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[CohoJake]

Has anyone seen any numbers for BC returns yet?  Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife released the following summaries:

2020 Chinook: https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-02/chinook_forecasts_2020.pdf
2020 Coho:  https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-02/2020_coho_forecast_summary.pdf
2020 Chum and Sockeye: https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/chum_pink_sockeye_forecast_compilation_2020.pdf

Overall, most returns are forecast to be down from last year, although it varies by river.  Frighteningly, in the last document you see a forecast of only 941,000 Fraser River sockeye, and this number was provided from DFO.  Is that supposed to represent the entire forecast for all sub-populations of sockeye in the Fraser? If so, that is dismal.

Some of you may find the Washington chinook forecasts especially useful as many of these fish are a reliable part of BC saltwater fisheries. Has their been talk of the same early-season restrictions as last year on ocean salmon fishing this year in BC?  If so, we may be in for another great fall of chinook fishing in the LML rivers.

[wildmanyeah]

I believe we are on the worst cycle return for sockeye out of the 4 years so that does not surprise me.

Washington state chinook used to be important for our ocean fishery less so now that it closes April 1.

[CohoJake]

"Fishery forecasts dismal for Skagit River": https://www.goskagit.com/news/environment/fishery-forecasts-dismal-for-skagit-river/article_0d2b0c45-bdcb-5801-ba33-4e2832c8d8f7.html

One figure in here is a bit misleading - the 2020 forecast for skagit sockeye is 13,000, and they say the 2019 number was 33,000, but that was the 2019 FORECAST.  The actual return for 2019 was close to 13,000 I believe, so basically they are predicting much of the same as last year; slightly lower chinook numbers, and about 2/3 of the 2019 coho return for Puget Sound.

"Salmon forecasts look bleak for anglers as low returns expected
Particularly low returns forecast for Stillaguamish": https://www.goskagit.com/scnews/news/salmon-forecasts-look-bleak-for-anglers-as-low-returns-expected/article_7d6cc4da-3c6b-5278-963b-71d10642b0d6.html

And I see from the letter posted by Rodney on facebook that DFO is implementing the same restrictions on salmon fishing as 2019 until further notice, with possible changes announced June 1. Add to that the large decrease in tourism and travel from coronavirus, and I think we will see charters & guides hurting even worse than last year.

[wildmanyeah]

2020 Preliminary Salmon Outlook and State of the Salmon webinar recording and presentations.

 
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iaj29063q6vgzjq/AABOYl7gVdfd1ZslxVsfpIx3a?dl=0


fraser sockeye

https://frafs.ca/sites/default/files2/2020%20Fraser%20SK%20Forecast-FORUMMtgMar10-2020%20%281%29.pdf