Albion test fishery Chinook Catch YTD Comparison July 27th Updated to August 26th!

[wildmanyeah]

So far this year is better then 5 out of the last 10 years. Still a dramatic drop tho from the early 2000's




Compared to its brood year

2019 - 222
2015 - 595
2011 - 135
2007- 104
2003- 2085

 

[Rockfish]

JDF and the inside is loaded up with Chinook right now so there should be a lot more coming in.

Where is the justification for all the recent extreme attacks on the sport sector? A 50% reduction in annual limit, a 50% reduction in daily limit, massive no fishing zone closures, Compete Chinook closures including our own hatchery Chinook and absurd slot restrictions in some areas with a proven documented history of no impact on any Fraser Chinook stocks or any other stocks of concern for that matter.

 

[wildmanyeah]

With it being August 27th a full month later I thought I would present an update for the few soles out there that are into this kind of thing. This comparison represents the last month of returns to the Fraser and seems to align with people's experience that this last month of fishing has been better then 2015.




Compared to its brood

 

[Whitebuck]

It's the big cycle for the South Thompson Chinook.
It's amazing what happens when commercial fisheries don't happen.
The South Thompson stock makes up almost 25% catch.


Asides from this stock. What other Fraser Chinook stock is in good shape?
All of our Chinook stocks on the Fraser are a drop in the bucket to what they were 15 years ago.
It’s great that a lot of new people see this data and think everything is peachy...but look back at where we used to be for the Fraser. Will we see better management in years to come now that we have the rockslide debacle?



Thankfully the USA continues to pump out hatchery Chinook. Wish our government would follow the same lead! Take away the hatcheries and our fisheries, especially the inside straight would be pretty ******.

 

[SpringVelocity]

JDF and the inside is loaded up with Chinook right now so there should be a lot more coming in.

Where is the justification for all the recent extreme attacks on the sport sector? A 50% reduction in annual limit, a 50% reduction in daily limit, massive no fishing zone closures, Compete Chinook closures including our own hatchery Chinook and absurd slot restrictions in some areas with a proven documented history of no impact on any Fraser Chinook stocks or any other stocks of concern for that matter.

Not accurate data. There is your answer. The south JDF area is weighted in fact limited amount of guys did logbook, low head returns, and not an large amount doing DNA. Not to mention optically you are in a funnel. Plus add politics perfect storm. Area 18 got crucified vs area 20. Could have been a lot worse. I want to see the final escapement numbers on rivers before we jump up and down.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Areas 18, 19 and 20 have historically been targeted with a large number of some of heaviest restrictions on the entire coast - why? Because those who net salmon on the Fraser River repeatedly tell DFO that they will not reduce their catch in any way, unless areas 18, 19 and 20 are reduced, or preferably shut down!

There you go - politically incorrect - but that this a big part of the truth of the issue. The DFO regs for the JDF have little to do with data, conservation, SRKW protection, or sustainable resource management, but a lot with optics, perceptions and politics! This is what we need to fight against to ensure a sustainable public fishery that supports local communities in this and growing number of other areas.

We need good data to back sound management options and then press the politicians hard with it. IMHO DFO no longer listens to citizens any more - only their political masters. Total BS! My 2 bits.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Areas 18, 19 and 20 have historically been targeted with a large number of some of heaviest restrictions on the entire coast - why? Because those who net salmon on the Fraser River repeatedly tell DFO that they will not reduce their catch in any way, unless areas 18, 19 and 20 are reduced, or preferably shut down!

There you go - politically incorrect - but that this a big part of the truth of the issue. The DFO regs for the JDF have little to do with data, conservation, SRKW protection, or sustainable resource management, but a lot with optics, perceptions and politics! This is what we need to fight against to ensure a sustainable public fishery that supports local communities in this and growing number of other areas.

We need good data to back sound management options and then press the politicians hard with it. IMHO DFO no longer listens to citizens any more - only their political masters. Total BS! My 2 bits.

Agree with you mostly except this line:

The DFO regs for the JDF have little to do with data

 

[Whole in the Water]

Curious what makes you say this?

 

[SpringVelocity]

Curious what makes you say this?

I don't know north of Renfrew, Bamfield, Tofino and pretty much everyone north of Sooke on WCVI. All those areas have stronger data yet they weathered the storm better. Now why is that? The same fish swim by those areas. DFO is using historical numbers and limited CWT data because your area refuses to collect or do logbooks. It is just a fact, and it has been brought many times. I am not saying everyone doesn't do it just a really small group. For amount of guys/effort in area your data should be best on the island.

Why did Nanaimo have two per day for years and Sooke/Vic was in slot limit? Because they have accurate data.

Look at Serengeti's post above. Cape Sutil north wide open where he fished mostly. Bet you it was because most of the data from guides was in that area. Most likely inside waters in Hardy had limited data.

 

[wildmanyeah]

was there not a B.C. outdoors article that talked about the legendary chinook fishing in Sooke in spring back when the early Fraser had good returns.

Just saying...

 

[SerengetiGuide]

I know we give DNA when asked and put every single hatchery head in we catch (honestly always been more so to know run timing for us than data for dfo).

I will say I thought data indicates jdf and Vancouver area actually do catch a decent amount of Fraser fish. Wcvi offshore and area 13 north got screwed because data says otherwise! Area 12 literally averaged cpl hand fulls of fish a year at most. Not worth destroying small towns for that.

 

[Whole in the Water]

I totally agree good data is very important. The more the better IMO. The key is that is that we can't just let DFO have access to the data - it must be shared with the rec sector as well so we all can see what the data is and what it says. If it just goes to DFO not sure how we can trust it with their political agenda, especially with this current Fed govt.

In regards to the regs for areas 18, 19 and 20 (should have also included area 29 in my previous post) we all know that those that net on the Fraser river have told DFO that they feel they do not need to (and will not) reduce their in-river netting for conservation reasons until the areas approaching the Fraser (i.e. 18, 19, 20 and 29) are reduced or shut down. This has happened for the last several years and is a politically motivated negotiation tactic between the parties involved and less about analysis of data collected.

Don't get me wrong collecting and using data is vital and we need more of it, but we also need to be aware of the political realities that are increasingly influencing our fisheries. IMO the bottom line re. this issue is to collect lots of data that all involved parties can have access to and analyze, while at the same time fight this on the political front. The times they are a changing and we need to change with them if we are to keep the public fishery open and sustainable.

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Recently saw a couple graphs online showing a very strong Albion test fishery for Chinook this year ?

How is pink run this year ? And how does that if at all indicate future Chinook survival rates?