Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Thompson River Steelhead returns remain at "Extreme Conservation Concern"  (Read 592 times)

RalphH

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5312
    • Imitating Salmon Fry
Thompson River Steelhead returns remain at "Extreme Conservation Concern"
« on: October 02, 2025, 12:15:34 PM »
"Preliminary spawning population estimates for the 2024/25 run of Interior Fraser
Steelhead were recently completed. Results suggest that the Thompson population is
near the reference point that delineates Extreme Conservation Concern from
Conservation Concern while the Chilcotin population remains in a state of Extreme
Conservation Concern.

{...}

The preliminary estimate of Thompson River Steelhead spawning in the spring of 2025 is
384. This is the tenth lowest spawning population estimate in 48 years, since monitoring
began in 1978. It is similar to spawning abundances observed since 2016 which have
been about 10-fold lower than observed between 1978 when monitoring began to about
2006. The 2025 estimate of 384 is lower than the test-fishery-based forecast of 536
reported on November 20, 2024, but the 95% credible intevals are similar (213-1273 for
the 2025 spawner estimate versus 283-1103 for the forecast based on salmon test
fisheries). Thompson River Steelhead is classified as an Extreme Conservation Concern
if the spawning population estimate fails to exceed 430. It is classified as a Conservation
Concern if the spawning population is between 430 and 1200 (Figure 1). The results
from both test-fishery-based estimates and spawner estimates suggest that Thompson
River Steelhead were near the reference point that delineates Extreme Conservation
Concern from Conservation Concern. Preliminary estimates by tributary watersheds are as
follows: Deadman 130, Bonaparte 43, and Nicola 211

A preliminary population estimate for Steelhead spawning in the Chilcotin watershed in
spring 2025 is 154. Like Thompson River Steelhead, this is the tenth lowest estimate in
54 years, since monitoring began in 1972. The 2025 estimate is lower than the testfishery-based forecast of 188 reported on November 20, 2024, but within the 95%
credible interval of 113-636). Chilcotin River Steelhead is classified as an Extreme
Conservation Concern if the spawning population fails to exceed 300. It is classified as a
Conservation Concern if the spawning population is between 300 and 760 (Figure 2).
Both the test-fishery-based estimates and spawners estimates suggest that Chilcotin River
Steelhead remain an Extreme Conservation Concern...



Robert  Bison
Biologist"

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/plants-animals-and-ecosystems/fish-fish-habitat/fishery-resources/interior-fraser-steelhead/ifs_status_update_sept_8_2025.pdf
Logged
"Oh Show me the way to the next whisky bar! Oh don't ask why! For if we don't find the next whisky bar. I tell we must die! I tell you we must die!" -from the Alabama Whisky Song  lyric by Bertolt Brecht music by Kurt Weill.

Darko

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 685
Re: Thompson River Steelhead returns remain at "Extreme Conservation Concern"
« Reply #1 on: October 02, 2025, 02:41:48 PM »
I hope this years return follows more along the lines of the pink and sockeye return, although apparently Adam's River sockeye return was not strong enough to trigger any opening. Sad to see they are still struggling and likely will continue to for years to come. Trout fishing seemed to be much slower this year. Maybe more of them will decide to make the journey to the ocean... Hopefully. If I could bring back a single fishery, this would be the one.
Logged
if you ain't fishin, you ain't livin

blueback

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 423
Re: Thompson River Steelhead returns remain at "Extreme Conservation Concern"
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2025, 10:14:53 PM »
Sad to hear; legendary run......
Logged