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North Country Bio report....

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  PEte A 
#1 ·
My partner called a Biologist in the Smithers District and was told that "most indicators" showed that the Steelhead run for this Fall was running between 15% to 25% of the 15 year averages for there various indicators( I hope he meant that the runs are down by 15% to 25%, the other intrpetration would be a disaster). He also said that there has been only one System ( The Nass) that has had a Commercial Fishery out in front of the run so it would be a bit of a stretch to lay this short supply of Steelheads on the doorstep of the Gillnetters in Prince Rupert.
Sinktip will be on the ground very soon and we all know he will not even see a steelhead let alone catch any!!!
I was planning on being there myself but some family matters that are very importain have taken priority over my trip up North things usually work out that way and "Family" is rightfully trumping fishing for the immediate future.
 
#2 ·
Moonlight -
Given what has happened with other steelhead runs I afraid that it is likely that indicates are for the low (disaster levels) values of 15 to 25% of normal.

Without commerical fisheries or kill recreation seasons it is becoming hard to blame the collapse of our steelhead runs on mis-management. To date virtually all of the anadromous salmonid runs in Washington have returned below expectations. Have my fingers crossed that it is just a one year blip (though the steelhead in Puget Sound/Georgia basin have been in trouble for a decade) and we'll see more normal returns next year. In Puget Sound I having doubts that will be the case as I have seen way fewer "shaker" coho and blackmouth this year than in time in the recent past - not a good sign for next year.

Tight lines
Curt
 
#3 ·
Steelhead numbers certainly aren't 15%-20% of the normal average. You can take a look at the Tyee test fishery that is used as an index of salmonid abundance in the Skeena. Interestingly, the Tyee results clearly show the 2 year cycle with the odd years having lower steelhead abundance. So being an odd year, the numbers should be a little lower than average but also they are down a bit from what they have been in recent years. So maybe the report from the bio meant down 15-20%, not 15-20 of the normal average.

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/northcoast/skeena/tyeetest.htm

Cheers,
PEte
 
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