PSC Update From DFO
The Fraser Panel met today for their normally scheduled meeting.
The accounted run to date of Fraser Sockeye is 3,375,300 and the in-season adopted run size is 5,544,000 (pre-season expectation at the p50 was 9,775,000).
Summers are tracking below the p50 through Mission but are projected to increase to above the p50.
The Late runs are tracking the p10 through Mission and are projected to increase closer to the p50. The Gulf Troll test fishery began today and will provide some information on what proportion of Lates are holding.
Area 12 test fishery catch yesterday was 107 while Area 20 catch was a season record of 7,825. As a result, diversion has decreased to 20%.
Note that the Area 13 test fishery ended early to circumvent further program costs, though there are reports that numbers are declining through Area 13 as well.
Last week, Canada did not agree to the PSC recommended run sizes of 4.4M for Summers and 2M for Lates, but because the US adopted the run size recommendations (only one country has to agree to the recommended run sizes), the run sizes were ultimately adopted by the Panel.
Those run sizes supported US fishery proposals for a Treaty Tribal and an All Citizens fishery as there was TAC available.
Yesterday, the PSC recommended reduced run sizes of 3.5M for Summers and 1.2M for Lates, which was adopted by the Panel.
At these new run sizes, the US is well over their share for Late run Sockeye and the remaining balance for Late run catch for both countries at this run size is about -29k.
There is some CCTAC for Summer run Sockeye, but we cannot access that group without having an impact on Lates. There is a Low Abundance Exploitation Rate (LAER) of 20% for Lates and there is no room for impacts left in that 20% LAER.
We will see what Friday brings with some more information from the Gulf Troll test fishery and a few more days of catches through the seine test fisheries.
https://ufawu-unifor.org/news/ufawu-unifor-bulletin-psc-update-from-dfo-media-political-engagement/