EASTHOPE
ANCHOR WINCH
Easthope Hydraulic Anchor Winch for vessels up to 42 feet. Has a 1000 pound lift at 50 feet a minute.
McELHINNEY GURDIES
i Manufactured by Easthope >
Ruggedly Built, Easily Adjusted
A Real Smooth Operator
Commission details effect on runs
Completely equipped for Mechanical or Hydraulic hook-up.
For the smoothest operating Gurdy you can't beat the EASTHOPE-McELHINNEY Precision Built Gurdy.
Stronger Built - Priced Right
TWO-SPEED
DRUM DRIVES
The reliable Easthope Drum Drive . . . Precision built . . . For Mechanical or Hydraulic Drive for years of dependable service.
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EARLY DELIVERY
EASTHOPE
BROS. LTD.
122S1 No. 1 Road, Steveston Richmond, B.C. V7E 1T6 Phone: 277-7710
McGregor Dam seen as threat
The International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission, devoting nearly three pages of its 1976 annual report to the probable effects of B.C. Hydro's proposed McGregor River diversion on Fraser River salmon stocks, concludes it would present "a substantial threat to maintenance of productive stocks of sockeye and pink salmon . . ."
It draws much the same conclusion from its analysis of the proposed Nechako River diversion which, it already has warned, would raise water temperatures to critical levels during the migration of sockeye runs to Fraser and Francois Lakes.
However the threat to the lower Fraser posed by the proposed -McGregor project, which B.C. Hydro is investigating as a power source for production as early as 1984, is of even greater concern, in the commission's view.
The UFAWU and various environmental groups have come out strongly against the diversion, warning that it could have disastrous effects on the Fraser River fishery. But it has remained for the salmon commission to plot scientifically the full repercussions of drastically reduced water flow on the river's entire ecology.
Average discharge of the McGregor River, which flows south down the Rocky Mountain Trench and enters the Fraser River above Prince George, contributes eight percent of the Fraser's flow at Hope.
Under B.C. Hydro's proposal, all of its flow would be diverted over the Fraser River-Peace River divide into the northward-flowing Parsnip River for power generation at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and other dams on the Peace system.
Though no sockeye or pink salmon spawn in the McGregor or its tributaries, its diversion
could affect both fisheries "in a number of ways that can be foreseen," the commission states.
A statistical relationship between the survival rate of Chilko sockeye smolts and the Fraser's discharge at Hope 15 days after the smolts leave Chilko Lake has been used for years as an indicator of expected returns. The higher the discharge, the higher the expected percentage return.
The commission estimates that removal of the McGregor's flow would reduce the survival of Chilko smolts from an average of 8.6 to 7.6 percent. This would represent a reduction of 11.6 percent in the overall survival rate and, allowing for present levels of escapement, a drop of 15 percent in harvest of the stock.
Though the Chilko stock is the only large population for which sufficient information is available to permit forecasts of this type, the commission adds that "on the basis of present knowledge it must be presumed that all other stocks of sockeye would be affected in a similar manner . . .
"Thus the reduction in spring runoff that would occur if the McGregor River is diverted could reduce the present average annual catch of four million Fraser sockeye by 15 percent, and the future potential catch nine million sockeye or more could be similarly reduced."
Water temperature is another critical factor for migrating salmon. Pre-spawning mortality of the Horsefly sockeye run, for instance, has been correlated to an average daily maximum temperature in the Fraser at Hell's Gate during the period of adult migration.
Death due to thermal shock occurs at temperatures of 24 degrees C or higher, while temp-
eratures in the range of 18 to 24 degrees C can cause stress leading to infection and subsequent death.
Yet the commission estimates that removal of-the McGregor's flow could increase the July water temperature at Hell's Gate by almost three quarters of a degree Fahrenheit and could increase pre-spawning mortality of the Horsefly run by about 5.6 percent.
Increases in the loss of other races, such as Early Stuart and Early Nadina also must be presumed, the commission says, and "a significant reduction" in the allowable harvest of affected runs would follow.
The swimming speed of salmon
is reduced by higher temperatures, the commission points out. Consequently, the additional migration time required might result in failure to reach spawning grounds, or in insufficient energy to complete the spawning.
