't seem like a lot of information to make an informed decision to open a run that historically stayed closed,

 

[SpringVelocity]

There isn't any fish, other than pinks, in the hatchery as the Quinsam is too low for springs to get up. There are no indications of swim counts Being done since July. Doesn't seem like a lot of information to make an informed decision to open a run that historically stayed closed,

Does anyone have an actually report from hatchery etc? Or update? If escapement and run size is large should be no issue to open up to anglers on river.

 

[GLG]

The local SFAC chair is Jeremy Maynard and he knows what he is doing so if the local DFO hatchery and the local SFAC say there should be an opening then we should treat this as a win, win.

As for the connection between the number of Tyee and local escapement here is the data.

"Jeremy Maynard started to compile this information a few years ago to demonstrate his own view that success in the Tyee Club fishery does not parallel escapement to the Campbell/Quinsam rivers."
https://www.tyeeclub.org/campbell-quisam-adult-chinook-escapement-estimates/

 

[winephart]

Thus far DFO hasn't offered any evidence that there is an abundance of fish in river. If there is , great do an opening. But an opening should be based on hard numbers and science. Thus far, they haven't provided any fact based reason.

I live in Campbell River and love the challenge of fishing Springs in the river, but I am concerned that this may be a political decision. Offer up the locals a chance to target springs in river after we screwed them in the saltchuck. Maybe that will help them in the election.

Am I a skeptic? yes! To many years fighting this same issue on the South Coast before moving North a year ago.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I find it interesting

The local SFAC chair is Jeremy Maynard and he knows what he is doing so if the local DFO hatchery and the local SFAC say there should be an opening then we should treat this as a win, win.

As for the connection between the number of Tyee and local escapement here is the data.

"Jeremy Maynard started to compile this information a few years ago to demonstrate his own view that success in the Tyee Club fishery does not parallel escapement to the Campbell/Quinsam rivers."
https://www.tyeeclub.org/campbell-quisam-adult-chinook-escapement-estimates/

Thanks GLG for that very interesting information. It does seem have a weak/medium correlation. IF the returns are good this year then I would expect based on this graph to see a lot of tyees weighed in next year.

 

[eroyd]

Tyee's registered does not equal chinooks caught. Lots of sub 30# fish these days. Why would anybody want to keep a river boot?

 

[CVmike]

I wish the DFO was as efficient at dealing with a low abundance of fish as they are at taking care of the ‘problem’ of a high abundance of fish.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I wish the DFO was as efficient at dealing with a low abundance of fish as they are at taking care of the ‘problem’ of a high abundance of fish.

So let me get this right you want more fishing restrictions???

 

[CRGreg]

latest swim counts were over 5000 Chinook. Returns to the Campbell/Quinsam are good to excellent. The 85 cm Max size will hopefully protect the larger Campbell River fish and allow for some harvest on Quinsam Hatchery Surplus stocks..
If you see snagging or other illegal activity, Please report it to 1-800 465 - 4336

Greg

 

[gungadin]

latest swim counts were over 5000 Chinook. Returns to the Campbell/Quinsam are good to excellent. The 85 cm Max size will hopefully protect the larger Campbell River fish and allow for some harvest on Quinsam Hatchery Surplus stocks..
If you see snagging or other illegal activity, Please report it to 1-800 465 - 4336

Greg

Great info, but rather then just DFO just getting a report after the fact a , we need walking patrols.

 

[wildmanyeah]

latest swim counts were over 5000 Chinook. Returns to the Campbell/Quinsam are good to excellent. The 85 cm Max size will hopefully protect the larger Campbell River fish and allow for some harvest on Quinsam Hatchery Surplus stocks..
If you see snagging or other illegal activity, Please report it to 1-800 465 - 4336

Greg

What happens to the hatchery surplus fish??

 

[CVmike]

So let me get this right you want more fishing restrictions???

I would like to see management not based on ‘minimum escapement’.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I would like to see management not based on ‘minimum escapement’.

what metric would you like to see you used?? Would you prefer cowichan like restrictions that extend far out into the ocean??

 

[SpringVelocity]

what metric would you like to see you used?? Would you prefer cowichan like restrictions that extend far out into the ocean??

Exactly.

 

[CVmike]

what metric would you like to see you used?? Would you prefer cowichan like restrictions that extend far out into the ocean??

You should be a politician. All I suggested is that maybe our runs would be more stable if DFO quit doing knee jerk terminal fisheries every time a river gets a decent run back, and you’ve twisted that into suggesting I want more regulations. Hold your horses there guy.

 

[wildmanyeah]

So your okay fishing being open in the ocean when returns are unknown? but not okay with fishing in the river once returns are know and there is a decent return?