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[chris gadsden]

Hey folks, the Fishery Notice reducing the retention limit on chum to zero was supposed to be out by now but unfortunately has not made it thru the system.  It will be released tomorrow and comes into effect on Friday the 15th of October.  Hopefully word has already spread.

Debra Sneddon
Recreational Fisheries
Lower Fraser Area

[BBarley]

What is the reason behind closing down chum? I read a Fishery Notice a little while ago regarding "no anticipated chum commercial fisheries in the Johnstone Straight"

Is this to reduce the amount of snaggers on the river or the amount of people whacking chum only for their eggs??? I also heard something about a flood in 2006 wiping eggs out? Anyone have the reasoning for this closure?

(I never bonk chums, just like C&Ring them, so I'm not asking this in frustration)

[Rodney]

For those who are unable to access the fishing reports section.

Here are some FYIs.

Outlook of 2010's chum salmon return to the Lower Fraser River.

Quantitative forecasts are not prepared for Fraser River chums (catch by stock and escapement information is limited). On average, the largest contributing age class

to Fraser chum escapement is 4 year-olds (75-85%). Consequently, the most significant brood year contributing to the returns in 2010 should be from the 2006 escapement. Fraser chum escapement in 2006 was assessed at 2.0 M; this is equal to the recent 11 year escapement average (1998-2008 average: 2.0 M). However,

Fraser chum escapement has been trending downward over the last 11 years. Both the 2007 & 2008 escapement was estimated at 1.0M; the escapement goal for

Fraser chum is 0.8 M. An estimate of the 2009 escapement is not yet available although early indications are that escapement to some of the largest contributors

(e.g. Harrison & Stave) are substantially below recent levels. Hatchery contribution to recent escapement is poorly understood. Production releases of fed fry have declined in the Fraser since the 1990’s (from a 20M annual average for 1991-1997 to a 5.5M average for 1998-2008; hatchery releases of fed fry of the 2006 brood totaled only 4.3M. Although parental escapement in 2006 was high, the recent downward trend in escapement, the early indications of lower than average escapement in 2009, and a decrease in hatchery production of fed-fry for this brood year, provides for an assessment of low to near target. (2009 Outlook status: 3)

The low forecast was discussed at the spring SFAC meeting.

Chilliwack Hatchery staff expressed concern about the 2010 return of chum salmon because of a major flood in the fall of 2006 that likely had a significant effect on this years return.  In addition the three year old return in 2007 was the lowest on record also suggesting that the chum return in 2010 will be very low.  Due to the above the hatchery staff requested non-retention of chum in 2010 for this year only.

The UFV SFAC, given the concern expressed by Chilliwack Hatchery staff of the anticipated low returns of chum salmon, moves that the chum fishery on the Chilliwack/Vedder River be non-retention for 2010 only.

[milo]

This came to my e-mail this afternoon from a very good friend of mine on t he island who is very well-connected with the facts:

Just got word that 8 seine vessels in 4 areas from Chattam point to Robson Bite doing a test fishery for chum yesterday caught a total of 18 chum!! The one at chattam point caught 1 chum!!!! There will be no further commercial chum fishery and we are looking at a dismal derby this year!!!!!

Man, am I going to be busy rescuing chum from uninformed bonker-happy anglers out there!  

[Justin]

So I am assuming this fisheries notice applies to the Vedder?  or is it just the Fraser?

[chris gadsden]

Chilliwack Vedder.

[Madmardigan]

With #s of chummies so low,other flows must surely follow with the closure.I'm sure the stave run couldn't have been flooded out in'06 with the water control.

[chris gadsden]

My request to FOC

Thanks Deb,

Could you have your people from FOC, Vince Busto, look into the gravel extraction projects on the Vedder as I think this is leading to the loss of good spawning habitat partly effecting chum salmon returns. These projects disturb the gravel so much some areas are like quick sand. Thanks for a response to this request.

Regards,

Chris

[Rodney]

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=128553&ID=recreational

[RainbowMan]

I walked down to the Coquitlam River park and a couple of creeks in the Coquitlam area and didn't see even 1 single chum. There used to be fish in those streams this time of year. Has anything happened in the ocean? 

[fic]

Has anyone noticed a decrease in chums at the Stave River as well?  I saw some of them on Sunday, but not sure if that was the "normal" amount for this time of October.

[liketofish]

The ocean is too deep to figure out. On the one hand you have the sockeye return the best in 100 years, and on the other you have the usually abundant Chum going down the drain this year. I hope this only happens to the Vedder as this can be explained with the flood.

[gman]

Hooked quite a few chum in the Vedder today without targetting them. Lets hope the numbers end up better after all. I don't mind them closing them, maybe the river will get quieter for those of us looking for late coho.

[chris gadsden]

Hooked quite a few chum in the Vedder today without targetting them. Lets hope the numbers end up better after all. I don't mind them closing them, maybe the river will get quieter for those of us looking for late coho.

We were most likely one of the last to keep one today. No need to feel guilty as they were going by in waves after you left.

[Sterling C]

The ocean is too deep to figure out. On the one hand you have the sockeye return the best in 100 years, and on the other you have the usually abundant Chum going down the drain this year. I hope this only happens to the Vedder as this can be explained with the flood.

Actually its not.

This years chum run entered the ocean in 2007. Last years collapsed sockeye run entered the ocean in 2007.