Fish on John
Member
This was sent out to SFAC Chinook and Coho Working Group as well to DFO Staff
As you know the Department has announced the objective for Interior Fraser (IFR) Coho is to limit the Canadian exploitation rate (ER) to 16% or less. Recreational fishery notices were released announcing current opportunities in most south coast waters for increased harvest of more abundant stocks and species that were constrained by measures to protect IFR coho. These opportunities were designed based on input from the SFAB’s Chinook and Coho Working Group (WG). While developing these opportunities the WG members provided advice about the expected effort in the various times/areas.
The Department’s general approach to managing fisheries will include efforts to achieve the lowest ER possible on IFR coho while providing additional flexibility for managers to plan for First Nations, recreational and commercial fisheries for more abundant stocks and species. Fishing plans will be designed to be consistent with existing policies and to control the overall IFR coho ER by limiting impacts to incidental, by-catch or release mortalities in most areas.
For First Nations food, social and ceremonial fisheries, the Department is planning to allow retention of wild coho by-catch during fisheries directed on other species; relaxation of the coho window closure dates; and additional directed harvest opportunities in tributary areas. For recreational fisheries, retention of one wild coho has been announced for a number of South Coast areas and for freshwater fisheries a relaxation of the coho window closure in the Fraser River is contemplated to allow for additional retention of marked coho. Commercial fisheries (including First Nation economic, demonstration and commercial fisheries) will be managed with coho non-retention and coho impacts will be used as release mortalities to provide for fishing opportunities for expected abundant returns of Fraser River sockeye.
The Department plans to monitor the combined IFR coho exploitation rate from all fisheries in-season utilizing the available models for marine and in-river fisheries. These models provide estimates of IFR coho exploitation based on historical relationships between fishing effort levels and exploitation rates. As we do not have an in-season abundance estimate for IFR coho; monitoring of in-season impacts will be primarily based on comparison of observed fishing effort with pre-season expectations. The Department will be also be collecting other information in-season (e.g. samples of IFR coho stock composition from southern fisheries) to assist with a post-season review of the 2014 season.
While the Department is striving to provide as much stability as possible for fisheries planning while managing to control overall IFR coho exploitation, it is possible that in-season conditions (such as higher than anticipated fishing effort, larger than expected sockeye returns or high sockeye diversion through the Strait of Juan de Fuca) may require the Department to make adjustments to fishing plans to limit IFR coho impacts. For recreational fisheries, this could lead to potential adjustments to later fisheries (e.g. September) if reductions in IFR coho impacts are required to ensure the allowable exploitation rate on IFR Coho is not exceeded. Consistent with past discussions on approaches for allocation of chinook and coho in recreational and commercial fisheries, commercial fisheries will continue to be provided incidental impacts for IFR coho to enable access to sockeye directed fisheries, however, adjustments to reduce coho impacts will also be considered.
The Department will keep the SFAB chinook & coho WG informed of any in-season information on fishing effort in recreational fisheries, and other relevant information, and will convene a call with the WG in the event potential changes in recreational fishing plans are being considered.
Debra Sneddon
Program Coordinator
Lower Fraser Area, Resource Management
As you know the Department has announced the objective for Interior Fraser (IFR) Coho is to limit the Canadian exploitation rate (ER) to 16% or less. Recreational fishery notices were released announcing current opportunities in most south coast waters for increased harvest of more abundant stocks and species that were constrained by measures to protect IFR coho. These opportunities were designed based on input from the SFAB’s Chinook and Coho Working Group (WG). While developing these opportunities the WG members provided advice about the expected effort in the various times/areas.
The Department’s general approach to managing fisheries will include efforts to achieve the lowest ER possible on IFR coho while providing additional flexibility for managers to plan for First Nations, recreational and commercial fisheries for more abundant stocks and species. Fishing plans will be designed to be consistent with existing policies and to control the overall IFR coho ER by limiting impacts to incidental, by-catch or release mortalities in most areas.
For First Nations food, social and ceremonial fisheries, the Department is planning to allow retention of wild coho by-catch during fisheries directed on other species; relaxation of the coho window closure dates; and additional directed harvest opportunities in tributary areas. For recreational fisheries, retention of one wild coho has been announced for a number of South Coast areas and for freshwater fisheries a relaxation of the coho window closure in the Fraser River is contemplated to allow for additional retention of marked coho. Commercial fisheries (including First Nation economic, demonstration and commercial fisheries) will be managed with coho non-retention and coho impacts will be used as release mortalities to provide for fishing opportunities for expected abundant returns of Fraser River sockeye.
The Department plans to monitor the combined IFR coho exploitation rate from all fisheries in-season utilizing the available models for marine and in-river fisheries. These models provide estimates of IFR coho exploitation based on historical relationships between fishing effort levels and exploitation rates. As we do not have an in-season abundance estimate for IFR coho; monitoring of in-season impacts will be primarily based on comparison of observed fishing effort with pre-season expectations. The Department will be also be collecting other information in-season (e.g. samples of IFR coho stock composition from southern fisheries) to assist with a post-season review of the 2014 season.
While the Department is striving to provide as much stability as possible for fisheries planning while managing to control overall IFR coho exploitation, it is possible that in-season conditions (such as higher than anticipated fishing effort, larger than expected sockeye returns or high sockeye diversion through the Strait of Juan de Fuca) may require the Department to make adjustments to fishing plans to limit IFR coho impacts. For recreational fisheries, this could lead to potential adjustments to later fisheries (e.g. September) if reductions in IFR coho impacts are required to ensure the allowable exploitation rate on IFR Coho is not exceeded. Consistent with past discussions on approaches for allocation of chinook and coho in recreational and commercial fisheries, commercial fisheries will continue to be provided incidental impacts for IFR coho to enable access to sockeye directed fisheries, however, adjustments to reduce coho impacts will also be considered.
The Department will keep the SFAB chinook & coho WG informed of any in-season information on fishing effort in recreational fisheries, and other relevant information, and will convene a call with the WG in the event potential changes in recreational fishing plans are being considered.
Debra Sneddon
Program Coordinator
Lower Fraser Area, Resource Management
