SOMASS SOCKEYE BULLETIN # 9 – 2020 Date: July 16, 2020
For more info please call the Port Alberni DFO office at 250 720 4440
Somass Sockeye Stock Assessment Update
Pre-season forecast: Somass (Great Central and Sproat) – 169,000 Henderson Lake Sockeye outlook < 15,000
Escapement to July 15: Stamp: 88,081 Sproat: 106,996 Total: 195,077
Test Fishery: Seine vessel Nita Maria testing July 12 and 13 estimated 25,000 inside 10 Mile Point and 12,500 outside.
Re-forecast July 16 - run size upgraded to 330,000
Catch Estimate: 61,673
Somass First Nations – 34,403
Maa-nulth First Nations – 6,196
Area D Gillnet – 7,042
Area B Seine - 0
Recreational – 8,334
Test Fishery – 5,698
NEXT WEEK’S FISHING PLANS:
All Fishing plans are subject to change depending on weekly meetings. Remaining sockeye allocations are limiting fisheries.
First Nations
Hupacasath – No fisheries scheduled.
Tseshaht – No authorized fisheries.
Tsu-ma-uss - No authorized fisheries or sales.
Tsu-ma-uss - FSC Hook and Line open 7 days a week non retention of sockeye.
Maa-nulth – 7 days a week hook and line and gillnet. The harvest plan may include the contracting of designated Area D Gillnet vessels displaying Maa-nulth identification flags to harvest remaining allocations of sockeye.
Commercial
Area D Gillnet – No fisheries scheduled.
Area B Seine – No fisheries scheduled.
Recreational
July 1st until further notice 2 sockeye per day in Area 23 including the tidal portions of the Somass River.
Tidal Portion of the Somass River is open 5 am to 10 pm daily. See FN 0617 FN 0617 Sockeye opening Area 23
Somass Park open July 1st to July 23 daily 1 sockeye per day in a portion of the freshwater section of the Somass River.
See FN 0618 FN 0618 Somass Park