Fishery Notice

The Fraser River Panel met Friday, July 25, 2014 to receive an update on the 
migration of the Fraser sockeye runs and review the status of migration 
conditions in the Fraser River watershed.	

The migration of sockeye through marine and lower Fraser River assessment areas 
as well as past the Mission hydroacoustic site has been modest to date, with 
sockeye catches in the Area 20 and Area 12 gillnet test fisheries remaining 
lower than anticipated over the past week.  

Recent stock identification analyses indicate a proportion of Early Stuart 
sockeye remaining in the samples from the Juan de Fuca and Area 12 test 
fisheries and that the proportions of Early Summer and Summer run stocks are 
increasing.  In the Fraser River, the proportions of each stock in the most 
recent samples are 10% Early Stuart, 43% Early Summers and 47% Summers (mostly 
Harrison River).

The estimated upriver migration of sockeye past Mission through July 24th is 
398,300 fish in total of which 205,300 are estimated to be Early Stuart 
sockeye, 97,200 Early Summer run, 93,700 Summer run and 2,100 Late Run. 

River discharge levels have increased slightly over the past week to a level of 
4,903 cms for July 24, which is only 3 percent below the historical average 
discharge for this date (5,057 cms). Water temperature at Qualark is 17.1 
degrees celcius, which is the average temperature for this date.  Water 
temperatures are forecast to increase over the coming days and discharge levels 
are expected to remain slightly below average for this period. 

At today's meeting, the Fraser River Panel adopted a reduction in the 
management adjustment for Early Stuart sockeye from 2.12 to 1.96. The in-season 
estimated run size remains at 240,000 Early Stuart sockeye with a 50 percent 
timing date of July 9.  Management adjustments are additional fish that are 
allowed to escape upstream to help achieve spawning escapement targets for 
Fraser River sockeye. 

Based on current assessments, there is no Total Allowable Catch of Early Stuart 
sockeye available for directed harvest except for the Stuart Lake area where a 
modest directed fishery is permitted.  Fishers are requested to check updated 
times and restrictions for their local area. 

In marine waters, limited First Nations food, social and ceremonial fisheries 
have begun.  In the lower river, limited FSC fisheries for sockeye are planned 
for this weekend and the following week after the end of the Early Stuart 
window closure.    


There are no planned commercial or recreational fisheries at this time.

The next in-season meeting of the Panel is scheduled to occur on Tuesday, July 
29, 2014.


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Les Jantz 250-318-1058

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0697
Sent July 25, 2014 at 1514

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