The sockeye in the photo could possibly have originated in a system other than the Fraser. From the size of it I would think it might be a more localized stock, say Nimpkish?
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/315899.pdf
S2004-09 Status Review of “Inside” Sockeye Stocks – those adjacent to the Strait of Georgia, North-Eastern Vancouver Island and the Southern Mainland.
D. Dobson, C. Wood
This paper examines the status of coastal sockeye populations in watersheds adjacent to the Strait of Georgia, Johnstone Strait and the southern Mainland Inlets. We considered 13 lake-type populations associated with Sakinaw Lake and the Tzoonie River on the Sunshine Coast, Village Bay Lake on Quadra Island, the Nimpkish River (including Vernon, Woss and Nimpkish lakes) and Quatse and Nahwitti lakes on northeastern Vancouver Island, as well as Phillips, Heydon, Fulmore, Glendale, Klinaklini, Kakweiken and MacKenzie rivers in the southern mainland inlet area. To date, only the Sakinaw Lake population has been assessed with its status reviewed by PSARC and it was subsequently designated as Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Wildlife in Canada. Preliminary inspection of escapement data suggests that other inside sockeye populations may be vulnerable to the same threats as the Sakinaw Lake population. Like Sakinaw sockeye, the other inside sockeye populations have been managed “passively”, meaning that abundance and harvest rate are not monitored during the fishing season, if at all
Of the thirteen populations examined in this study, three have shown serious declines in escapement and are now at critically low abundance (<100 spawners); four are at low abundance relative to historical levels and/or declining; three appear to be stable; and three cannot be assessed because of inconsistent data. Over a 50-year time period, all the populations have declined in abundance with the likely exception of Nahwitti, Phillips, Heydon and Klinaklini. It should be noted, however, that recent escapement estimates for Heydon and Klinaklini cannot be compared directly with historic estimates, and that escapements to the Phillips population have declined steadily in recent years.
Many factors have probably contributed to the long-term declines in abundance of the inside sockeye populations, including habitat degradation and loss and climatic factors. However, the three populations showing the most serious declines and critically low abundance spawn farthest to the south (Areas 13-16) and are thought to migrate through Johnstone Strait in mid summer. They are therefore the most vulnerable to incidental fishing mortality in the mixed stock fisheries in Johnstone Strait. Other populations are vulnerable too, depending on their migration timing and spawning location. The major freshwater habitat factors affecting these sockeye populations are damage related to past logging, climatic/habitat conditions leading to summer low flows and migratory problems; and urban and agricultural land use leading to problems associated with increased access. We cannot yet rule out unfavourable trends in marine habitat either.
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