B
Brisco
Guest
D.F.O. is having meetings about opening the Fraser. Once the Stuart run is past the natives will get first crack. I hope the numbers are right.
S
SnapperAttacker
Guest
I was out in Richmond on the weekend and talked with a Native Fishery Enforcer, he said the natives had many nets in the river allready and only pulling a few out, some with none. Fishery is very miscalculated this year, but it may be better in a couple weeks once the main runs come through.
tubber
Well-Known Member
If memory serves, in 1993 the sockeyes hit the upper straights (Gordon Channel to below Robson Bight) hard on the July 26th opening, the next week (Aug 3rd) was amazing from north of Malcolm Island to Sonora Island. After that they were mixed in with pinks and the main body of sockeye was in the Gulf and headed up the river by Aug 10. It was a huge (and somewhat surprising) run that year. Let's hope all pieces of the puzzle fall into place for something similar on this same run 4 cycles later. Don't know any commercial net fishers anymore so here's to giving the sports guys(not flossers) a good crack at them. Don't remember the normal diversion rate, but more go around Victoria most years.
Predicting sockeye returns on the Fraser is a precarious and complex endeavour. I don't envy those on the PSC Fraser Panel. This year is no different. In the spring DFO advised sports anglers that there may be an opening at the end of July(ish) in the marine approach waters, based on original sockeye abundance predictions.
We have just come off a period of a week where the test fishery results were less than spectacular (they have just started to improve a bit though). That is why the Fraser Panel down graded the run size of early Stuart fish. That does not bode well for us and we can only hope and pray that many more fish start showing up. No confirmation yet of the Summer stock returns, which are the ones we would get to fish, as it is still too early.
When going through pre-season planning exercises this spring, I understood the commercial sector (all gear types) were apportioned 2 million sockeye by DFO based on abundance predictions at that time. To my knowledge they are still predicting same catch and have not changed their position on fishing opportunities for commercial or sport yet. But, and that is a big BUT, the fish MUST show in the test fisheries and counting locations before they open the fishery.
So keep your fingers crossed. We might still get to catch a few in late Jul or early August but don't hold you breath. Also don't count on a long season either. It might open on a Friday and a DFO variance order comes out to close it on Monday.
If I hear anything I'll post it here.
Gov
God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling - Izaak Walton
We have just come off a period of a week where the test fishery results were less than spectacular (they have just started to improve a bit though). That is why the Fraser Panel down graded the run size of early Stuart fish. That does not bode well for us and we can only hope and pray that many more fish start showing up. No confirmation yet of the Summer stock returns, which are the ones we would get to fish, as it is still too early.
When going through pre-season planning exercises this spring, I understood the commercial sector (all gear types) were apportioned 2 million sockeye by DFO based on abundance predictions at that time. To my knowledge they are still predicting same catch and have not changed their position on fishing opportunities for commercial or sport yet. But, and that is a big BUT, the fish MUST show in the test fisheries and counting locations before they open the fishery.
So keep your fingers crossed. We might still get to catch a few in late Jul or early August but don't hold you breath. Also don't count on a long season either. It might open on a Friday and a DFO variance order comes out to close it on Monday.
If I hear anything I'll post it here.
Gov
God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling - Izaak Walton
I need a shot of single malt scotch after the Sockeye conference call earlier this evening.
Latest news from the Fraser Panel is not too positive. Right now Early Summers are not showing up in the test fisheries or the counters close to what was predicted. Original pre-season DFO estimate for ESum Sox was 739,000, that is now looking more like 270,000 - yikes! At that abundance there will be no surplus for any fishery in commercial or sport sector. So most likely no sockeye fishing in area 20 before the beginning of August at the very earliest.
Summer run sockeye are also not showing up as expected but the word is "still too early to tell" They peak around August 5 in the Area 20 PSC test fishery and show 6 days later in the lower Fraser.
More troubling news too - Fraser River water temperature is already high for the time of year at 17.9 degrees but is forecast to rise close to 21 degrees within a week (dangerous and possibly lethal for the migrating fish at that level)
Grim I know but we need to be optimistic that a whole whack of fish start showing up.
Fingers already crossed lets try toes too!
Gov
God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling - Izaak Walton
Latest news from the Fraser Panel is not too positive. Right now Early Summers are not showing up in the test fisheries or the counters close to what was predicted. Original pre-season DFO estimate for ESum Sox was 739,000, that is now looking more like 270,000 - yikes! At that abundance there will be no surplus for any fishery in commercial or sport sector. So most likely no sockeye fishing in area 20 before the beginning of August at the very earliest.
Summer run sockeye are also not showing up as expected but the word is "still too early to tell" They peak around August 5 in the Area 20 PSC test fishery and show 6 days later in the lower Fraser.
More troubling news too - Fraser River water temperature is already high for the time of year at 17.9 degrees but is forecast to rise close to 21 degrees within a week (dangerous and possibly lethal for the migrating fish at that level)
Grim I know but we need to be optimistic that a whole whack of fish start showing up.
Fingers already crossed lets try toes too!
Gov
God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling - Izaak Walton
spring time
Well-Known Member
I like the test set in san juan the other day with 6300 dog fish and the day before was 3000 imagine picking that amount out of your net it would take days.
spring time
Well-Known Member
my understanding is natives can still fish with none retention of sockeye (if that's going to happen)
C
chromechaser
Guest
With almost no enforcement, will it really matter whether they are aloud to retain the sox or not?
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