Campbell River Sockeye Season
- Thread starter bugleemup
- Start date
Gong Show
Well-Known Member
It's a shame how political the sockeye fishery is.
All the media releases about high water temperatures and low snow pack.
These vast majority of the Fraser sockeye are going to die well before hitting their patch of gravel.
I am sure I read some study saying that fishing during times of high in river mortality do not impact the stocks.
The terminal fisheries should be curtailed to allow the few that do survive to spawn, but that is a another can of worms completely.
Just happy I no longer make my living chasing these beauties.
All the media releases about high water temperatures and low snow pack.
These vast majority of the Fraser sockeye are going to die well before hitting their patch of gravel.
I am sure I read some study saying that fishing during times of high in river mortality do not impact the stocks.
The terminal fisheries should be curtailed to allow the few that do survive to spawn, but that is a another can of worms completely.
Just happy I no longer make my living chasing these beauties.
Libbs
Member
Don't give up hope just yet. For those that don't know, Fraser sockeye are grouped in 4 runs. In order of appearance, Early Stuart, Early Summer, Summer, and Late Summer. The Fraser River Panel at PSC are still re-forecasting the Early Summer Run at the moment, which was not expected to have any directed fisheries anyway. Hopes of an opening this year rests on the Summer Run, which peaks in areas 12 and 20 in mid-August.
Gong Show
Well-Known Member
No fear there. I am an eternal optimist!
Just read the latest PSC release and it was not as negative as the earlier releases.
You have to be very special to fish for Early Stuart.
On August 3, the Fraser River water discharge at Hope was 2,669 cms, which is approximately 36% lower than average for this date. The temperature of the Fraser River at Qualark Creek on August 3 was 19.8 C, which is 1.8 C higher than average for this date. Fraser River discharge levels and water temperatures will be monitored closely to determine if specific management actions are required during the in-river migratory period to help achieve sockeye escapement goals.
Just read the latest PSC release and it was not as negative as the earlier releases.
You have to be very special to fish for Early Stuart.
On August 3, the Fraser River water discharge at Hope was 2,669 cms, which is approximately 36% lower than average for this date. The temperature of the Fraser River at Qualark Creek on August 3 was 19.8 C, which is 1.8 C higher than average for this date. Fraser River discharge levels and water temperatures will be monitored closely to determine if specific management actions are required during the in-river migratory period to help achieve sockeye escapement goals.
UkeeDreamin
Well-Known Member
Bristol Bay sockeye returns were huge, nearly 60 million fish. Sproat/Soomas sockeye return is so good that commercial fisheries have just been extended and the rec fishery has been wide open of over a month. Revised estimate for Early Stuart is slightly better than the P50 forecast so I'd say there is hope, yet. Also, if you notice in today's update they are fishing Fraser Sockeye south of the border - both the Treaty Indian fishery, which is open as we speak, and then the commercial fishery, which will open Thursday and Friday.
If there are commercial openings, that means there is exploitable returns above the conservation requirements, which factors in the environmental conditions (i.e. expected in river deaths, lower spawning and incubation success, etc).
With p50 forecasts for Early Summer approaching 1 million and just shy of 5 million for Summer runs, as well as the fact the Fraser didn't exceed 20C during this latest hot spell despite the low flows and now earlier than expected cooler temps and more precip forecast I think there's reason to be cautiously optimistic.
Cheers!
Ukee
If there are commercial openings, that means there is exploitable returns above the conservation requirements, which factors in the environmental conditions (i.e. expected in river deaths, lower spawning and incubation success, etc).
With p50 forecasts for Early Summer approaching 1 million and just shy of 5 million for Summer runs, as well as the fact the Fraser didn't exceed 20C during this latest hot spell despite the low flows and now earlier than expected cooler temps and more precip forecast I think there's reason to be cautiously optimistic.
Cheers!
Ukee
Gong Show
Well-Known Member
Received the latest PSC update and my optimism is diminishing.
Although all the fish on the gravel look healthy, there is no evidence of early mortality, water temperature is good and the Americans are fishing both specials and all citizens, PSC states:
Coupled with lower than expected daily abundances, the management adjustment factor adopted for the Early Summer-run has guided the Panel’s decisions to constrain harvest levels relative to pre-season expectations. There were no changes in management adjustments today. Management adjustments are additional fish that are removed from identified allowable harvest levels and instead allowed to escape upstream to help achieve spawning escapement targets for Fraser River sockeye.
This reads to me as letting the sockeye through the Mission River bridge before allowing any fishery. Too bad there is only one fishery upstream of the Mission River bridge and the sox are in rough shape.
I thought a summer election campaign would have taken the political interest off the sockeye fishery, I guess there really is bureaucratic momentum in this.
Just venting here and still optimistic that we can get an opportunity up here to catch these beauties!
Although all the fish on the gravel look healthy, there is no evidence of early mortality, water temperature is good and the Americans are fishing both specials and all citizens, PSC states:
Coupled with lower than expected daily abundances, the management adjustment factor adopted for the Early Summer-run has guided the Panel’s decisions to constrain harvest levels relative to pre-season expectations. There were no changes in management adjustments today. Management adjustments are additional fish that are removed from identified allowable harvest levels and instead allowed to escape upstream to help achieve spawning escapement targets for Fraser River sockeye.
This reads to me as letting the sockeye through the Mission River bridge before allowing any fishery. Too bad there is only one fishery upstream of the Mission River bridge and the sox are in rough shape.
I thought a summer election campaign would have taken the political interest off the sockeye fishery, I guess there really is bureaucratic momentum in this.
Just venting here and still optimistic that we can get an opportunity up here to catch these beauties!
UkeeDreamin
Well-Known Member
I read that update as they were planning on managing the fisheries to the 900k Early Summer and 4.8M Summer run fish, predicted at the p50 probability, now that it looks like they're coming in at the lower p25 level they'll plan on managing it based on those numbers. My guess is, assuming the river stays below 20C, they'll minimize exploitation of Early Summer and give folks a shot at the Summer fish.
Might be a very small window but I still can't imagine there being no opportunity - Fraser has only exceeded 20 twice in the last 3 and a half weeks and we're now seeing shorter days, cooler nights, especially in the upper watershed. Hottest summer weather is behind us. Unless the Summer runs come back at tragically low numbers, there'll be exploitable numbers above spawning needs and extra conservation buffers. That's my hope, anyway.
Cheers!
Ukee
Might be a very small window but I still can't imagine there being no opportunity - Fraser has only exceeded 20 twice in the last 3 and a half weeks and we're now seeing shorter days, cooler nights, especially in the upper watershed. Hottest summer weather is behind us. Unless the Summer runs come back at tragically low numbers, there'll be exploitable numbers above spawning needs and extra conservation buffers. That's my hope, anyway.
Cheers!
Ukee
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