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[IronNoggin]

    SOMASS CHINOOK BULLETIN # 1 – 2013 Date: August 30, 2013
    Somass Chinook Stock Assessment Update

    Pre-season forecast: 16,000 Chinook

    Escapement
    Stamp Falls - August 27 - 1036 Chinook and 5169 Coho
    Sproat- August 27 - 6 Chinook and 765 Coho

    Biological information:
    Biological samples will be collected from the fish ladders and hatchery racks.
    Expected Somass Age Composition: 43%, 22%, and 34% for age 3, 4, 5 /adults, respectively.

    NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

    First Nations
    Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)- Food social and ceremonial fishing rod and reel south of Lone tree point.
    Gill-nets – No fishery planned

    Commercial
    No fisheries planned.

    Recreational
    The Chinook conservation measures remain unchanged in Area 23 and 123, Barkley Sound /Alberni Inlet. Non-retention of Chinook in Alberni Inlet and 2 under 77 cms in outer Barkley sound to a mile outside the surfline.

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

    GRIM!!! 

[ynot]

what went wrong. seiners ,native nets, water temp. any idea.

[Tex]

what went wrong. seiners ,native nets, water temp.?

Yes.

[IronNoggin]

what went wrong. seiners ,native nets, water temp. any idea.

All of those combined with The Dino's foolish policy of "managing" the escapement to the number required by the hatchery ONLY for far too many years. DFO has publicly and often stated that "There is no significant contribution to recruitment from wild spawning in the SSS System". Looks like that as in many other cases, they were wrong and the resource now pays the piper... 

Nog

[IronNoggin]

Somass River Escapement Bulletin
Observations to September 8, 2013

OBSERVATIONS:

Through September 8, a total of 22,434 adult coho, 1140 coho jacks, 5099 adult Chinook, 195 Chinook jacks, 88,890 adult sockeye, and 93,470 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Stamp falls fishway. A total of 6032 adult coho, 6 adult Chinook, 121,363 adult sockeye, and 331,895 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Sproat falls fishway.

Since September 2, daily escapement counts through the Stamp Falls fishway ranged between 255 and 510 adult Chinook, and 1023 and 2058 adult coho. Adult sockeye daily escapement since September 2 ranged between 0 and 3 at the Stamp falls fishway and between 21 and 249 at the Sproat fishway.

River temperatures over the past week have ranged between 18.9 and 21.0oC at the Stamp Falls fishway (Figure 4). The discharge rate is moderate.
Note: Salmon escapement estimates in this bulletin are preliminary, based on an initial digital video review.

2013 PRE-SEASON EXPECTATIONS:

Sockeye: The 2013 management forecast for Somass sockeye was 350,000, which corresponds to the low level management zone defined through Area 23 Wild Salmon Policy implementation (range 350,000 to 500,000). Expected stock composition is about 45% Great Central and 55% Sproat sockeye. Expected age composition is about 75%, 10%, 10%, and 5% for age 42, 52, 53, and 63 adults, respectively. Based on current catch, escapement, and abundance estimates in the Alberni Inlet and Somass River, the forecast was downgraded on July 11 to 300,000 adult sockeye. The escapement target for this run size is 231,250.

Chinook: Approximately 16,000 Somass Chinook are forecast to return to Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet in 2013. The predicted adult age composition is 43%, 22% and 34% of 3, 4 and 5-year olds, respectively. At a forecast terminal return of less than 20,000 adults, no directed Chinook fisheries are anticipated in the terminal Alberni Inlet area.

Chum: Approximately 563,000 chum are forecast to return to South West Vancouver Island in 2013 (54,000 to Area 23). This forecast is well below the long term average for the CU but higher than the recent 5-year average. Only limited directed fisheries are anticipated.

Coho: For 2013, the total expected return to the Somass system is about 20,000 to 40,000 coho. The forecast survival rate for the 2010 brood year (2012 sea entry) year is above the long-term average for West coast Vancouver Island coho.

[Ian Forbes]

Isn't this the same DFO that managed the east coast Canadian fishery into oblivion?

At least there are a few more coho this year. I guess once DFO realizes there are fair numbers of coho they will come up with a plan to destroy them as well.

