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[VAGAbond]

Fishing effort and catches are significantly higher in the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River than other areas. The daily quota therefore is kept at two so all fisheries can remain open for as long as you have been seeing.

Fishing effort in the non-tidal is high because it is accessible to everyone who cannot afford a boat for the chuck and consequently arguably the most popular fishery in the province.

In spite of the popularity, I  rather doubt that the non-tidal catch is actually much higher than the tidal because there is a large  fleet of recreational fishing boats hitting the run all the way from Port Hardy to Steveston and coming back from the strait loaded with their 4 fish limit for each person on board.  In addition, even on the best days many fishing the non-tidal are unsuccessful.    I checked several bars yesterday and although the fish were very evident in the river, on some bars the success rate was very low.

I used to fish out on the strait and when the Adams River run was in it was very easy to limit.   Now I have to drive over four hours round trip to fish the non-tidal river the two fish limit is annoying.    I would rather make fewer trips with the result I would spend no more time on the river.

[burnaby]

+1 on lots of clueless sock fishermen. Gonna admit they do make it entertaining with conversations like "You have a fish", 'Are you sure', "Either that or your betty is swimming".

Trip back to Burnaby with all the HWY#1 construction has been a nightmare this year. Did half my normal trips this year to avoid sitting hours in traffic. Longer than a two week opening didn't make any difference for me cause 2 fish wasn't worth it in terms of fun and expense.

Sadly there are a lot of clueless sockeye fishermen that CAN'T get 2 fish in less than 4 hours.  If they were to fish for 4 fish, then they'd be out there for 8 hours...  More crowding, more heat stroke, more short tempers.

So you catch your 2 fish in 10 minutes... head out to the Chilliwack airport and have a nice burger and a slice of pie before heading back.  Gather agates...  Make it an outing.

[VAGAbond]

In respect to four vs two as the daily quota:

Difference in daily quotas between salt and freshwater is due to the coast wide recreational allocation quota, 5%. Fishing effort and catches are significantly higher in the non-tidal portion of the Fraser River than other areas. The daily quota therefore is kept at two so all fisheries can remain open for as long as you have been seeing.

Lets look at some numbers:

Assume 30 locations, 50 fishers per location, three shifts a day, two fish per person, 70% success rate, 40 days of fishing.  Total river take is 252,000 fish.   

Run is estimated at 34,000,000 fish.   5% is 1,700,000 fish.   Since it is stated that catch is higher in the non-tidal assume 70% allocated to non-tidal or 1,190,000 fish.

Add 25% to the take by  moving to the four fish limit for the last few days of the season and the take rises to be 315,000 fish.

The commercial boys and girls are worried sick that there will be too many spawners on the beds this year.   So there is lots of room for a four fish limit for these last days of the season.

[Rantalot]

I dont see the percentage of mortality from being dragged up on the rocks and kicked back into the water?

[andychan]

There are so many fish they are going to bring in the seine boats off the Fraser for 50 sets on the 9th and 10th and scoop up maybe another 6 million fish.    I am really choked that the recreation limit remains at 2.    Who is responsible for that?

so did this happen? i could not find a link to the opening you are referring to....

[alwaysfishn]

I dont see the percentage of mortality from being dragged up on the rocks and kicked back into the water?

That's because he also didn't include the percentage of mortality from natural death, death by seals and other predators, death due to injury as a result of escaping from gillnets, and death as a result of natives netting and discarding small sockeye and females due to the lower market value.....  

[buck]

So many whiners !

[BBarley]

so did this happen? i could not find a link to the opening you are referring to....

Yes this happened, and is continuing for an extended period.