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[Dave]

As most Vedder anglers know, the Province is conducting snorkel surveys counting steelhead on the Chilliwack - Vedder River.  This is the first year of what hopefully will be a 5 year project to get a better idea of the adult steelhead population, and should generate other data like spawning areas, resident fish (char, whitefish rainbow trout) numbers, and sometimes, if water conditions are right, even  hatchery/wild proportions.

Tomorrow morning will be the third survey, and I have been asked to spread the word.
The plan is to start at the Vedder Bridge and go down as far as the cold water will allow the swimmers.  Earlier this season the same floaters were able to count 40 steelhead in the upper river, from app the hatchery intake to the Ranger clayslide.

Buck and I hope to have these guys ground truth our walking counts in the upper river this spring – that will be interesting.

Kudos to Regional Biologist Mike Willcox of FLNRO for spearheading this project.

[wildmanyeah]

So happy the provence is doing this, Thanks Dave

[chris gadsden]

Thanks for the support of the new government in Victoria for caring more for our fish too than the previous administration.

[wildmanyeah]

did they not count thousands last time they did the survey??

[Dave]

did they not count thousands last time they did the survey??

Pretty sure the highest snorkel count was in 2001 when 1204 were observed over nearly all of the closed and some open area.  Snorkel surveys have not been done since 2002.

Today 3 snorklers counted from the Vedder Bridge to opposite Giesbrect Road.  They saw 6 steelhead, 2 of which were confirmed unmarked, and 3 char. Steelhead were said to be in excellent condition, one char, not so much.
The survey was terminated early due to a leaking dry suit, and very cold water.  The upper river will be floated again near the end of March if conditions hold.

[firebird]

My provincial colleague said it was 8 steelhead total (2 unmarked, 6 unknown), and target date for next float of upper index sections is Mar 15 

[wildmanyeah]

will be interesting to see if more push into the system with the rain coming up.

has the brood been captured for this year??

[psd1179]

not many fish

[kingpin]

will be interesting to see if more push into the system with the rain coming up.

has the brood been captured for this year??

They are close to having all the brood , 64 last I heard and I know fish were tubed today . Take the swim counts with a grain of salt , the day of the lower river count I know of 8 fish hooked in only 2 of the pools among the runs they swam

[wildmanyeah]

They are close to having all the brood , 64 last I heard and I know fish were tubed today . Take the swim counts with a grain of salt , the day of the lower river count I know of 8 fish hooked in only 2 of the pools among the runs they swam

Before they even started the counts I was well prepared if they were bad for fishermen to question the science.  Remember Sports fishermen are the only user group for this stock, if they go extinct/collapse who will be to blame?

I personally would not want to be responsible for that, Given all the other steelhead runs that are facing extinction/collapse don't you think a good review is necessary?

Is there anything the sports fishing community could do differently? does brood need to be taken from wild stock? What impact to the run is the brood takes have?  Should more of the upper river be closed? should we have classified waters like skeena?

Do we put our heads in the sand or should we be having these discussions?

Is it valid to compare these counts were counts done years ago? or did the snorkeler have better eyes 15 years ago?  has fishing pressure on the system increased in 15 years? is it having an impact?

Are we only going to worry the year that we can't get enough brood or will that year we just blame it on shitty brood fishermen?

[wildmanyeah]

https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/426/2019/03/Wild-Salmon-Advisory-Council-Report.pdf

The vast majority of the estimated 423 steelhead populations in B.C. belong to three major genetic groups. In
addition, there are two transition groups that reflect genetic mixing. Steelhead population status in the North
Coast, which spans an area over the northern half of the steelhead range within B.C., is informed mainly by the
state of Skeena steelhead, which appears to have been stable over the past 20-years, fluctuating near or above
biological reference points intended to sustain steelhead production. Steelhead status within the Northern
Transition group is informed by Dean and Bella Coola steelhead. Dean steelhead may have undergone a decline to
the mid-2000s, while Bella Coola steelhead have clearly declined and remain in a state of relatively low abundance.
In Southern B.C., steelhead population status involves three groups (South Coast, South Interior and the Southern
Transition). Each is in a state of decline. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)
has classified the Thompson and Chilcotin populations as Endangered and at imminent risk of extinction. In the
South Coast, pinniped predation, extreme climate events and forestry-related stream degradation are contributing
to wide spatial scale declines, most dramatic among winter-run populations. Most recently, a decline in Gold River
steelhead is particularly noteworthy given its history as a premier B.C. steelhead stream

Steelhead and cutthroat trout: Many commented that a targeted focus on Pacific salmon within
provincial jurisdiction (steelhead and cutthroat trout) and particularly those populations under threat of
extinction, was missing from the Wild Salmon Strategy Options Paper. Several suggested that there is an
immediate need for the development and implementation of emergency recovery plans for endangered
populations. Connections between coastal commercial harvest restrictions and weak stock management
meant to protect vulnerable runs were noted, as were other possible stressors and management actions for
at-risk steelhead populations. Examples:
• Recovery and rebuilding plan
• Selective fishing
• Emergency stock enhancement
• Thompson and Chilcotin steelhead
• COSEWIC listings
• Connection to Marine Stewardship Council certification in commercial fishery