2015 Fraser River Stock Assessment and Fishery Summary Chinook, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2015 Fraser River Stock Assessment and Fishery Summary Chinook, Coho and Chum

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Background and Stock Assessment

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Fraser River Chinook - Background

3 Diverse group of populations, exhibiting a wide range of life histories, geography, and run timing Chinook enter the Fraser River from March thru October Spawning occurs throughout the Fraser, from just above the tidal limits in the Lower Fraser to the upper tributaries of the Stuart basin Juveniles exhibit both stream and ocean life history types Currently managed as five Management Units

–Fraser Spring 42 Chinook –Fraser Spring 52 Chinook –Fraser Summer 52 Chinook –Fraser Summer 41 Chinook –Fraser Fall Chinook

2015 Fraser River Stock Assessment Chinook

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In-season Assessment for Fraser Spring and Summer 52

–Began the year assuming zone 1 –Spring and Summer 52 Chinook are assessed in-season with an abundance model based on catch from the Albion Test Fishery –On June 15th this in-season model generated an estimate of 48,440 chinook (FN0549). –this estimate resulted in Zone 2 management for 2015 (Zone 1 < 45K; Zone 2 = 45 to 85K; Zone 3 > 85K)

2015 Fraser River Stock Assessment Chinook

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Post-season Assessment

–spawner abundance is estimated using a number of methods –mark-recapture studies – Nicola, Harrison, Lower and Mid Shuswap, Chilko –electronic counters – Bonaparte and Deadman –fence counts at Salmon River (Salmon Arm) –remaining assessments are through visual surveys (aerial, foot or float)

Fraser Spring 42 Chinook

–improved over brood in 2015 (avg. >150% for those stocks we have info for so far), and all populations improved although some only barely. –Not as productive as in the past, and the stocks overall are at levels well below MSY . –Continued rebuilding is required before these stocks will attain MSY escapement levels.

Fraser Spring 52 Chinook

–Spring 52 chinook improved over brood in 2015 (avg. ~150%), although there were some populations that did poorly and others that did exceptionally well. –Not as productive as in the past. –Continued rebuilding is required for these.

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2015 Preliminary Escapements

Fraser Summer 52 Chinook

–Almost all Summer 52 populations increased in spawner abundance compared to their parent brood levels, and of the surveyed systems, only Cariboo failed to show improvement over brood abundance

Fraser Summer 41 Chinook

• record escapements in Adams and Little River, and escapements

exceeded parent brood levels for all stocks.

• The aggregate escapement for the South Thompson summers exceeded

170K!

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2015 Preliminary Escapements

Escapement - Fraser Spring 42 Chinook

Base Period Doubling Goal

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Escapement - Fraser Spring 52 Chinook

Base Period Doubling Goal

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Escapement - Fraser Summer 52 Chinook

Base Period Doubling Goal

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Escapement - Fraser Summer 41 Chinook

Base Period Doubling Goal

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Escapement - Fraser Fall Chinook

Escapement Goal Range

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Fraser River Coho - Background

13 Coho populations spawn throughout the Fraser watershed

–many spawning sites in Lower Fraser River (Below Hells Gate) –Interior Fraser coho return to the Upper Fraser and Thompson Rivers (Above Hells Gate)

Stream-type life history Most return as three year olds, though 10% return as 4 year olds having spent 2 years in fresh water. Coho enter the Lower Fraser River from late August to December

– peak migration period for Interior Fraser Coho from early September to early October

Interior Fraser Coho populations have declined dramatically from peak abundances observed in the 1980’s.

