Chum run looks bad this year

[searun]

Hope this isn't a trend - not looking good

Category(s):

COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Gill Net,

COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Seine,

COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Troll


Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada


Subject: FN1067-COMMERCIAL - Salmon - Chum - Area 12 and 13 - Commercial Mixed Stock Chum Fisheries in Johnstone Strait


Johnstone Strait Chum test-fishing catches to date have been poor and tracking

below the 2010 levels encountered during a similar time period. In 2010

fisheries were suspended based on the high likelihood that abundance was below

the critical 1.0 million threshold identified in the IFMP and Chapter 6 of the

Pacific Salmon Treaty. If this low abundance observed in the test fishery

persists, it is highly likely that the aggregate abundance of Inner South Coast

Chum will be below 1.0 million.


As outlined in the IFMP and Chapter 6 of the Pacific Salmon Treaty, commercial

Chum fisheries in Johnstone Strait will be suspended when an abundance estimate

of less than 1 million Chum salmon migrating through Johnstone Strait is

identified.


Area B seine, Area D gill net, and Area H troll fishers are advised that future

fishing opportunities may be suspended, if abundance estimates from in season

assessments do not improve. Test-fishing catches and abundance estimates will

continue to be monitored closely and if required a revised fishing plan, based

on in-season information, will inform future fishing opportunities.


Area H is scheduled to open on Friday September 28, and will continue as

scheduled unless closed for conservation. A decision regarding the Area B

opening, currently scheduled for Monday, October 1, 2018, will be made on

Friday morning and announced to the fleet via fishery notice.


The next scheduled update is Friday, September 28, 2018.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:


Christine Bukta, Resource Manager (250) 286-5888 or christine.bukta@dfo-

mpo.gc.ca


Greg Hornby, Resource Manager (250) 286-5886

Greg.Hornby@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[Islander57]

I hope this is not a trend that will continue into next year. This has seemed to be the strangest year of salmon fishing that I can recall. Late runs, smaller than usual chinooks on average and scarcity of salmon that traditionally have had larger returns. At the end of the season, chum can usually be relied on to provide that end of the season fun and poor returns on chum this year spell to me that something isn't right. I hope things improve.

 

[wildmanyeah]

any experts out there know what rivers contribute to the "Inner South Coast Chum will be below 1.0 million."

 

[california]

If there is no Fraser chum fishery perhaps the few Thompson steelhead that haven't been scooped up in the sockeye fishery will survive.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I looked it up it does include the fraser river, So i wonder if the fish went to the outside and did not get enumerated in the inside.

Chum in fraser river look like they are off to a decent start.

 

[Jencourt]

Was it the 2010 closure that reopened again a couple weeks later once numbers showed up on the Albion tests?

 

[searun]

Yes, was closed to rec fishing in 2010. I think there is debate on the rec fishery hinging around the fact that very few fish are actually caught, and with reduced effort that will be even less. So far no announced rec closures, and the probable rec catch would be seriously insignificant, although optically a challenge when other fisheries are being closed. Hopefully the fact that very few chum would be caught recreationally wins the debate.

BTW, DFO announced the closure of commercial troll and in-river fisheries. FSC is still going ahead with an economic opportunity attached for a beach seine fishery if I understood the FN correctly.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Truly a shame how far we have fallen with respect to chum.

In 1954 the BC commercial fleet harvested 74.4 million pounds of chum. Of that 25 million pouunds was caught in area 12 and 13.

 

[searun]

Sad, and the other interesting factoid in that is the amount of white springs. About half the chinook catch. Very interesting to see how far some of our coastal rivers that once supported strong white chinook have been decimated.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Sad, and the other interesting factoid in that is the amount of white springs. About half the chinook catch. Very interesting to see how far some of our coastal rivers that once supported strong white chinook have been decimated.

I assumed that most of the sockeye harvest was from skeena and fraser boy was I wrong. I read that a lot of the sockeye harvest came from rivers inlet.

 

[Whitebuck]

So..just got back from The Harrison....worst chum numbers I have ever seen. Springs are basically absent when it is usually plugged up by the graveyard and rapids. There is almost zero fish being caught on the Fraser seam where usually it should be very cast for them at this point in the season. Most of the fish are net scarred bucks.
Below the Harrison at mountain bar you have 15 boats drift netting and beach seining, not too mention a dozen set nets within the area. Watching them pull there nets in and discarding fish overboard they don’t need.
The piles of fish that were on shore and photographed have been thrown into the water, leaving no evidence except the blood piles where they used to lay last week. Did however see one of the groups trying to keep the seine in the water. So kudos to Them!
However one wonders what the mortality actually is on this selective fishery as most of the fish get crushed by each other. It’s really really not hard to see the damage this does at this choke point on the Fraser, especially with it being so low. One can almost cast the to the other side right now. Saw DFO rip by in their boat and basically look the other way at the netting at mtn bar. They checked zero anglers as well? Pretty pointless even being out there if that is the route they want to take.
In 20 years this worst chum return I have ever seen,and again I am someone who fishes almost everyday as I take my holidays from beginning of September till mid November depending on the fishing. I don’t think the Stave has 10000 chum in it right now. Most years you are seeing more fish in mid September than right now which is traditionally the peak of the run.
Another thing I want to touch base on as you guys feel I’m always anti netting! Harrison mouth you have 9 seals patrolling and 1 sea lion. From Kilby to the graveyard we counted a dozen....most years we see maybe a handful.
Saw the sea lion take a 5ft sturgeon by calamity point.

Between the increased netting over the years as well as the influx of seals these fish do not have a chance.
Hopefully we see a decrease in the seals over the next few days

 

[wildmanyeah]

seals were hanging out in the month of the stave on friday. A few friends have fished the stave this year and said it was poor.

 

[Whitebuck]

Forgot one thing....the set nets that are above the Harrison confluence on the Fraser....how many interior.coho and steelhead do you think they kill everyday?
We saw 3 in the first stretch on the Fraser.
Disgusting!!

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Was it not unreal chum returns 2 years ago? Record setting in some systems ? Just see the chum no longer exist posts and think...could be an off year as cpl years ago was great.

 

[Whitebuck]

Maybe on Vancouver island bud..had a good return on one trib of the Fraser a few years ago...but it was below the gauntlet of nets...

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Maybe on Vancouver island bud..had a good return on one trib of the Fraser a few years ago...but it was below the gauntlet of nets...

Mainland inlets cpl Year’s ago had epic returns. Trying to show it’s not all negative negative cause if you read all the threads on here it is. Not that there isn’t poor consistent returns in certain areas but there are positives and negatives (more of latter i realize) Coastwide

 

[Whitebuck]

Was just giving FIRSTHAND reports.

Weird how fraser river flows aint doing good lol
What other mainland rivers you talking about?
Squamish? Absolutely horrible as well.
Netting on the Squamish as well as in the ocean has nuked that fishery.

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Fraser river 2 years ago was a record Chum return, Nanaimo River, Puntledge was good, Smith Inlet from my understanding had good Sockeye and Chum returns 2 years ago (Rivers had good Sockeye), etc.

 

[searun]

Totally agree, the chum returns in prior years were quite strong. There has to be something taking place in the ocean to increase at sea mortality for Chum. This is a coast wide pattern that appears to be totally opposite of what we are seeing with Chinook in many river systems...although I would give you this point - the Lower Fraser Chinook are in trouble - is that seals or is that over-fishing, who knows?

 

[browningmirage]

Most of the recruits for these years ran into the blob...