REVIEW OF 2000 SALMON SEASON
AND AN OUTLOOK FOR 2001 REVIEW OF THE 2000 SALMON SEASON In the Yukon Territory, it is believed poor marine survival caused almost all salmon returns to be below expectations in 2000. Because of this, significant conservation actions were required to be taken in fisheries throughout both the Yukon and Alsek drainages. The diminished returns are assumed to be the result of poor marine survival, which appears to have adversely affected production since the mid-1990s. Extensive closures were imposed in the Yukon River commercial, domestic and recreational fisheries and voluntary cutbacks occurred in several First Nations fisheries harvesting Yukon River chinook and chum salmon. In the Alsek drainage, closures in the sport and First Nations fisheries resulted in near-record low catches. Transboundary Rivers Sockeye returns to the Transboundary rivers were mixed with poor returns in both the Stikine and Alsek river drainages and an average return to the Taku River. The spawning escapements of primary indicator stocks in the Stikine (Tahltan Lake) and Alsek (Klukshu River) were well below target levels despite significant reductions in fishing effort in both drainages, particularly in the Stikine commercial and Alsek recreational fisheries. On the other hand, Taku sockeye escapement achieved the target range and individual indicator stock escapements were at average levels. Total sockeye catches were well below average in the Stikine (37% below average) and Alsek (52% below average) drainages, 27,500 and 700, respectively. On the Taku River, the sockeye catch totalled 28,149 fish which was similar to the previous ten-year average harvest. Target escapement ranges for chinook salmon were met or exceeded on the Transboundary rivers in 2000. On the Stikine River, the estimated total spawning escapement was 4% above the upper end of the escapement goal range, whereas, on the Taku and Alsek systems, chinook escapements were just above the lower end of the target ranges. Opportunities to harvest chinook salmon on the Taku and Stikine rivers are restricted by the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) to incidental harvests during sockeye fisheries. Total net catches of chinook salmon on these rivers were 1,600 (9% below average) and 3,100 (35% above average), respectively. In the Alsek drainage, extremely high water conditions and reduced effort due to sockeye restrictions resulted in the lowest chinook catch on record, 123 chinook salmon, 82% below average. Coho returns to the Alsek and Taku drainages were strong with the index escapement through the Klukshu weir (Alsek drainage) the second highest on record and more than twice the previous ten-year average. The total coho escapement estimate in the Taku River was 11% above average and 2.2 times the upper end of the target range for this river system. Conversely, the coho run into the Stikine River appeared to be below average and the total escapement was 15% below the lower end of the escapement target range. Low escapements were also indicated in Stikine index stream surveys; combined counts were 73% below average. As with chinook salmon, coho catches on the Stikine and Taku rivers are also limited by the PST. On the Taku River, the total coho catch was 4,700 fish, 11% below average. The catch of only 301 coho salmon on the Stikine River was 85% below average and generally reflected the low abundance of coho in this system. Although the abundance of coho was strong in the Alsek drainage, catches were low totalling 52 fish in the combined FN and recreational fisheries. High water conditions and extensive restrictions imposed for sockeye conservation resulted in low effort levels during the coho season. Yukon River Total run sizes of both chinook and chum salmon in the Yukon River were well below expectations in 2000. The estimated number of chinook reaching the border, 17,200 fish, was the lowest on record and was 60% below average. This marked the third consecutive year of poor chinook returns. Low chinook salmon abundance resulted in extensive closures in the commercial, domestic and recreational fisheries, none of which opened during the chinook season. Voluntary cutbacks in the upper Yukon FN fisheries resulted in a catch of 4,100 chinook, which was 47% below average. The total estimated chinook spawning escapement was 56% below the target and was the third lowest estimate on record. Index escapement counts of chinook salmon ranged from 54% to 95% below average. The number of upper Yukon chum salmon migrating into Canada was estimated to be approximately 59,600 fish, compared to an average of 100,300 fish. Of this, an estimated 55,400 potentially reached the spawning grounds, a number that was 31% below the target escapement