[IronNoggin]

SOMASS CHINOOK BULLETIN # 3 – 2013 Date: September 12, 2013
Somass Chinook Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast: 16,000 Chinook

Escapement

Stamp Falls – Sept 8 – 5,099 chinook and 22,434 coho
Sproat- September 8 - 6 chinook and 6032 coho

Biological Information:

Biological samples will be collected from the hatchery.
Expected Somass Age Composition: 43%, 22%, and 34% for age 3, 4, 5 /adults, respectively.
In season indicators are positive but runsize remains unchanged.
Somass coho gillnet fishery – 8 coho

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations

Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)
Hook and Line - Alberni Inlet food social and ceremonial fishing (with rod and reel) from Lone Tree point to Hocking Point.

Gill-nets – Alberni Inlet Test Fishing- Food social and ceremonial coho fishery opens Sunday Sept 15th 6 pm to Monday Sept 16th 6 am. Fishing area from Lone Tree Point to Hocking Point. 12 gillnets in total (6 per nation), designated band members only. The maximum mesh size is six inches and nets must be tended at all times. Coho is the target fishery with non retention of chinook.

Commercial

No fisheries planned.

Recreational

The chinook conservation measures remain unchanged in Area 23 and 123, Barkley Sound /Alberni Inlet. Non-retention of chinook in Alberni Inlet and 2 per day under 77 cms in outer Barkley sound to 1 mile outside the surf line.

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

[BentRodsGuiding]

Back in the early nineties there were pools above the falls holding thousands of chinooks, I remember killing a 38 pounder and my buddy a 42 pounder. It was still the best Chinook fishing I have ever seen. Another pat on the back to DFO managers for doing such a great job of messing stuff up.

[IronNoggin]

Related CHEK Video: http://www.cheknews.ca/?bckey=AQ~~,AAAA4mHNTzE~,ejlzBnGUUKY1gXVPwEwEepl35Y795rND&bclid=975107450001&bctid=2679412114001

[IronNoggin]

Somass River Escapement Bulletin
Observations to September 16, 2013

OBSERVATIONS:

Through September 16, a total of 31,877 adult coho, 2114 coho jacks, 9877 adult Chinook, 346 Chinook jacks, 88,918 adult sockeye, and 93,492 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Stamp falls fishway. A total of 7769 adult coho, 6 adult Chinook, 121,458 adult sockeye, and 331,969 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Sproat falls fishway.

Since September 9, daily escapement counts through the Stamp Falls fishway ranged between 465 and 823 adult Chinook, and 792 and 2055 adult coho. Adult sockeye daily escapement since September 9 ranged between 0 and 18 at the Stamp falls fishway and between 2 and 48 at the Sproat fishway.

River temperatures have decreased in the past few days and over the past week have ranged between 18.4 and 21.7oC at the Stamp Falls fishway, and between 20.6 and 22.9oC at the Sproat fishway (Figures 4 and 5). The discharge rate is moderate.

Note: Salmon escapement estimates in this bulletin are preliminary, based on an initial digital video review.

[IronNoggin]

SOMASS CHINOOK BULLETIN # 4 – 2013 Date: September 19, 2013
Somass Chinook Stock Assessment Update

Pre-season forecast: 16,000 Chinook

Escapement

Stamp Falls – Sept 16 – 9,877 chinook and 31,877 coho
Sproat- September 16 - 6 chinook and 7,769 coho

Biological Information:

Biological samples will be collected from the hatchery.
Expected Somass Age Composition: 43%, 22%, and 34% for age 3, 4, 5 /adults, respectively.
In season indicators are positive but runsize remains unchanged.
Catch to date in the First Nations coho gillnet test fishery have been very low.

NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS:

First Nations

Tsu-ma-uss (Hupacasath, Tseshaht)

Hook and Line - Alberni Inlet food social and ceremonial fishing (with rod and reel) from Lone Tree point to Hocking Point.

Gill-nets – Alberni Inlet Test Fishing- food social and ceremonial coho fishery opens Friday Sept 20th, 10 am to 4:30 pm and Monday Sept 23rd, 10 am to 430 pm. Fishing area is from the Highway 4 Bridge crossing the Somass River (Orange Bridge) downstream (southerly) to a line at Polly's Point across to Stamp Point except for; the following area which remains closed, from the entrance to Clutesi Haven Marina due east to the opposite shore downstream to the power line crossing near the Catalyst Paper Mill in the Somass River.
12 gillnets in total (6 per nation), designated band members only. The maximum mesh size is six inches and nets must be tended at all times. Coho is the target fishery with non retention of chinook.

