NET FISHERIES FORECAST FOR 1988
STATISTICAL TARGET OR OPTIMUM
REGION SPECIES AREA COMMENTS ESCAPEMENT CATCH
Queen Charlotte Sockeye 1, 2W 2E All catches are interceptions. There are no fisheries on local stocks. Areas — 50,00-100,000
will be managed on conjunction with fisheries in Areas 3, 4 and 5 with a
chinook bycatch limit.
Pink 1 Surplus expected to Masset Inlet and Naden Harbour. 1,100,000 300,000-500,000
2W Surplus expected for W. Skidegate, Rennel Sound, and Englefield Bay. 500,000 200,000-300,000
2E Large surplus anticipated. 750,000 1.0-1.5 million
Chum 1 . Surplus identified for Masset Inlet. 70,000 60,000-75,000
2W Small surplus expected. 200,000 30,000-40,000
2E Large chum surplus to Cumshewa Inlet (mainly hatchery surplus). 400,000 150,000-200,000
Nass-Skeena Sockeye 3 Near average return expected. 220,000 250,000-350,000
Pink 3 Well above average return expected (catch includes significant numbers of 300,000 3.0-5.0 million
Skeena R. pinks as well as local stocks).
Chum 3 Poor return expected due to poor brood year escapements. 90,000 Incidental
(100,000-200,000)
Sockeye 4 Slightly above average return expected. 1,000,000 1.0-1.5 million
Pink 4 Well above average return expected. 1,000,000 1.5-3.0 million
Chum 4 Poor return expected due to low brood year escapements. 50,000 Incidental
(50,000-100,000)
Sockeye 5 Poor brood year escapements. No directed fisheries. 50,000 Incidental
(25,000-50,000)
Pink 5 Above average year expected. 250,000 0.5-1.0 million
Central Coast Sockeye 6 Incidental catches only. There are no fisheries on local stocks. _ Incidental
(50,000-100,000)
Pink 6 Good returns expected to most streams. 1,500,000 2.0-4.0 million
Chum 6 Very poor brood year. Incidental catch only during pink fishery. 500,000 Incidental
• (50,000-100,000)
Pink 7 Surplus mainly to Kainet, Clatse and Carter rivers. 440,000 200,000-300,000
Chum 7 Good brood year escapements to Neekas and Salmon Bay rivers; catch 310,000 75,000-125,000
largely incidental in pink fishery.
Sockeye 8 Small surplus expected to Kimsquit and Atnarko rivers. 139,000 50,000-100,000
Pink 8 Major surplus to Atnarko River. 1,475,000 5.00-15.0 million
Chum 8 Surplus mainly to Bella Coola and Kimsquit systems. 267,000 200,000-400,000
Sockeye 9 Poor brood year escapement in 1984. Recent return rates have been well 1,000,000 200,000-500,000
below the long term average, and only a moderate surplus is expected.
Pink 9 Strong return expected to Johnston and Clyak rivers. 347,000 350,000-450,000
Central Coast Sockeye 10 Fair return expected. Brood year escapement in 1983 was on target, but far 200,000 200,000-300,000
below target in 1984.
Pink 10 Small surplus to the Nekite R. is expected and it will be harvested
incidentally in the sockeye fishery. 65,000 Incidental
• (10,000-20,000)
Chum 10 Expected returns far below escapement requirements. 83,000 Incidental
(2,000-5,000)
Johnstone Strait Sockeye 12 & 13 Predominately Fraser River sockeye with no expected surplus of local 250,000 See Fraser River
stocks. The expected total Nimpkish River system return of 130,000-160,000 (Nimpkish Expectations
is well below the escapement target. The catch of Fraser River sockeye River)
is dependent on diversion rates.
Pink 12 & 13 Even year pink stocks are expected to be above the required escapement. 2,200,000 0.6-1.0 million
The total expected Area 12 & 13 production of 3.0 to 3.4 million pinks
includes 1.7-1.8 million to the Area 12 Mainland Inlets. There will be an
incidental catch of local pinks in the sockeye fishery, and potential for an
Area 12 Mainland Inlet fishery.
Chum 12 & 13 Approximately 4.0 million chum are expected to return to the study area, 600,000 0.8-1.0 million
which includes Johnstone Strait, Fraser River, and the Strait of Georgia.
Comox/Qualicum Chum 14 Enhancement facilities at Qualicum and Puntledge will provide harvestable 300,000 300,000-400,000
surpluses.
Coho 14 Hatchery surplus expected. 40,000-60,000
Nitinat Chum 21&22 Hatchery production should produce a surplus. _ 200,000-400,000
(hatchery)
Chum (wild) A surplus is predicted for wild chum but survivals are very uncertain. 175,000 280,000-480,000
Barkley Sound Sockeye 23 A poor return of sockeye is expected. Final estimates will not be available 400,000 150,000-350,000
until February. (includes Sproat, (preliminary)
Great Central and
Henderson Lakes.)
Chum 23 No surplus expected. 150,000 —
Chinook 23 A small surplus and normal sex ratio is expected. 120,000 Minimal
Nootka Chum 25 A surplus of enhanced chum is expected. _ 240,000-440,000
(hatchery)
Chum (wild) A surplus of wild chum is expected, but survivals are very uncertain. 195,000 50,000-150,000
Kyuquot Chum (wild) 26 A surplus of wild chum is expected, but survivals are very uncertain. 180,000 100,000-300,000
Fraser R. Sockeye 29 Chilko River sockeye returns (the major contributor on this cycle) are 7,000,000+ 600,000-700,000
expected to be poor due to a slide in Chilko Lake which affected freshwater (total)
survival. The total Fraser forecast is for a run of only 2.9 million.
Chum 29 An exceptionally large return of 1.85 million fish is expected in 1988 com- 700,000 + 600,000-700,000
prised of about 1.3 million wild and 550,000 hatchery returns. Harvestable (total)
surpluses within the river are anticipated.
200,000-300-000 (Area 29)
THE FISHERMAN / JANUARY 22,1988 • 11
