North Coast Salmon Update #8 – Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Please note that in-season updates always deal in preliminary numbers. Usually these change somewhat upon receipt and analysis of all the data.

Area F Troll Update

Table 1 – Summary of Area F Troll catch and releases to date by week.

CHINOOK

The 2015 Area F Troll Chinook TAC is 117,400 pieces, and is managed to the maximum 3.2% exploitation objective on WCVI Chinook using an Effort / Harvest Relationship Management Tool. The total number of Chinook validated to date is 104,020, which is 89% of the 2015 Area F Troll TAC. The estimated harvest rate of WCVI Chinook is 1.15% as estimated by fishing effort using the Effort Harvest Management Tool. The Area F Troll Chinook ITQ fishery closed on Friday July 31st (FN0726) to protect WCVI Chinook. The fishery is expected to reopen in late August.

Chinook stock composition in the Area F Troll catch from DNA samples are as follows:

Sample #1

- From 800 fish (27 vessel landings) caught between June 18th and 23rd

- 40.4% Upper Columbia Summer/fall, 20.8% South Thompson, 12.6% North & Central Oregon, 9.3% Coastal Washington, 1.5% WCVI, 2.2% Skeena and 0.4% Nass.

Sample #2

- From 402 fish (24 vessel landings) caught between June 24th and July 1st.

- 40.1% Upper Columbia Summer/fall, 20.8% South Thompson, 12.0% North & Central Oregon, 13.0% Coastal Washington, 0.2% WCVI, 1.0% Skeena and 0.2% Nass.

Sample #3

- From 189 fish (12 vessel landings) caught between June 26th and July 13th.

- 47.1% Upper Columbia Summer/fall, 17.6% South Thompson, 11.4% North & Central Oregon, 11.9% Coastal Washington, 0.5% WCVI, 2.9% Skeena and 0.0% Nass.

Sample #4

- From 185 fish (9 vessel landings) caught between July 10th and 19th.

- 48.3% Upper Columbia Summer/fall, 14.6% South Thompson, 9.0% North & Central Oregon, 14.9% Coastal Washington, 0.0% WCVI, 1.8% Skeena and 1.9% Nass.

Total estimated catch of WCVI Chinook (based on DNA analysis of catch) is 1,100 pieces.

COHO

The main targeted Coho Fishery opened July 10th (FN0592) with an allowance of sockeye by-catch (FN0593). Average daily effort over the last week was 62 vessels with a mean Coho CPUE of 108 Coho/Vessel/Day. Total catch to date is estimated to be 233,000 Coho, 42,600 Pinks and 2,800 Sockeye. Area F Troll closed to the retention of sockeye on August 7th (FN0780) to avoid interception of Fraser Sockeye. A comparison of Coho CPUE over the past decade and fleet distribution are depicted in the following graphs.

Figure 1 Mean Weekly Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) in Area F Troll.

CPUE = (# Coho Caught + # Coho Released) / Vessel / Day.

Figure 2 – Distribution of fishing effort of the Area F Troll Fleet by week.

Area 1-2 Recreational

Recreational catch estimates for the month of July are not expected until next week.

Table 2: Estimated Area 1-2 Recreational Catch to the end of June

2015 / Season / Catch By Species
Month / Area / Coho / Chinook / Pink / Sockeye / Chum / Rockfish / Halibut / Lingcod
May / 1 / 40 / 500 / 5 / 1 / 5 / 150 / 150 / 75
2E / 0 / 400 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 200 / 0
2W / 20 / 100 / 0 / 0 / 5 / 250 / 100 / 125
May Total / 60 / 1000 / 5 / 1 / 10 / 400 / 450 / 200
June / 1 / 1800 / 8200 / 50 / 20 / 80 / 1900 / 3400 / 1300
2E / 0 / 150 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 100 / 300 / 50
2W / 700 / 3200 / 60 / 0 / 10 / 3400 / 1500 / 1600
June Total / 2500 / 11550 / 110 / 20 / 90 / 5400 / 5200 / 2950
May - / 1 / 1840 / 8700 / 55 / 21 / 85 / 2050 / 3550 / 1375
June / 2E / 0 / 550 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 100 / 500 / 50
2W / 720 / 3300 / 60 / 0 / 15 / 3650 / 1600 / 1725
Season Total: / 2560 / 12550 / 115 / 21 / 100 / 5800 / 5650 / 3150
% of total catch by source / Log Book / 88% / 86% / 98% / 86% / 98% / 95% / 82% / 92%
Creel / 7% / 8% / 0% / 0% / 0% / 2% / 7% / 3%
Estimate / 4% / 5% / 2% / 14% / 2% / 3% / 11% / 5%
Note: / Catch estimates are preliminary and subject to change.
Data sources include Logbook program from fishing lodges,
Haida Creel and anecdotal information

Figure 3: Catch and releases of Coho and Chinook in Area 1. Figure from Haida Fisheries Program June Creel Report.