Commercial

No fisheries planned.

Recreational

The chinook conservation measures remain unchanged in Area 23 and 123, Barkley Sound /Alberni Inlet. Non-retention of chinook in Alberni Inlet and 2 per day under 77 cms in outer Barkley sound to 1 mile outside the surf line.

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

[IronNoggin]

Somass River Escapement Bulletin
Observations to October 21, 2013

OBSERVATIONS:

Through October 21, a total of 50,725 adult coho, 3734 coho jacks, 28,437 adult Chinook, 666 Chinook jacks, 89,022 adult sockeye, and 93,604 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Stamp falls fishway.

Through October 21, a total of 14,038 adult coho, 1087 coho jacks, 111 adult Chinook, 122,198 adult sockeye, and 334,132 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Sproat falls fishway.

Since October 14, daily escapement counts through the Stamp Falls fishway ranged between 72 and 385 adult Chinook, and 20 and 132 adult coho. Adult sockeye daily escapement since October 14 ranged from 0 to 5 at the Stamp falls fishway. Sockeye continue to move through the Sproat fishway, with daily sockeye adults since October 15 ranging from 2 to 28 and daily sockeye jacks ranging from 0 to 15.

The discharge rate is moderate and over the past week has continued to decrease along with river temperatures. Over the past week river temperatures have ranged between 14.2 and 15.0oC at the Sproat fishway (Figure 4). Temperature data from the Stamp Falls fishway is currently unavailable because the HOBO environmental monitoring system is experiencing technical difficulties.

[Sr SQ]

Hey Nog thats quite a bit higher than forecast for springs but whats a good year?

[IronNoggin]

Hey Nog thats quite a bit higher than forecast for springs but whats a good year?

In a rather strange twist of fate, the extremely poor run predictions have resulted in one of the better escapement years in a very considerable amount of time. The only censured removals were by FN's using rod & reel. No recreational removals, and obviously no commercial actions. End result is that the vast majority that swam home got the opportunity to get up to the spawning grounds. Hatchery announced yesterday it's egg take targets have been achieved.

For many many years DFO has "managed" this run to the "escapement" required by the hatchery ONLY. This is IMHO a disaster in the making, and the greatly diminished run well shows how that approach works against the fish. For those same many years, escapement hovered around 16 - 20 thousand. The rest vacuumed up by all sectors actively supported by DFO. 

This year is a surprise. And largely a pleasant one at that. The only big concern remaining is the near complete lack of "jacks" strongly suggesting the run has a long ways to go in terms of rebuilding...

Somass River Escapement Bulletin
Observations to October 27, 2013

OBSERVATIONS:

Through October 27, a total of 50,818 adult coho, 3780 coho jacks, 28,589 adult Chinook, 669 Chinook jacks, 89,028 adult sockeye, and 93,615 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Stamp falls fishway.

Through October 27, a total of 14,061 adult coho, 1095 coho jacks, 144 adult Chinook, 122,270 adult sockeye, and 334,168 sockeye jacks are estimated to have passed through the Sproat falls fishway.

Since October 22, daily escapement counts through the Stamp Falls fishway ranged between 13 and 38 adult Chinook, and 5 and 22 adult coho. Adult sockeye daily escapement since October 22 ranged from 0 to 3 at the Stamp falls fishway. Sockeye continue to move through the Sproat fishway, with daily sockeye adults since October 22 ranging from 9 to 13 and daily sockeye jacks ranging from 2 to 11.

The discharge rate is low and over the past week has continued to decrease along with river temperatures. Over the past week river temperatures have ranged between 13.2 and 14.4oC at the Sproat fishway and over the past two days have ranged between 10.1 and 11.9oC at the Stamp falls fishway.

Note: Salmon escapement estimates in this bulletin are preliminary, based on an initial digital video review.

[firstlight]

Im sure Jimmy will have them pumping more out soon.

Sure is a far cry from the fishery that once kept Port Alberni alive.