2015 Fraser River Stock Assessment Coho

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Interior Fraser Coho

• very preliminary escapement estimate between 10,000 and 20,000
• decrease from 2012 parental brood escapement of ~57,000
• 2014 aggregate escapement was 18,200

Lower Fraser Coho

• escapement assessments are still underway
• estimates are expected late February
• work continues to identify a suite of systems to use for tracking annual

abundance

Escapement Coho - 2015 is very preliminary

50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000

• Return Year

60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Geometric Mean of IFC Escapement

3-Y ear Geometric Mean of Interior Fraser Coho Relative to IFCRT Benchmarks

3-year Geometric Mean of IFC Escapement IFCRT Short Term Recovery Objective IFCRT Long Term Recovery Objective

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Pre-fishery Abundance - Interior Fraser River Coho

200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 Return Year 250,000 300,000

Total Abundance and Spawning Escapement of Interior Fraser River Coho 1975-2015

1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Number of Coho Spawning Escapement Total Abundance

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400,000 350,000

Fraser River Chum - Background

17 Largest chum population in British Columbia

• two Conservation Units (Lower Fraser and Fraser Canyon)
• managed as a single aggregate for setting TAC

Escapement goal is 800,000 Return to Fraser from September through November

• recent year peak migration mid/late-October

Major spawning areas are below Hope

• Harrison/Weaver/Chehalis, Chilliwack/Vedder

, Stave

Enhancement

• Weaver spawning channels, Inch Creek, Chilliwack, and Chehalis hatcheries
• production relatively consistent over the last 10 years
• proportion of fed fry decreased in the last decade, but has been increased in

recent years

2015 Fraser River Chum

18 Managed based on in-season information derived from the Albion test fishery 2015 in-season assessment

–October 20th preliminary run size estimate of 1.5 million –October 22ndth run size estimate was 1.78 million

Post-season assessment (escapement)

–2015 escapement assessments are still underway – no preliminary estimates available

2015 Fraser River Fishery Summary

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Please note that the term “Lower Fraser” is meant to include the Fraser River mainstem below Sawmill Creek and tributaries to the Lower Fraser River, where applicable.

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2015 Fraser River Fisheries - Commercial

21 Directed chum fisheries in-river if a commercial TAC is identified

– constraints due to co-migrating stocks of concern

• IFR Coho
• IFR Steelhead

Area B Fraser River Chum/Pink Fisheries

– Unsuccessful pink fishery (27 pink, 5 coho, 21 chinook) – Limited Chum success, harvest of 4,513 Chum – 56 Coho released

Area E Fraser River Chum Fishery

– harvest of 125,463 chum – retained bycatch of 104 chinook, 4 hatchery marked coho and 1 steelhead – 129 Chinook, 730 coho, and 21 steelhead were released

2015 Fraser River Catch Commercial and Demonstration

Commercial kept rel kept rel kept rel Area E Chum directed 104 129 4 730 125,463 67 Area B Chinook Coho Chum

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Pink Directed

• 21
• 5
• Chum Directed
• 51

4,513

2015 Fraser River Fisheries - Recreational

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Chinook management actions in Region 2 (Lower Mainland)

• January 1 to August 2, no fishing for salmon.
• August 3 to

August 14, the daily limit was four chinook per day with only one over 50 cm allowed to be retained.

• August 15 to August 28, no fishing for salmon.

This management measure was in place due to high water temperatures and concerns with potential impacts to co-migrating sockeye salmon.

• August 29 to December 31 the daily limit for wild or hatchery

marked chinook salmon was four with only one over 62 cm allowed to be retained.

2015 Fraser River Fisheries - Recreational

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Chinook management actions in Region 3 (Thompson-Nicola)

Fisheries in Region 3 generally target a specific stock group and are short duration

• pportunities designed to avoid impacts on non-target stocks. Areas not specifically

mentioned are closed to fishing for salmon year-round. A closure to all salmon fishing was implemented on July 22 due to high water

• temperatures. Limited fisheries reopened once the water temps dropped.