Southeast Alaska Troll

Regional coho CPUEs remain slightly above the 20-year average, though effort is below average.

Southeast Alaska Southern Inside Troll Coho Catch per Boat-Day

Tree Point Gill Net Fishery

The Tree Point gill net fishery in Alaska was extended to 4 days of fishing this week, opening Sunday, August 9th, at noon, and closing at noon on Thursday, August 12th. No catch estimates were available for this opening at the time of posting. Catch estimates for the previous week (Week 32) for the Tree Point gill net fishery are listed below.

Week 32 gill net (August 2 - 8) harvests for 42 vessels over 4 days fishing:

Chinook 20

Sockeye2,500

Coho 1,400

Pink51,000

Chum 35,000

Noyes Island Seine Fishery

The District 4 seine fishery opened for 39 hours this week, from 05:00 Tuesday, August 11th to 20:00 on August 12th. No catch estimates for this opening were available at time of posting. Catch estimates Week 32B (August 7th/8th) are listed below.

Week 32B SN harvests for 42 vessels:

Chinook 5,100

Sockeye 72,000

Coho 7,800

Pink650,000

Chum 29,000

Area 3 (Nass River)

The Nass River fishwheels have been operating since June 4th. The current in-season total return to Canada (TRTC) forecast (50% confidence interval), based on mark-recapture data and mean run timing, increased from 567,000 last week to 607,000 (561,000 – 775,000) for data to August 9th. This estimate assumes that 88% of the returning sockeye have migrated past the lower fish wheels at Gitwinksihlkw. The in-season run-size estimate past the Gitwinksihlkw fishwheels (GW), for data to August 9th, is 331,057 sockeye, much higher than the 1994-2014 average of 238,000. The run-size target past the GW fishwheels is 250,000 sockeye.

In addition, the point estimate for Nass chinook TRTC dropped slightly from 38,000 last week to 37,000 (36,000 – 40,000), based on mark-recapture data and mean run timing, and assuming that 97% of the returning stock has migrated past the GW fishwheels. The in-season run-size estimate past the GW fishwheels for upper Nass chinook , for data to August 9th, is 26,500 fish, much higher than the 1994-2014 average of 20,000. The run-size target past the GW fishwheels is 15,000 chinook.

For coho, assuming that 26% of the run has migrated past the GW fishwheels, the TRTC estimate is 181,000 (100,000 – 479,000). Meanwhile, the odd-year pink TRTC estimate is 632,000 (187,000 – 723,000), assuming 36% of the run has migrated past the GW fishwheels.

At 1.6 meters, the Nass River water level at the GW fishwheels is 0.3 meters lower than the 1994 – 2014 average, while water temperature at the same location remains 10.0oCelsius, which is equal to the 1994 – 2014 average.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/nass-eng.htm

Nisga’a Fisheries

Below is the estimated catch by Nisga’a harvest fisheries. To date, there have been 11 Nisga’a marine Individual Sales fisheries and 8 in-river Individual Sales fishery. At this time, Nisga’a Fisheries has announced that there will be no further in-river IS opportunities for sockeye and that further opportunities will be directed at coho.

*From Nisga’a Fisheries

Commercial Net Fisheries:

Twenty-five gillnet openings have occurred in Area 3. Further opportunities for later this week will be based on stock assessment information and will again be restricted in area to minimize interception of Skeena sockeye and Area 3 chum encounters, and operated under a non-possession / non-retention regulation for chum and steelhead.

Area 3 Gillnet Catch Estimates

There have also been 13 seine opening to date, the last opportunities being Thursday July 30th and Friday’ July 31st to target Area 3 pinks and with retention of sockeye and coho. The fishery has been closed since due to poor pink abundance. Further opportunities will be based on pink abundance and will again be restricted in area to minimize interception of Skeena sockeye and Area 3 chum encounters, and operated under a non-possession / non-retention regulation for chum, chinook and steelhead.

