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[Old Black Dog]

NEWS RELEASE


WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE


MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE


 

July 8, 2005

Contact: Tim Flint, WDFW, (360) 902-2728;

or Mike Mahovlich, Muckleshoot, (253) 876-3113

 

Lake Washington sockeye fishery unlikely this year

as salmon co-managers downsize forecast

OLYMPIA - This year's Lake Washington returning sockeye salmon run is
significantly weaker than expected and is likely too small to support
fisheries, state and tribal salmon managers announced today.

 

Fishery biologists with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
(WDFW) and treaty Indian tribes made the announcement after reviewing
updated counts of sockeye from the Ballard Locks, where the fish move from
Puget Sound into Lake Washington and the rivers that flow into the lake.

 

Through yesterday, 30,914 sockeye had been tallied at the locks since
counting began June 12. During the same period last year, more than 195,000
sockeye were counted at the locks.

 

Absent an unprecedented late-season surge in counts at the locks, the low
returns dash any hopes this summer for a repeat of last year's fisheries in
Lake Washington. Last year sport anglers and tribal fishers took nearly
54,000 sockeye.

 

"It is unfortunate that the run appears to be too weak for a sockeye season
on the lake this year," said Tim Flint, WDFW statewide salmon manager. "Even
a brief sockeye-fishing season brings thousands of anglers to Lake
Washington and generates a lot of excitement and economic activity in the
region."

 

Fishery managers had predicted that 398,000 sockeye would return to the lake
this year. An estimated return of more than 350,000 fish is needed for
consideration of state recreational and tribal commercial fisheries.

 

Using current data, fishery managers now believe the total run will be about
71,000 sockeye, although low counts in Canadian test fisheries off Vancouver
Island indicate that the return could even be smaller.

 

"We can be fairly precise in our decision whether to open the fishery
because we keep a close eye on the sockeye run as the fish move through the
locks," said Mike Mahovlich, fisheries biologist for the Muckleshoot Indian
Tribe.

 

A limited number of sockeye are being taken at the locks for research. In
addition, the Suquamish Indian Tribe is planning a brief ceremonial fishery
for no more than 400 fish in a small portion of the ship canal below the
locks.

 

More information on Lake Washington sockeye, including updated salmon counts
from the locks, is available at
<http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/sockeye/counts.htm>
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/sockeye/counts.htm on the Internet.

 

[Old Black Dog]

Subject: FN0442-Salmon: Fraser River Sockeye Update - July 8 - Areas 11 to
29



The Fraser River Panel met today to review assessment data on Fraser River

sockeye salmon. The abundance of Fraser sockeye migrating through Juan de
Fuca

Strait has been much lower than expected since test fishing began on June
21.

Sockeye catches at the test fishery at Whonnock in the lower Fraser River
have

also been extremely low. The Mission hydroacoustic programs have estimated

small escapements of sockeye since late June. In addition to the weak return
of

sockeye to-date, the average weight of Early Stuart sockeye thus far this

season (2.2 kg., 4.9 lbs) has been much less than average (2.6 kg., 5.7
lbs.),

which may result in later marine timing of these sockeye. DFO provided a

revised forecast (based on May and June oceanographic data) of the diversion


rate of Fraser sockeye through Johnstone Strait this season of 78%.

   

DNA analysis of a sockeye sample collected in Area 20 from July 3-4
indicated

that approximately 65% were Early Stuart sockeye, 31% were Lake Washington

sockeye and the remaining 4% were from the Early Summer-run timing group.
PSC

staff advised the Panel that current estimates of Early Stuart sockeye

abundance are well below forecast (258,000 fish at the 50% probability
level)

and that the total run is unlikely to exceed 100,000 fish. An update on
Early

Stuart run size will be provided at the next Panel meeting on Tuesday, July

12th. The escapement of Early Stuart sockeye past Mission through July 7 is

12,000 fish.

   

The early-timed component of the Early Summer-run sockeye run (Chilliwack,

Fennell, Bowron, Raft, Gates, Nadina, Pitt, and several smaller stocks)

currently comprises only a low proportion of the sockeye migrating through
Juan

de Fuca Strait. The 50% arrival timing of these fish in Area 20 is normally

about July 21. The escapement of Early Summer-run sockeye past Mission
through

July 7 is 1,000 fish.

   

Returns of sockeye to other areas (e.g. Barkley Sound and Lake Washington)
have

also been lower than expected to-date.  Fraser sockeye migration over the
next

several weeks will be closely monitored.

   

Migration conditions for sockeye in the Fraser River are presently

satisfactory. The discharge level in the Fraser River (at Hope) is currently


5,350 cms, which is 12% lower than average. The water temperature of the
Fraser

River (at Qualark Creek) on July 7 was 15.7 0C, which is 0.7 0C warmer than

average.

   

All commercial fisheries in Panel Area waters remain closed to fishing.

[DragonSpeed]

[miketheflyguy]

They'll come! I hope