Fisheries targeting Sp/Sum 52 stocks

–Clearwater and North Thompson Rivers catch and release July 16 to July 21, then closed, then August 7 to Aug 21, one Chinook per day from (monthly limit of 2). –Fraser River at Bridge River open Sunday through Thursday from June 16 to July 2; 1 per day

Fisheries targeting Summer 41 stocks

–Thompson River Goldpan to the Fraser Aug. 29 to Sept. 22, 4 per day, none > 50 cm –Kamloops Lake And Thompson River downstream to Goldpan Aug 28 to Sept. 22, 4 per day, 1 > 50 cm –South Thompson River Aug 22 to Sept 22, 4 per day, 2 > 50 cm

2015 Fraser River Fisheries - Recreational

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Chinook management actions in Region 5A and 7 (Cariboo/Peace)

All fisheries in these Regions target Spring or Summer 52 Chinook One Chinook per day, none > 77 cm in the following areas and times:

–Bowron River: July 15 to Aug 15 –Cariboo and Chilko Rivers: July 25 to Aug 16 –Nechako River: Aug 15 to Aug 27 –Quesnel River: July 15 to Sept 1

Chinook management actions in Region 8 (Okanagan)

These fisheries target Summer 41 Chinook with some measures in place to avoid Bessette Spring 42 stocks. Areas not specifically mentioned are closed to fishing for salmon year round. Fisheries were reduced this year due to high water temps. – Mabel Lake and Lower Shuswap River opened to Chinook Sept. 1 to Sept 13 , 4/day,

• nly 2 > 50 cm. The open area of Mabel Lake was smaller than usual this year due to an

area that remained closed near the mouth of the Middle Shuswap River due to concerns for Middle Shuswap chinook.

2015 Fraser River Fisheries - Recreational

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Coho management actions

• Mouth to Sawmill Creek - no fishing for coho (bait ban) during “Coho Window

Closure” from early September to early October

• Sawmill Creek to Lytton – No fishing for salmon Sept 16 to Dec 31
• Lytton to Williams Lake – No fishing for salmon Sept 23 to Dec 31
• Upstream of Williams Lake – No fishing for salmon Oct 1 to Dec 31

Chum management actions

• Aug 29 to December 31 – 2 per day (Mission to Sawmill Cr); 4 per day (below

Mission)

2015 Fraser River Catch Recreational

• Kept coho reported in the Lower Fraser are from fisheries in the

Nicomen Slough and Chilliwack/Vedder Rivers.

• Lower Fraser catch information is preliminary

Recreational kept 11,824 3,342 rel 1,658 412 kept 23

• rel

kept 123

• rel

Lower Fraser BC Interior 35 111

• Chinook

Coho Chum

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2015 Fraser River Fisheries

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First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial

Chinook-directed fisheries

Lower Fraser –Open, with reduced fishing time, every second weekend for most groups from April 4 through August 1 –managed to reduced hours to maintain effort consistent with Zone 2 management Mid Fraser –limited Chinook 8-inch mesh in a few areas starting late April and directed Chinook with selective gear began June –Chinook fisheries with sockeye non-retention occurred from July 1 to 29 Thompson River Upstream of Bonaparte –licensed July 15 for Chinook/sockeye Upper Fraser –directed Chinook fisheries began June 1 with selective gear including angling and dip net –sockeye non-retention fisheries occurred during the Early Stuart closure with selective gear, including 8” mesh gillnets

2015 Fraser River Fisheries

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First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial

Sockeye-directed fisheries

Lower Fraser

– dry rack fisheries August 2 to 13 – Only one FSC opening from August 6 to Aug 9

Mid Fraser

– sockeye/Chinook fisheries took place from July 30 to October 20

Upper Fraser

– Deadman to Hixon: directed sockeye fishing with dipnets initiated Aug 4 – Upstream of Hixon: directed gillnet fishing initiated Aug 8 – limited retention in July in terminal areas with access to only Early Stuart

Coho-directed fisheries

• No coho-directed fisheries in 2015

2015 Fraser River Fisheries First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial

30 Pink-directed fisheries

Lower Fraser

• Selective gear only due to IFC window

closure

• September 13, 20, 26–29

Chum-directed fisheries (Lower Fraser only)

– FSC openings on weekends from Oct 10 to Nov 29

2015 Fraser River Fisheries

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First Nations Economic Opportunity and Demo