level. Commercial openings were limited to one, 24-hour period which netted 1,300 chum salmon; this total catch was 94% below average. The upper Yukon First Nations fisheries harvested a total of 2,900 chum salmon, 29% above average. In the Porcupine River drainage, a major tributary of the Yukon River, the index count of chum salmon escapement was the lowest on record; only 5,100 chum salmon were counted through the Fishing Branch weir, 90% below the target level. The only fishery to harvest these stocks in Canada is the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nations fishery near Old Crow. A total of 5,000 chum salmon was caught in 2000 compared to an average catch of approximately 3,600 chum salmon. OUTLOOK FOR 2001 Transboundary Rivers Priority access to fishing opportunities on the Transboundary Rivers will be afforded to First Nations fisheries for food, social and ceremonial purposes. Conservation concerns, particularly on the Stikine and Alsek rivers, may require restrictions in some First Nations fisheries. If required, such restrictions would only occur after other fisheries have been closed. It is expected that one ESSR fishery will occur, that on the Tuya River in the Stikine drainage. On the Stikine River, conservation concerns for Tahltan Lake sockeye salmon will continue and will likely result in significant restrictions in the commercial fishery through the first half of the sockeye season (third week of July). Sockeye management will be abundance-based and will be consistent with the 50/50 sharing provisions of the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST). Opportunities to fish chinook salmon will be limited by PST obligations and due to the likelihood of early season sockeye restrictions, incidental catches of chinook salmon are expected to be below average. Recreational opportunities to catch chinook salmon are expected to be similar to previous years. Coho salmon catches will be limited by the harvest sharing provisions of the PST which provide for a targeted catch of 4,000 coho salmon. The preliminary outlook is for an average to above average return of sockeye salmon in the Taku River. Commercial opportunities will be determined on a weekly basis through the abundance-based management regime developed for this river and will be consistent with the PST harvest sharing provision of 18% of the total allowable catch of Taku wild sockeye salmon as well as the domestic priority for FN harvests. As with the Stikine River, opportunities to net chinook salmon will be limited to incidental harvesting during the directed sockeye fishery. A below average to average return of chinook salmon is expected. Recreational opportunities to catch Taku chinook salmon are expected to be similar to previous years. For coho salmon, fishing opportunites will depend upon inriver abundance and targeted coho catches are expected to fall in the 3,000 to 10,000 range, consistent with PST provisions. The preliminary outlook is for an average to below average return. It is expected the effects of low marine survival will continue to result in below average returns of chinook and sockeye salmon in the Alsek drainage. As a result, restrictions may be required in the recreational fishery, particularly for early run sockeye salmon; non-retention of sockeye through August 14 will continue in this fishery. It is expected that the First Nations fishery will have opportunity to fish all salmon species. However, as per recent years, it may be necessary to impose restrictions particularly for sockeye salmon if abundance continues at the low levels experienced in the past four years. Yukon River Priority access to fishing opportunities on the Yukon River will be afforded to First Nations fisheries for food, social and ceremonial purposes. Conservation concerns may require restrictions in some FN fisheries. If required, such restrictions would only occur after other fisheries have been closed. Over the past three years, despite excellent parent year spawning escapements, Yukon River chinook and chum salmon have returned at levels far below expectations, likely the result of poor marine survival. It is expected that this trend will continue in 2001 and as a result, significant restrictions in fisheries are anticipated. It is expected that initial openings in the recreational, domestic and commercial fisheries will be delayed until in-season forecasts indicate spawning escapement and FN fishery requirements are likely to be achieved. It is conceivable that, as per 2000, there may be no opportunity to harvest chinook and/or chum salmon in these fisheries, and cutbacks in FN harvests may be necessary to address conservation concerns. -30- For more information: Gordon Zealand
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