Fraser sockeye aren't returning
Hopes for bountiful harvest dashed, commercial fishery in jeopardy
Peter O'Neil
Vancouver Sun
August 10, 2005
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OTTAWA -- A projected banner year for the Fraser River sockeye is failing to materialize, raising questions about whether there will even be a commercial sockeye fishery this year, industry and government officials confirmed Tuesday.
"It is cause for concern," federal Fisheries Minister Geoff Regan told reporters in a conference call as industry leaders discussed the increasingly grim outlook for what was originally forecast to be a bountiful season.
"According to what we're seeing in terms of returns, we have to adjust our actions and act accordingly."
The Pacific Salmon Commission said Tuesday the summer run, originally estimated at 11 million, is now expected to number in the two to five million range.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) may consider cancelling the Fraser River sockeye commercial fishery this year, dashing expectations of the most bountiful summer sockeye harvest in close to a decade, said Ernie Crey of the Sto:lo Tribal Council.
Ken Connolly, spokesman for the Area E Gillnetters' Association that fishes the Fraser, agreed the PSC estimate raises questions about whether commercial vessels will be on the water this summer.
If there is a commercial fishery "it would be quite small," he predicted.
A shutdown of the commercial sector would also prevent commercial fishing in the aboriginal sector and would lead to further restrictions on the native food fishery, Crey said.
"There's going to be enormous hardship" along the Fraser River watershed if the 94 bands can't fish for food, Crey said.
Connolly said he hopes the DFO waits as long as possible in hopes the salmon will return in large numbers, allowing a commercial fishery.
"It's a horrible thing to look at, seeing some of these fishing families and communities and the impacts on them. I'm lucky I've got a job," Connolly said.
If Tuesday's PSC estimate turns out to be accurate, it would be the lowest summer run of sockeye since the 1970s, PSC chief biologist Mike Lapointe said after a conference call with commission members representing commercial, sport, and aboriginal fishing interests.
Lapointe said higher ocean water temperatures could be delaying the run, or the lower return numbers could be the result of DFO allowing too many sockeye to reach spawning grounds, especially in Quesnel Lake, in 2001.
The juvenile salmon produced from that run faced too much competition for food and were unusually small when they started their trek to the ocean in 2002, he said, likely reducing their survival rates.
DFO had estimated a total of 12.5 million sockeye returning this year, of which 11 million were part of the summer run and the remainder from the Early Stuart, the Early Summer, and the Late Summer runs.
The department had projected 718,000 Early Summer sockeye, but now say that number will be in the 250,000 range. About 260,000 Early Stuarts were expected, but that number has been lowered to 205,000. About 534,000 Late Summer sockeye are projected and that number hasn't been revised.
Officials point out that the main summer run has arrived as late as Aug. 16-19.
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Topic: Sockeye update for Aug 9th (Read 6602 times)