Lower Fraser River Economic Opportunity Fisheries

–No targeted sockeye salmon in 2015 –Targeted pink and chum salmon in 2015 Pink-directed fisheries occurred between September 22 – 25 –Sts’ailes targeting their own allocation plus, Tsawwassen, UFFCA and SFC allocations. –38,539 pink retained from combined allocation of 39,600 pink –233 coho and 484 sockeye released Chum-directed fisheries occurred between Oct 22 and Nov 6 –122,309 chum retained –bycatch of 526 coho, 22 chinook and 1 steelhead retained –2,867 coho, 644 Chinook, and 21 steelhead released

2015 Fraser River Fisheries

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First Nations Economic Opportunity and Demo

Mid and Upper Fraser Demonstration fisheries

Secwepemc Fisheries Commission –South Thompson 41 Chinook on Kamloops Lake –Chinook 8 inch gillnet. Harvest was 2,493 chinook –bycatch mortalities of 1 coho and 554 Sockeye kept –Allocation of 3,100 Chinook for 2015 Upper Fraser Conservation Alliance –No fishery occurred in 2015 ( No sockeye CCTAC)

2015 Fraser River Catch - First Nations

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Coho retention was permitted in all FSC fisheries in 2015.

Fraser River First Nations kept rel kept rel kept rel FSC Lower Fraser 20,373 73 329 118 36,273 59 BC Interior 3,339 90 55

• Economic Opportunity

Lower Fraser 22 1,481 526 2,867 122,309 600 BC Interior (Demo) 2,493

• ESSR

Lower Fraser 8,752

• 11,284
• 15,666
• Total

Lower Fraser 29,147 1,554 12,139 2,985 174,248 659 BC Interior 5,832 90 55

• Grand Total

34,979 1,644 12,194 2,985 174,248 659 Chinook Coho Chum

Interior Fraser Coho

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2015 Coho Management Approach

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• CSAS scientific review to assess stock status and implications of exploitation rates
• n recovery objectives completed.
• Current productivity still well below that in relatively high productivity period
• f 1978-1993; still in the low productivity period.
• Based on the results of the simulations, exploitation rates exceeding 30%

suggested there is lower than a 50% probability of achieving the short term conservation objective of 20,000 spawners (3-year geometric mean).

• IFMP objective: The objective for Interior Fraser River coho (including Thompson

River coho) is to limit the Canadian exploitation rate to 10% or less for the 2015 season only.

2015 Coho Planning

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Pre-season and In-season Assessment of fishery impacts:

• Interior Fraser coho fishing mortality is estimated pre-season and in-season using a series of

models that integrate assumptions about anticipated coho encounters, fishing effort levels, estimates of proportion of Interior Fraser River coho stocks within the total encounters based

• n past data, and average release mortality rates.
• There are two primary models used domestically:
• Marine fisheries - Spreadsheet Model
• Fraser River fisheries - Decay Model
• The final in-season IFR Coho exploitation rate was planned to be ~8% for fisheries south of

Cape Caution

2015 Coho Post Season Assessment

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• Near final post season exploitation rate projections will be completed in March

2016

• The post season exploitation rate estimate is developed from the same models

mentioned previously but using any actual information on encounter rates (kept and released) and fishing effort collected during the fishing season.

• Timelines for the availability of data required:
• Catch- February
• Escapement- February

2015 South Coast Fishery Summary

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2015 ECVI First Nations Fishery

• FSC fisheries targeting Fraser River sockeye began in late July and continued until

August 12, 2015 at which time sockeye non-retention in FSC fisheries

• FSC fisheries remained open to the retention of all other salmon species
• Limited sockeye fishery resulted in some FSC harvest targeting other species, though

still minimal

• JST ESSR at Quinsam Hatchery
• SoG ESSR at Big Qualicum and Cowichan

2015 ECVI Commercial Pink Catch

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Numbers Kept Commercial Area H Troll Fraser Sockeye (12,13) Area H Troll JST Chum (12,13) 24 Area H Troll MVI Chum (14) Area B Seine Fraser Sockeye (12,13) Area B Seine Fraser Sockeye (16) Area B Seine Mainland Pink (12, 16) 95,198 Area B Seine JST Chum (12,13) 145 Area B Seine MVI Chum (14-19) Area D Gillnet Fraser Sockeye (11,12,13,14) Area D Gillnet JST Chum (12,13) 114 Area D Gillnet MVI Chum (14) Area E Gillnet MVI Chum (Area 14-19) Total Commercial Catch 95,481 Fishery Gear Fishery (Area)

