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[Steelhead Society of BC]

This letter was recently submitted to the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan of Fisheries & Oceans Canada by the Steelhead Society of BC. It sheds some light on the enhanced chum salmon fishery in the lower Fraser and impact it has on migrating interior steelhead.

Comments on DRAFT 2017/2018 Section 13 Southern BC Species Specific Salmon Fishing Plans

Southern Chum Salmon

Steelhead By-catch

In 2015 and 2016, interior Fraser steelhead were in the extreme conservation zone: in the fall of 2015, 430 steelhead returned to the Thompson and 120 to the Chilcotin; in the fall of 2016, 325 steelhead returned to the Thompson and 120 to the Chilcotin. These are record low returns (all from Bison, November 2016). While steelhead escapements decrease, total by-catch mortality has increased in recent years (Bison, June 2016 and November 2016). By-catch interceptions are a main factor affecting returns of steelhead (Levi and Parkinson, 2008).The current range of measures used to reduce steelhead by-catch mortality in chum salmon fisheries are clearly insufficient to allow steelhead populations to recover.

The strategy to protect 80% of interior Fraser steelhead run with a high degree of certainty appears insufficient to recover steelhead. Although significant interior Fraser steelhead by-catch mortality occurs in other south coast chum fisheries (Bison, June 2016), the 80% protection strategy only applies to Fraser River commercial gillnet fisheries and there is actually no exploitation limit for steelhead by-catch in any other south coast net fishery, nor an overall total mortality or exploitation limit. This is in stark contrast to the much stricter protection goals for interior coho which limits the total Canadian exploitation rate to 3-5% (South Coast IFMP 2016).

Prior to 2014, there was a steelhead conservation restriction on the timing and frequency of Area 29 chum fisheries that set out an option for either a single fishery in October or two fisheries in November. Since the removal of this conservation restriction, steelhead mortality has increased (Bison 2016).

Changes to Fraser Chum Salmon Run Timing

DFO currently recognizes two broad chum salmon run timings, summer runs and fall runs. Most if not all Fraser chums are considered to be fall runs. Prior to the 1980s Fraser River chum salmon had a bi-modal run timing with a gap in October (Levy et al 2008)). In the 1960s most Fraser River chum fisheries were in November with some openings in December (Palmer 1972). Prior to the 1970s the bulk of Area 29 chum salmon was taken in November (Palmer 1972). Fishing was generally closed during the run timing gap in both the Fraser and Johnston Strait (Palmer 1972). Minimum escapement goals were set in the 1970s for the Fraser chum early return run at 365,000 and the late run group at 335,000 (Grant and Prestal 2009). That there was no escapement set for a mid timing component shows, prima facie, that in the 1970s there was no such component. As part of the Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP), hatcheries at Chehalis, Chilliwack and Inch Creek came into production the early 1980s (DFO website). In 1985 SEP was asked by DFO's Fraser River Management Group to concentrate enhancement on the gap between early and late fall chum runs (Levi et al 2008). Migration timing in chum salmon is highly heritable (Levi et al 2008).  In 1986, over 30 million chum fry were released in Fraser tributaries (DFO release database). Also in 1986, Chehalis hatchery switched to using a single hatchery chum brood stock, initially consisting of transplants mixed from several Harrison tributaries (Levi et al 2008). Hatchery returns were lightly fished because of interior coho and steelhead by-catch concerns, and most hatchery chums spawned (Levi et al 2008), apparently creating a large feral mid timing chum population. In 1999 the escapement target was changed to 800,000 overall, with no mention of timing components (Grant and Pestal 2009). Late run chums are now depressed (Levi et al 2008). Fraser chum migrations no longer show bi-modal run timing and now peak in early October (chums peaked October 9th in 2012)(see “Albion daily chum cpue compared to historical average daily cpue” at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/fraser/docs/commercial/albionchumdailytotal-eng.htm ). The peak of the chum run now coincides with interior steelhead, which usually peak October 10th (Bison, 2016). The current interior steelhead by-catch issue seems to be a direct result of the management decision in 1985 to concentrate enhancement on October-timing chum salmon. We note that if the peak of the chum salmon run could be returned to November via a combination of management and enhancement techniques, more chum salmon could be harvested with less steelhead by-catch, a win-win result.

Compliance and Enforcement

Fisheries Officers monitored both Area E Fraser River chum salmon commercial gillnet openings that occurred in October, 2016. Officers characterized compliance as poor: 69 vessels were checked and 32 violations found, including keeping illegal species, no revival tank and fishing after closed time (from a December 9, 2016, presentation of Pacific Region Conservation and Protection to the Salmon Working Group).

Recommendations:

Considering the above, we recommend that:

Overall total by-catch mortality/exploitation of interior Fraser steelhead in all Canadian net fisheries be limited to 3%;
A steelhead conservation measure restricting Fraser River gillnet fisheries to after November 1st be implemented in 2017;
DFO consider additional or alternative measures to reduce steelhead by-catch, including more selective fishing methods;
DFO investigate the possibility of returning the peak of the Fraser chum salmon migration to November via management and enhancement techniques; and
No Area 29 chum salmon gillnet openings should proceed without a compliance, monitoring and enforcement plan in place to ensure a high level of compliance.

On behalf of the Steelhead Society of British Columbia, all of the above is respectfully submitted. A list of references is attached below.

Prepared by:

Poul Bech
Director, Steelhead Society of BC
SSBC representative to Marine Conservation Caucus

List of references


Bison, Robert, June 2016. Fishing mortality trends for Thompson River steelhead from 1991 to 2015. BC Fish and Wildlife Branch: 30p.

Bison, Robert, November 2, 2016, Status update for Fraser River late-run summer steelhead. BC Fish and Wildlife Branch: 5p.

Grant, S. and G. Pestal, 2009. Certification Unit Profile: Fraser River Chum Salmon. Can. Man. Rep. Aquat. Sci. 2874: vii + 40p.

Levy, D., D. Moore and K. Charlie, 2008, Review of Fraser River Chum Salmon Fisheries Management and Enhancement with Specific Reference to the Harrison River Populations. Prepared for Chehalis First Nation: 34 p.

Levy, D. and E. Parkinson, 2014. Independent review of the science and management of Thompson River steelhead. Prepared for Thompson Steelhead Technical Subcommittee c/o Cook’s Ferry Indian Band, Spences Bridge, B.C.104p.

Palmer, R.N., 1972. Fraser River Chum Salmon. Technical Report 1972-1, Canada, Department of the Environment, Fisheries Service, Pacific Region: 296 p.

Ryall, P, Murray, C., V. Palermo, D. Bailey, and D. Chen. 1999. Status of Clockwork Chum Salmon stock and Review of the Clockwork Management Strategy. Fisheries and Oceans Canada ISSN 1480-4883:134 p.