Fraser River Salmon Regulation Changes for September
Published on August 30th, 2014 by Rodney
While the Fraser River remains open for sockeye salmon fishing, anglers should note that a couple of management measures will come in effect in the upcoming weeks. These regulation changes are put in place to protect the vulnerable interior coho salmon runs. The changes are:
- Bait ban
- No fishing for coho salmon (including both wild and hatchery-marked coho salmon)
These regulations are in effects for the following sections:
- Tidal Fraser River (Downstream from CPR bridge in Mission): September 2nd to September 28th, 2014
- CPR bridge in Mission to Hope: September 4th to September 30th, 2014
- Hope to Sawmill Creek: September 6th to October 5th, 2014
If you are fishing for sockeye salmon in September, please be sure to identify your fish correctly before bringing it on land instead of dragging it up. You can accomplish this easily by using a landing net with soft mesh. Unlike a spotless sockeye salmon, a coho salmon has small spots across the dorsal section of its body as well as the top section of its tail.
You should also note that steelhead travelling through the Fraser River also are required to be released. These large steelhead, which are also heading up to the interior tributaries of the Fraser River, can often be misidentified as a chinook salmon so be sure to look twice. Every single endangered steelhead and coho salmon counts, so lets ensure this fishery is sustainable by minimizing mortality in by-catches.
The end of the sockeye salmon fishing opening has not been announced, but we will make sure the fishery notice is posted on our website and Facebook page when it is announced.