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Commercial Chum Fishery Catches

2015 ECVI Commercial Chum Catch

Numbers Kept Commercial Area H Troll Fraser Sockeye (12,13) Area H Troll JST Chum (12,13) 48,544 Area H Troll MVI Chum (14) 2 Area B Seine Fraser Sockeye (12,13) Area B Seine Fraser Sockeye (16) Area B Seine Mainland Pink (12,16) Area B Seine JST Chum (12,13) 352,502 Area B Seine MVI Chum (14-19) 183,033 Area D Gillnet Fraser Sockeye (11,12,13,14) Area D Gillnet JST Chum (12,13) 91,795 Area D Gillnet MVI Chum (14) 12,812 Area E Gillnet MVI Chum (Area 14-19) 40,250 Total Commercial Catch 728,938 Fishery Gear Fishery (Area)

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2013 Recreational Fisheries

Chinook

• In 2015 management measures were in effect to protect LGS and Fraser (Spring 42, Spring and Summer 52) as

required.

• Fraser Chinook - Zone 2 measures - only 1 chinook >67cm, JDF – March 1-July 17, SOG – May 4 – July 17.
• Drought conditions closed terminal areas to salmon retention - protecting LGS chinook, Cowichan, Nanaimo, earlier

than typical chinook non-retention timing. Coho

• In 2015 Canada adopted an Interior Fraser Coho <10%, reducing some of the wild coho retention opportunities that

were in place in recreational fisheries in 2014.

• In 2015, opportunities for wild coho retention were permitted in: JS June 1- Dec 31, SOG Sept 11-Dec 31, Area 18/19

Oct 1-Dec 31.

• Abundance and catch of coho was notably lower in nearly all marine fisheries compared with longer term averages.

Sockeye

• Marine recreational fisheries closed in 2015 in JS, SOG, JDF – low abundance of Fraser Sockeye

Pink

• Fraser Pink year, and although abundance was not as high as predicted, there were good recreational fisheries in

ECVI, especially JDF. Chum

• Good chum abundances in ECVI, especially around Nanaimo, Cowichan and Sechelt Inlet, but low recreational effort

and catches in marine fisheries.

2015 ECVI Recreational Fishery

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2015 ECVI Recreational Fisheries

Fishing Area Sockeye Kept Sockeye Released Coho Kept Coho Released Pink Pink Chum Chum Released Chinook Chinook Chinook Chinook Kept Released Kept ISBM Kept ISBM Released AABM Kept AABM Released Juan de Fuca (19,20) 212 1,323 11,083 25,811 58,104 63,845 162 6 30,558 20,913

• Strait of Georgia (13-19,28,29)

84 2,991 7,216 27,562 28,155 17,832 1,721 50 51,483 36,655

• Johnstone Strait (11-12)

14 100 8,600 4,833 6,606 7,185 59 31 12,127 9,138

• WCVI - Inshore (20W-27)

94,364 646 18,091 11,932 3,551 8,998 30

• 31,753

14,877 7,215 4,051 WCVI - Offshore (121-127) 225 63 7,716 17,699 2,533 9,203 49 7

• 41,560

24,279 Fraser River 37 4,169 23 35 12,266 19,746 55 17 13,186 1,702

• TOTAL

94,936 9,292 52,729 87,872 111,215 126,809 2,076 111 139,107 83,285 48,775 28,330

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WCVI First Nations FSC/Treaty

• FSC/treaty fisheries targeting Somass sockeye stocks were successful.
• Success in other fisheries were variable.

