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[Dave]

No, retired from DFO and yes, the summer reds are introduced and doing poorly. There is no appreciable wild production from this stock and the returns from release numbers are dismal.

[Fish Slayer]

So why doesn't the hatchery do the American thing and just pump out a ton of reds each year if the returns are so dismal? I think the system is big enough to support a lot more fish than what actually returns to it through the year.

I still don't see the point of closing limit hole it would be way easier to just net it for brood. It's not because of angler ethics (what little is actually left) otherwise almost every river or stream in BC would be shut down entirely.

[Dave]

Fish Slayer, there is no money or desire from DFO to enhance this stock and IMO, that's a good thing.  This particular hatchery stock of chinooks is a combination of interior river fish (Bowron, Finn, Chilko, Slim Creek, perhaps more).  This broodstock was and still is genetically adapted to swim the Fraser up to 500km, find their home stream, spawn, incubate eggs at very low temperatures, then rear in the natal stream or main stem Fraser for up to 2 years.
The problem here on the C is these fish spawn around the end of August in a climate and water that has a totally different temperature profile than the fish are adapted to. Because of warm summer and early fall river temperatures, temperature units (the measurement that determines hatching rates), accumulate quickly.  When these alevins emerge from the gravel in the early, early spring, water temperatures are down and food is scarce.  The possibly/probably extinct indigenous red chinook population historically spawned about a month later, and through many generations, adapted to this environment.

This pool closure is to ensure what salmon do make it this far are afforded the protection and respect they deserve. And yes, it is about angler ethics.  This closure and my post would not be necessary if that respect had been shown previously.

[HOOK]

I would rather see the river pumped full of steelies rather then springs  if you wanna guarantee getting springs then just wait for the whites. there is tons of them and they average alot larger in size as well