Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RalphH]

"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

[Darko]

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.

[blueback]

Sad to hear; legendary run......

[Darko]

https://vancouversun.com/news/record-low-steelhead-return-raises-unprecedented-conservation-concerns-bc-wildlife-federation
Wow.. This is just Heartbreaking

[RalphH]

I just to point out the forecast of 19 fish is based on the assumption that 1 steelhead was caught in all the in river test fisheries. Usually it is based on the Albion test fishery. One fish was caught in August at Brownsville. August would be very early for a Thompson or Chilcotin and no one actually examined the fish. It could have been from one of the coastal summer run streams in the Hope area.

[redside1]

the actual forecast is less than 19 fish if one reads the report closely. Also less than 9 fish for the chilcotin.
After the Fall of 2021 atmospheric river event I can't see how this should be a surprise to anyone. How many smolt/fry does anyone think survived that event on the Coldwater/Nicola system besides Bonaparte and Deadman? I never paid attention to the Chilcotin that fall so unsure if it would have greatly affected that river also

[redside1]

He one steelhead on August 29th and Brownsville falls within the migration timing of the chilcotin stocks. Plus over the years DFO has seine netted steelhead at Martel on the Thompson in early September when doing sockeye work. One other thing to note is the peak migration month for steelhead at one time was August. Before the 1960's all fish including steelhead where turned into the canneries and the month of August showed the highest catch rate. One needs to pull up commercial catch statistics from the 1950's to see this.

[avid angler]

I just to point out the forecast of 19 fish is based on the assumption that 1 steelhead was caught in all the in river test fisheries. Usually it is based on the Albion test fishery. One fish was caught in August at Brownsville. August would be very early for a Thompson or Chilcotin and no one actually examined the fish. It could have been from one of the coastal summer run streams in the Hope area.

their was also one in whonnock. There is definitely ifs in the Fraser in August. There was a picture of one late August pulled out of a bet by a co in lillooet a few years back.

[avid angler]

It’s pretty wild they let the fn have in river net openings in October for chum on such a low abundance year. Especially after a huge amount of sockeye openings in August and then pinks. Goes to show once again what the people managing our resource care about. I don’t know how anyone can have support or respect for dfo any more

[RalphH]

Interior Fraser steelhead are not the only summer stock in the Fraser system. The Whonnock specimen was taken on Aug 11. Bison didn't identify that one as a suspected IFS fish or use it in his forecast. There were no net openings in the lower Fraser during the IFS window and no steelhead reported in the openings that followed. Another comment I read elsewhere is that the Bison index is pretty coarse and has a margin of error up to the 50% mark moral being to wait until they do a spawning enumeration in the springtime which in all likelihood will still be pretty dire.

There has also been a few comparisons to the Coquihalla where the count this fall was 600 fish which must be something like the highest on record since before the first pipeline Then there was a super highway and another pipeline. The Coq had counts as low as just over a dozen back in the 90s to then bounce back to 500+within a few years. Some of these stocks display a remarkable resilience.

[wildmanyeah]

There has also been a few comparisons to the Coquihalla where the count this fall was 600 fish which must be something like the highest on record since before the first pipeline Then there was a super highway and another pipeline. The Coq had counts as low as just over a dozen back in the 90s to then bounce back to 500+within a few years. Some of these stocks display a remarkable resilience.

my friend works for MOTI, He said he got complaints from steelhead fishermen wanting accesses gates around Othello road open, in October

I thought it was kind of weird, but now with your report it all makes sense lol

[redside1]

Interior Fraser steelhead are not the only summer stock in the Fraser system. The Whonnock specimen was taken on Aug 11.

there was 1 fish caught in a PSC test net at Brownsville or Whonnock (can't remember without checking) on August 29. That fish would be the only one caught representing a IFS fish. This fish was the one I was commenting on. Not an August 11 fish. Agree that that fish could/would be a Silverhope of Coquihalla fish.

[redside1]

There has also been a few comparisons to the Coquihalla where the count this fall was 600 fish which must be something like the highest on record since before the first pipeline Then there was a super highway and another pipeline. The Coq had counts as low as just over a dozen back in the 90s to then bounce back to 500+within a few years. Some of these stocks display a remarkable resilience.

another interesting fact is this return (actually estimated between 300 and 600 with the province adopting 420 from what I was told) is from a spawning escapement of only 83 fish.

[Darko]

There has also been a few comparisons to the Coquihalla where the count this fall was 600 fish

Where did you get this information Ralph?

[RalphH]

Where did you get this information Ralph?

from a source known to be completely unreliable. LOL!