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[Lachs]

Subject: FN1151-RECREATIONAL - Salmon - Region 2 - Chum - Alouette River, Chehalis River, Chilliwack River, Harrison River, Nicomen Slough, Serpentine River, Stave River - Chum Management Measures - Effective October 26, 2023

Further to FN1150, the returns of Chum Salmon to Southern BC have been poor to date and the current in-season estimate for the return to the Fraser River is 470,000 Chum. The return is expected to be between 326,000 and 677,000 (80% probability), and there is a low likelihood the terminal run size will meet the minimum escapement level, below which is considered a conservation concern for Fraser River Chum Salmon. In an effort to conserve Chum stocks returning to Southern BC waters, a decision has been made to implement a no recreational fishing for Chum Salmon management measure for the Lower Fraser River tributaries.

Effective October 26 until further notice you shall not fish for Chum Salmon in the following waters:

- Alouette River
- Chehalis River
- Chilliwack/Vedder River
- Harrison River
- Nicomen Slough
- Serpentine River
- Stave River

Variation Order: 2023-RCT-417, 2023-RFQ-418


Notes and Reminders:

Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.

No fishing is allowed within 100 meters of any government facility operated for counting, passing or rearing fish.

It is illegal to willfully foul hook a salmon. If you accidentally foul hook a salmon in the ocean, it may be retained if the species is open to retention. If you accidentally foul hook a salmon in any lake or stream, including the tidal parts of coastal streams, it may not be retained and you must release it immediately with the least amount of harm as possible.

The term "marked", "hatchery marked", or "adipose fin clipped" means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin.

All anglers must have a licence to fish in tidal waters in BC. Apply for your BC tidal waters recreational fishing licence and salmon conservation stamp at: https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/licence-permis/index-eng.html.

All anglers must have a licence to fish in non-tidal waters in BC. Apply for your BC non-tidal waters recreational fishing licence and non-tidal salmon surcharge at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/fishing/recreational-freshwater-fishing-licence

Anglers are advised to check at: http://bcsportfishguide.ca and https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/recreation/fishing-hunting/fishing/fishing-regulations for fishing closures and other recreational fishing regulations and information.

Fishers are encouraged to participate in the Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from hatchery marked Chinook and Coho Salmon to head depots. The head-off measurement can be used by enforcement officers to assess compliance on size limits if you remove the head from Chinook or Coho. Recovery of microscopic coded-wire tags found inside hatchery marked Chinook and Coho heads provide critical information for coast-wide Salmon stock assessment programs. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program toll free at 1-866-483-9994 for further information.

Report suspicious activity or violations by email at DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or by calling the 24-hour, toll-free Observe, Record, and Report line at 1-800-465-4336 or 604-607-4186 in greater Vancouver.

The 24-hour, toll-free information line for fishery notices regarding openings and closures is 1-866-431-3474 or 604-666-2828 in greater Vancouver.

[DanL]

My anecdotal observations, vedder chum return has looked really low. Most years I'll see the first ones around by mid-sept or earlier and start getting into them regularly by late sept.

This year I only have hooked two or three chum as a bycatch all season quite a bit later, and overall seen very few relative to what should be expected by this time of year.

Does the hatchery do any counts or enumerations to compare returns relative to previous years?

Stave on the other hand was boiling with chum a few days ago. Those who chose to target them seemed to be doing pretty well. The spawning channel had quite a few in there, but again, clearly less than what I would normally expect for the time of year...

[RalphH]

From a Facebook page

"Part of the notices for the chum update.  These are the numbers that are on the E.C. Mid  Island.  Not good

Puntledge River, October 25 – 756 Chum - Target Escapement 60,000
. 
Big Qualicum River, October 25 – 1,561 Chum - Target Escapement 85,000.

Little Qualicum River, October 12 – 47 Chum - Target Escapement 85,000.

Englishman River, October 24 – 161 Chum

Wilfred Creek, October 9 – 245 Chum"

I take it these are in river counts

[canoeboy]

I've had the last couple days off and I've been on the stave norrish dewdney and chehalis. There havnt been a whole lot of chum in the upper reaches of any of those rivers minus the stave but in the lower reaches of each of them I've seen 100s if not 1000s, the lower norrish and chehalis were full of chum. The stave has alot in the upper reaches but also seeing lots of fresh chum down low. I believe the run is smaller for sure but with what I've seen I'm wondering if the season is just running later then usual.