Area 3 Seine Catch Estimates to July 31st:

A catch monitoring program is in place for Area 3 net fisheries. Packer vessels and gillnet vessels landing to shore-based sites each have a 20% chance of being validated by an independent service provider. At-sea observers are now being deployed to the fleet to gather non-target species release information.

Gillnet species composition from gill net validated landings

Data provided by Ecotrust Canada

Nass Inland Demonstration Fishery

Both the Nisga’a and the Gitanyow are participating in inland demonstration fisheries to fish selectively for sockeye in the Nass watershed this year. The Nisga’a paused their harvesting from July 29-August 4 reduce impacts to Kwinageese sockeye but have since harvested the complete allocation of 5,154 sockeye. The Gitanyow continue their harvest at the Meziadin site and currently have 596 pieces remaining on their current allocation of 8,021 sockeye. Further sockeye allocations will be issued to both groups early next week, based on Area 3 marine commercial gillnet fishery catches.

Sockeye allocations and Catches to date:

First Nation / # GN Licences / Allocation / Catch
Nisga’a / 45 / 5,154 / 5,154
Gitanyow / 55 / 8,617 / 8,021

Meziadin Fishway

The Meziadin Fishway has been operational since July 1st. Current environmental conditions include water temperature of 17.5oCelsius, which is the same as the mean, and water levels which are near normal. As of August 9th, 84,184 adult sockeye (1994 – 2014 average to date is 91,000), 843 jack sockeye and 41adult chinook have passed through the fishway. All of these counts are below the 1994 – 2014 average, to date. Historic and 2015 counts are available here:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/meziadin-eng.htm

Kwinageese Weir

The Kwinageese weir is being managed by the Nisga’a Fish and Wildlife department, and has been operational since July 3rd. As of August 9th, a total of 752 chinook and 333 sockeye had passed through the weir. Though sockeye counts are near half the 1994 – 2014 average to date, chinook numbers are more than double the average. No coho have been observed this year. Water levels and temperature are higher than normal for this time of year.

According to the Nisga’a Fish and Wildlife Department, “The lower Kwinageese River barrier site was visited on March 3, 2015. Water levels were higher than normal due to early snow melt. The crew observed that several of the concrete blocks that were previously placed in the thalwag of the channel have since washed out. The concrete weir was still functioning by pooling water at the base of the bedrock barrier. Crew visited the barrier site on July 23 under normal water level and observed that the concrete weir structure was in the same condition as when visited in 2014. Numerous chinook were observed holding in the pool below barrier and a few were observed jumping the barrier.”

Area 4 (Skeena River)

The pre-season Skeena sockeye run size was for an above average return of 3.5 million (50% probability) with a 90% probability of 1.7 million and a 10% probability of 7.3 million, based on the sibling model. Based on the estimated escapement past the Tyee Test Fishery to August 3rd, and assuming average run timing, the current in-season point estimate (50% probability) for Total Return to Canada increased to 1.04 million, with a 90% probability of at least 770,000 and a 10% probability of 1.32 million. As a result, no scheduled commercial Area 4 sockeye fisheries are anticipated at this time.

The estimated Skeena sockeye escapement past the Tyee Test fishery, to August 10th, is 887,505 fish. Assuming average run timing, approximately 90% of the sockeye return should have passed the Tyee Test Fishery by August 10th. All species except sockeye and chinook are returning at, or above, historic decadal averages.

Below is a graph of estimated Tyee sockeye escapement, by date, along with the Babine fence daily counts, delayed by 3 weeks (migration timing from Tyee to Babine), to provide information on relative run timing and daily abundance.

The steelhead index at Tyee is currently tracking above average, to date, when compared to data going back to the inception of the test fishery in 1956. Below is a graph of the cumulative steelhead index at Tyee, along with average and min/max values over that time frame.

Supplied by Mark Beere, Min. of FLNRO.

Tyee test fishery data are available here:

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/salmon/testfish/sockeye/tyee_gillnet.htm

Tyee test fishery cumulative index to August 3rd:

Sockeye / Coho / Pink / Chum / Lg Chinook / Steelhead
2015 / 935.54 / 25.80 / 511.45 / 23.50 / 136.61 / 76.84
2000's Avg. / 1654.10 / 25.13 / 607.28 / 14.23 / 269.58 / 71.44
1990's Avg. / 1056.19 / 16.29 / 411.09 / 20.93 / 203.81 / 59.35
1980’s Avg. / 1432.94 / 31.29 / 588.38 / 23.02 / 169.28 / 71.01

Historical and 2015 counts are available here:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/northcoast-cotenord/index-eng.html