Sockeye Kept Coho Kept Pink Kept Chum Kept Chinook ISBM Kept AABM Kept 39,394 1,917 5 2,246 2,019 3,946

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Pre-Season and Post-Season Total Allowable and Preliminary Catch Estimates for October 2014-September 2015 WCVI AABM Chinook

Pre-Season Post-Season WCVI AABM Abundance Index 0.85 under review WCVI AABM chinook TAC* 127,278 under review AABM Sport Catch 60,000 48,775 First Nations Catch (FSC) 5,000 996** Maa-nulth First Nations Catch (FSC) 4,141 2,400** T’aaq-wiihak Catch 7,267 6,234 Area G Troll Catch 50,870* 54,338 Total AABM Catch 127,278 113,293 *The total Area G troll TAC is calculated as the difference between the WCVI AABM chinook TAC less

• ffshore sport catch, NTC First Nations Expected FSC catch, Maa-nulth Domestic Allocation and T’aaq-

wiihak allocation. **First Nations catch is preliminary.

WCVI Commercial - AABM Chinook

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WCVI Commercial - AABM Chinook

• Coho bycatch was

permitted to be retained in AABM chinook fisheries after September 15 in 2015

• Most of the Area G coho

catch from the chinook calendar year occurred in October 2014

Month-Year Retained Released Retained Released

Oct-14

10,422 9

Nov-14 Dec-14 Jan-15

1

Feb-15 Mar-15 Apr-15

2

May-15

808

Jun-15 Jul-15

1,161

Aug-15

23 1,011 519

Sep-15

6,055 53 574 48 Total 16,501 1,883 574 1,728 Area G T'aaq-wiihak

Coho Bycatch

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2013 Recreational Fisheries

Chinook

• Management measures in place to reduce impacts on WCVI wild chinook were

continued for WCVI area recreational fisheries. The WCVI chinook management corridor remained in effect all season with 2 fish under 77cm.

• In addition, the chinook conservation corridor was expanded into all of Area 23

due to low forecast returns of 4 and 5 year old chinook at RCH. Starting August 1st in area 23 the daily limit was 2 chinook < 77cm. The restriction was changed to 2 chinook, 1 > 77cms prior to Labour Day based on in-season stock and fishery assessment.

• Management measures in place to reduce impacts on LGS and Fraser (Spring

42, Spring and Summer 52) chinook were continued for the Juan de Fuca area fishery.

WCVI Recreational Fishery

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2015 WCVI and JDF Recreational Catch – Chinook

Kept Rel. Kept Rel. Juan de Fuca (19,20) 30,558 20,913

• -

WCVI - Inshore (20W-27) 31,753 14,877 7,215 4,051 WCVI - Offshore (121-127)

• -

41,560 24,279 Fishing Area Chinook ISBM AABM

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2013 Recreational Fisheries

Coho

• Some of the wild coho retention opportunities that were in place in recreational

fisheries in 2014 were reduced to due lower allowable impacts in Interior Fraser coho.

• In 2015, opportunities for wild coho retention were permitted only in inshore

WCVI areas from 23-27. Wild retention was at full limits of 4/day.

• Preliminary catch of coho in the WCVI area is estimated at 25,800; including .

7,700 and 18,000 from offshore and inshore areas, respectively.

Sockeye

• The Area 23 recreational fishery opened May 1 to December 31. The

preliminary estimated catch is approximately 88,000 sockeye.

• In addition, there was an experimental freshwater sockeye fishery in the non-

tidal area of Somass river with a total estimated catch of <500.

WCVI Recreational Fishery

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2015 WCVI and JDF Recreational Catch – Other

spp.

Kept Rel. Kept Rel. Kept Rel. Kept Rel. Juan de Fuca (19,20) 212 1,323 11,083 25,811 58,104 63,845 162 6 WCVI - Inshore (20W-27) 88,232 646 18,091 11,932 3,551 8,998 30

• WCVI - Offshore

(121-127) 225 63 7,716 17,699 2,533 9,203 49 7 Sockeye Coho Pink Chum Fishing Area

The End

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