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[IronNoggin]

SOMASS CHINOOK BULLETIN # 1 – 2012 Date: August 31, 2012

Somass Chinook Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast:
34,000 chinook

Escapement
The Stamp Falls Chinook counters Will be operational August 31. The fish counters at the outlet of Great Central Lake on the upper Stamp River will remain in service until a swim team will assess the Somass River below the Stamp Falls August 31 and September 6. Typically chinook escapement peaks through the Stamp Falls fish ways around October 10 and continues to the end October.

Biological information:
Biological samples will be collected from Alberni Inlet, fish ladders and hatchery racks.
Expected Somass Age Composition: 5%, 33%, and 62% for age 3, 4, 5 /adults, respectively.

Catch Estimate: ~ 11,000
Port Alberni Tsu-ma-uss fishery – 300
Commercial Gillnet – n/a
Recreational – ~ 10,700

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations
Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht) Economic Fishery Target 1900 pcs
Gill-nets – September 4th Tuesday night 8:30 pm to 10:30pm. From Paper Mill Dam to a line from Polly to Stamp Point except for a closed area in the harbour on the west side of Hohm Island northerly to Hoik Island.

Commercial
Area D Gillnet – Target 1300 pcs. The fishery will open September 5th Wednesday night 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm in that portion of 23-1 from Polly Point across to Stamp Point southerly to Stamp Narrows. There is a possibility of another opening depending on catch.

Recreational
The recreational fishery remains at full limits for chinook and coho salmon in Alberni Inlet north of the Hocking Pt. boundary line. The Nahmint Area closure is in effect. Chinook conservation measures are in effect in other portions of Area 23, Barkley Sound /Alberni Inlet

For more information please contact the DFO office in Port Alberni at 250 720-4440

[dereke]

So Matt, what are the chances that they allow waaaayy to many fish to be taken waaaayy too early and the hatchery won't make it's escapement like the meatheads eem to do every year on the Stamp... A shame how mismanaged it seems to be for these fish year after year based on guesswork of what they "think" might be coming.  prey for the best I guess.

[IronNoggin]

The way things have gone over the past decade and change, I'd suggest "the chances" to be damn near One Hundred Percent Dereke. 

A damn Shame what they have done to a once Brilliant Run!! 

Nog

[IronNoggin]

More on the matter...

The size has definitely shifted downwards over the years, I believe this is directly due to hatchery influence.

Here's a few of the historic winners:

LARGEST FISH EVER CAUGHT 1982

1 Art Berlinski 60 lbs 8 oz


Last Years Winners 2011 BIGGEST Fish

1 Guy Desbien Port Alberni 35.9
2. Sahreef Sattar Port Alberni 33.1
3. Isaac McDonald Port Alberni 31.8

2010 John Robertson Parksville 40.3

2009 Cory Jones Port Alberni 43.4

2008 Penny Ohama Port Alberni 37.8

And I well recall Derbies being won consistently by fish weighing from 40 through 50 pounds over the first years we lived here. Back then of course the run sizes were HUGE compared to today. Even as short ago as 1990, the run ESCAPEMENT was estimated at over 135 THOUSAND! And in some previous years that topped 150,000.

Then, somewhere along the way, DFO decided to "manage" the run to ONLY the number required to maintain the hatchery egg takes, citing the questionable "fact" that natural in-river spawning contributed but little to the returning populations. Following that decision, the number of springs produced by the hatchery was cut, then cut again. End result is the numbers we see today - usually around 30,000 or so.

Even with such reduced "required escapement numbers", that number has proven difficult to achieve for many years. The tactic of unleashing the bag commercial fleets (seiners and gill-netters) through the early part of the run (before escapement was being realized) had (has) it's consequences.

Still uncertain as to numbers, but DFO will once again unleash the gill-netters - FN's Tuesday night and Commercial Wednesday night.

They are however sticking to the model created last year in that there are no such scheduled openings prior to the Derby. That worked last season, the Derby saw a decent handful of fish caught. One can hope they stick with this for the foreseeable future...

So, on one hand Hatcheries can (and in many places DO) increase the overall numbers, in this case, the hatchery not only considerably reduced the size of the returning fish, but also depressed their numbers directly due to "management practices".