It already has been established that a lowered Fraser River discharge extends the duration of the Adams River sockeye run.
The commission estimates that removal of the McGregor's flow would slow the run by about five days, lowering survival rates through extended rentention of eggs and fertilization at lower temperatures, and reducing production of this major sockeye run.
Salmon pack total reaches 1.3 million
Anderson Eckert held unbroken union record
A lifelong fisherman and a member of a fishing family, Anderson Eckert died May 18 at the age of 62 years.
A Skeena River fisherman and owner of the gillnetter-troller Deneb, his father and brothers were also fishermen and members of the UFAWU.
Born in Wessington, Alberta in 1914, he came to this province with his family when he was a child. The family settled in Sidney, where he continued to make his home until his death.
He began fishing for Canadian Fishing Company at age 18,
remaining with that company throughout his fishing career.
In 1942 he bought the Maxine K, a gillnetter he sold to acquire the gillnetter-troller Deneb, which he fished for the past 27 years.
Joining the UFAWU in 1947, he held an unbroken union record until his death.
Anderson Eckert is survived by his wife, Molly; three daughters, Juanita Hortobagyi, Corinne and Bonita; three sons, Michael, James and Randy; one brother, Marvin; one sister, Mabel; and eight grandchildren.
Services were held on May 25 at the Sands Mortuary in Sidney.
Current
Season
Sept. 3. Aug. 28. Aug. 30. Aug. 24, Aug. 26,
1977 1976 1975 1974 1973
Cases Cases Cases Cases Cases
SOCKEYE (48 lbs.) (48 lbs.) (48 lbs.) (48 lbs.) (48 lbs.)
Final total 376,047 164,055 709,180 642,601
Total to date 512,023 354,306 107,561 593,218 617,829
Increase over prev.wk. 4,311 11,205 — 102,996 8,180
SPRING
Final total 11,173 13,952 20,279 11,258
Total to date 11,632 7,136 7,675 11,612 6,727
Increase over prev.wk. 606 405 — 1,178 481
STEELHEAD
Final total 166 597 1,546 999
Total to date 772 121 299 1,526 645
Increase over prev.wk. 3 — — 305 12
BLUEBACK
Final total — ■ 395 2,726 705
Total to date — — 358 2,726 635
Increase over prev.wk. — — — •— —
COHO
Final total 69,850 60,686 157,325 115,492
Total to date 66,417 50,485 22,464 104,270 45,835
Increase over prev.wk. 8,077 5,311 — 10,517 4,355
PINK
Final total 483,054 240,592 307,192 355,695
Total to date 697,897 392,664 26,616 257,634 173,662
Increase over prev.wk. 59,062 75,660 — 29,884 37,121
CHUM
Final total 85,540 37,093 230,634 423,363
Total to date 46,139 37,692 11,092 148,842 83,068
Increase over prev.wk. 1,794 1,507 — 36,119 10,732
TOTALS ALL SPECIES
Final total 1,025,830 Totals to date * 1,334,8 842,404
Increase over prev.wk. 73,853 94,088
517,370 1,428,882 1,550,113 176,065 1,119,828 928,401 — 180,999 60,881
* Includes 57,330 cases of salmon imported from Alaska for processing in B.C.
MARCONI
THE
COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
AP 6
• Standard compass is included.
• Suitable tor most commercial vessels.
• Designed for all modern types of steering gear — including double electric systems.
• Meets latest (ISO) international regulations.
• Fully transistorized. Plug-in type printed circuit boards.
AP 30
• Robertson reliability and quality.
• Operate with mechanical or hydraulic steering gear.
• Course selection on control unit.
• Solid-state output eliminates relays.
• Built-in voltage regulation.
• Choice of optional accessories.
CANADIAN MARCONI COMPANY m^jj
MARINE & LAND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION 1^"•'I 1460 VENABLES ST., VANCOUVER, B.C. (604) 253-5551 □ 10524-106TH ST., EDMONTON, ALTA. (403) 426-5901 □ Nanaimo (604) 753-8521 □ Victoria (604) 384-4233 □ Port McNeill (604) 956-3633 □ Calgary (403) 243-7751
2/ THE FISHERMAN —
SEPTEMBER 9, 1977
8170
