Herring stocks rebounding

[Hoops]

Maybe someone can help here with this DFO statement (can never assume DFO’s language): is it 500 tons total BC coastwide on krill harvesting? And are there other numbers to be aware of with other zooplankton fisheries? Do we harvest phytoplankton and/or kelp too?

Reference: https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/data-donnees/plankton-plancton/zooplankton-zooplancton-eng.html

 

[Hardy Guy]

There is only the krill fishery. Kelp is harvested but is managed by BC not dfo. They do little to no assessment before allowing harvest of kelp. There is a large kelp operation going on the North Island. Kelp seems to have greatly increased once the sea otters cane back and started eating a pile of urchins which eat kelp.

 

[Hardy Guy]

The krill fishery has been going on for many years. The TAC has never changed during that time.

 

[RalphH]

There is commercial krill and zooplankton fisheries, but no one ever brings them up as they don't seem to be on the ENGO list. Herring seem to get all this flashy attention but are pretty much closed everywhere

Counting krill and other plankton Per DFO

 

[Hoops]

Thanks for these comments @Hardy Guy. You’re doing a good job keeping up-to-date with all these different sectors.

 

[wildmanyeah]

is it 500 tons total BC coastwide on krill harvesting

I think it’s less and only in a few areaa

Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Fishery Notices

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[Hoops]

I think it’s less and only in a few areaa

Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Fishery Notices

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Thanks for finding that notice.

This looks to be what the 2023/2027 Euphausiid Integrated Fishery Management Plan mentioned.

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/mplans/krill-euphausiaces-ifmp-pgip-sm-eng.html

 

[wildmanyeah]

We also harvest an insane amount of prawns that salmon.flat fish, sculpin,hake,
Seals and others things in the sea eat.

Like what are the effects of harvesting almost every pawn in the ocean that gets big enough.

I get whales eat chinook and chinook eat herring so let’s light our hair on fire.

 

[Capt_Ed]

We also harvest an insane amount of prawns that salmon.flat fish, sculpin,hake,
Seals and others things in the sea eat.

Like what are the effects of harvesting almost every pawn in the ocean that gets big enough.

I get whales eat chinook and chinook eat herring so let’s light our hair on fire.

I'm reasonably sure that the biggest drain on herring stocks in the Gulf of Georgia is Sea Lions. To give an example , the population of sea lions in the Gulf in 2019 was 35000. They eat 250# a day each , that's 4375 tons PER DAY. The total commercial harvest in 2023 was 21,000 tons. Do the math and tell me the commercial harvest is to blame for any of it

 

[Whole in the Water]

Historically the primary food source for seals and sea lions was herring. So with herring numbers decreasing over the years pinnipeds have learned to eat salmon in the last 20+ years.

IMO we should work to increase herring numbers to provide this traditional food source for pinnipeds to wean them off salmon if we want to help increase salmon numbers for the public fishery and orcas

 

[SpringVelocity]

Pacific herring stocks 'increasingly' rebounding on West Vancouver Island: Biologists

A rite of Spring is beginning off Vancouver Island and fishermen are now eagerly preparing for their first catch of the season. Pacific herring spawned early off Cape Scott and Nootka Sound this year and biologists are buoyed by the numbers of fish returning there.

www.cheknews.ca

Thanks for posting. It was great news if people actually read the article.

 

[Dave H]

From yesterday's survey around Hernando Island area.











Take care.

 

[searun]

Nice to see a great spawn happening. Even nicer to see WCVI stocks now appear to be rebounding - maybe they will outstrip the predators ability to knock their population down and we enter a long term recovery.

 

[ryanonthevedder]

Would you like to see that approach with rec salmon?

We've been closed for what seems like forever on the Fraser... its been a long time since I had an opportunity to bonk a spring.

 

[terrin]

We've been closed in what seems like forever on the Fraser... its been a long time since I had an opportunity to bonk a spring. View attachment 103968

Totally agree. We have put our down time in but starting to look like other forces at play.
Good spring returns last year but no discussion on easing any Fraser restrictions.

 

[Old Blue]

Would you like to see that approach with rec salmon?

It'd make sense if they would agree to lower the catch #'s of the Alaskan Fleet, it would be pretty interesting to see over a full 5 yr cycle even a 10-15% reduction.

Just look at last years closure results.

 

[onefish]

Totally agree. We have put our down time in but starting to look like other forces at play.
Good spring returns last year but no discussion on easing any Fraser restrictions.

Please feel free to show me any evidence over the past 50 years of a closure that DFO enacted that was later taken off the books. Once closed, forever closed, has been my experience.

 

[Dale66]

It'd make sense if they would agree to lower the catch #'s of the Alaskan Fleet, it would be pretty interesting to see over a full 5 yr cycle even a 10-15% reduction.

Just look at last years closure results.

There was no alaskan closure last year they won appeal before their normal opening of July 1

 

[Old Blue]

There was no alaskan closure last year they won appeal before their normal opening of July 1

No early season....mid may is the start of commercial season in certain area among other "fisheries". Overall they had a 43% increase in #'s of Salmon harvested but the value of $ from 2022 dropped from $720.4 million to $398.6 mil in 2023 as per Alaska fish and Game. I'm totally ok if they decrease #'s if sporties decrease.

2023 Salmon Harvest Summary: Press Release, Alaska Department of Fish and Game

2023 Salmon Harvest Summary: Alaska Department of Fish and Game Press Release

www.adfg.alaska.gov

 

[Old Blue]

Maybe instead of going with their mass July 1 opening they delay it 7-14 days to let other stocks pass by such as what's happening down in Southern BC and Washington?