Sad actually. This system is capable of SO MUCH MORE as the historical data well proves. Without serious changes to the way it is "managed" today, we are completely unlikely to witness a return to the Glory Days of years past... 

Nog

PS: No Updates as of yet today. The results posted above for yesterday stood. Will post as they become available...

[dereke]

I can't even imagine what the river would have looked like plugged with that many springs, WOW!

[buck]

IronNoggin

Chilliwack hatchery coho and chinook production has been cut as well. Coho production has been reduced from a high of 1.8 - 2.0 million down to 800,000. Chinook 1.8 - 2.0 million down to 1 million juveniles.  Feed cost, wild salmon policy and numbers returning to the rack are the reasons for reduced production. It seems DFO can not even afford to feed chum salmon. They cut coho production so they could feed chum. Multimillion dollar facilities sitting idol. With fish stocks on the decline you would think DFO would be increasing production. Their mandate to produce fish for natives, commercial and sports anglers has been high jacked by their support for the aquaculture industry. Funding cuts and inflation have made it difficult to keep hatchery budgets on track. It is interesting that few people no little of these production cuts. It will start to show in the number of returning adults, especially on years of poor juvenile survivals.

[IronNoggin]

Their mandate to produce fish for natives, commercial and sports anglers has been high jacked by their support for the aquaculture industry. Funding cuts and inflation have made it difficult to keep hatchery budgets on track. It is interesting that few people know little of these production cuts. It will start to show in the number of returning adults, especially on years of poor juvenile survivals.

Yup. Aware of all of that. SAD!!

Today's (September 2) Update:

1st     Roland Goehl     33.6

2nd     Paul Wagner     33.5

3rd     Walter Kempton     28.3

Interesting to note that yesterday's Biggie still stands, and that her husband Walter was 3rd today.

Guess the two kinda know what they're doing out there! 

Cheers,
Nog

[dnibbles]

Nog,

I'm curious as to your thoughts on how enhancement of this stock resulted in smaller average body size at maturity. There are a couple of mechanisms by which this could reasonably  occur on a hatchery stock, either through earlier age at return, selection for smaller body size, increased competition for limited resources resulting in decreased body size, increased fishing pressure removing the largest individuals from the gene pool, etc. ANy thoughts on specifically what may have happened in this situation?

The data I've seen on natural spawning in this system is somewhat inconclusive. Somewhere between 65%-95% of the run is of hatchery origin, indicating relatively little natural spawning (although those numbers are quite far apart). I'm not familiar with what led to the decision to decrease Chinook production in this situation, but I do know that hatchery release numbers on the west coast can have harvest impacts much further ranging than most people realize. Coles Notes version: Accorinding to the Pacific Salmon Treaty, distant fisheries (North Coast troll, Alaska) have certain allowances for total harvest based around conserving WCVI stocks. As abundance of WCVI increases (due to increased productivity, or increased hatchery releases), certain abundance thresholds may be reached and exploitation on all WCVI (and canadian) stock in distant fisheries increases. End result: co-migrating wild stocks get hammered (and the Stamp fish may just end up in Alaskan boats).

It's a zero sum (or worse) game in the DFO. If production of one species goes up, something else goes down. Dare I mention the S-word as a consideration on the Stamp (or the Chilliwack for that matter)? DFO can't even afford to pay to keep its own house in order these days; paying for the province's fish doesn't help matters.

[Dennis.t]

I can't even imagine what the river would have looked like plugged with that many springs, WOW!

I fished the Stamp through the 80s and glorious it was.

[Stratocaster]

My love of river fishing started when I fished the stamp back in the early 90's.  In the fall, every pool was plugged with chinook.  The confluence, Meathole, etc..  A drift boat trip was much more than just another fishing trip.  It was amazing to see schools of large chinook scatter underneath the boat as you slowly drifted down the river. 

Its just a total shame really how they have managed this once world class river.  Our neighbors down south, despite getting hit harder than we have with the recent economic climate has continually supported its hatcheries and maintained their production.

Given the reduction in hatchery production, they still have the audacity to release the bag fleets.  I don't for the life of me understand why this is being done.  These fish aren't exactly sushi grade quality by the time they are caught in a gillnet up the inlet.  How much do they get for them?  a couple bucks a pound?  wouldn't the 1000 fish be more valuable on the spawning grounds? 

[IronNoggin]

Given the reduction in hatchery production, they still have the audacity to release the bag fleets.  I don't for the life of me understand why this is being done.  These fish aren't exactly sushi grade quality by the time they are caught in a gillnet up the inlet.  How much do they get for them?  a couple bucks a pound?  wouldn't the 1000 fish be more valuable on the spawning grounds? 

In the past few years it is chiefly a "Roe Fishery". One particular season the number of dead / dying male floaters was extremely noticeable following several seine openings...

The beginning of the end came about the exact same season the local Area Manager decried the use of seiners and stated in a Public Meeting "You will NEVER see a Seiner fishing springs in the Inlet ever again!!" I guess the upper echelon amongst his peers beat that out of him in short order, for that exact same summer the Big Boats rolled in and commenced their rolling wave of destruction. A wave that continues almost every year now.

The seiners likely won't have a go this season. We are once again on the down-side of the cycle. A cycle of seining and netting them to the point escapement is barely (or NOT) realized for several years in a row, then acting startled over the results of that action - imposing "Conservation Measures" while pointing a finger at "Ocean Conditions" as the culprit for depressing the stocks. Well... I guess "Ocean Conditions" fits the bill when those include a wall of nets on their way back to the river...

Had some good chats with a good handful of the Old-Timers (Why do I feel I'm getting there myself?) at the ceremonies yesterday. A lot of them put in some serious time out there through the Derby, and the most common comment was "Why the Hell would DFO let the bag fleets go when the fish are in such small numbers". I understand they were chiefly thinking of this season, but the same well applies for the last decade and more at this point! The other common sentiment: "What The Hell Are They Thinking?" That is actually an easy answer... They're NOT!   

Incomprehensible. Irresponsible. Downright Dangerous. Hope the run can survive under this onslaught were amongst the other comments.
Sadly I Agree... 

Tonight the local FN's drop the gillnets. Tomorrow Area D Gillnet. Any guesses just how long before the Public Announcement that the "required escapement" (now simply the greatly reduced number needed to seed the hatchery - no natural spawning required thanks) is once again in jeopardy?

UNREAL! 

Nog

[silver ghost]

In the past few years it is chiefly a "Roe Fishery". One particular season the number of dead / dying male floaters was extremely noticeable following several seine openings...

The beginning of the end came about the exact same season the local Area Manager decried the use of seiners and stated in a Public Meeting "You will NEVER see a Seiner fishing springs in the Inlet ever again!!" I guess the upper echelon amongst his peers beat that out of him in short order, for that exact same summer the Big Boats rolled in and commenced their rolling wave of destruction. A wave that continues almost every year now.

The seiners likely won't have a go this season. We are once again on the down-side of the cycle. A cycle of seining and netting them to the point escapement is barely (or NOT) realized for several years in a row, then acting startled over the results of that action - imposing "Conservation Measures" while pointing a finger at "Ocean Conditions" as the culprit for depressing the stocks. Well... I guess "Ocean Conditions" fits the bill when those include a wall of nets on their way back to the river...

Had some good chats with a good handful of the Old-Timers (Why do I feel I'm getting there myself?) at the ceremonies yesterday. A lot of them put in some serious time out there through the Derby, and the most common comment was "Why the Hell would DFO let the bag fleets go when the fish are in such small numbers". I understand they were chiefly thinking of this season, but the same well applies for the last decade and more at this point! The other common sentiment: "What The Hell Are They Thinking?" That is actually an easy answer... They're NOT!   

Incomprehensible. Irresponsible. Downright Dangerous. Hope the run can survive under this onslaught were amongst the other comments.
Sadly I Agree... 

Tonight the local FN's drop the gillnets. Tomorrow Area D Gillnet. Any guesses just how long before the Public Announcement that the "required escapement" (now simply the greatly reduced number needed to seed the hatchery - no natural spawning required thanks) is once again in jeopardy?

UNREAL! 

Nog

You seem upset yet quite knowledgeable in this area. Have you spoken to anyone who could potentially help fix this problem?

[IronNoggin]

You seem upset yet quite knowledgeable in this area.

I am. Both.

Have you spoken to anyone who could potentially help fix this problem?

If you have any suggestions, I am ALL EARS!

Nog