Author: Malika T. Brunette

Publisher:

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 49

ISBN-13:

In 2017 and 2018, long-term population studies designed to evaluate adult sockeye salmon abundance and juvenile production at Hugh Smith Lake continued. An estimated 80,000 sockeye salmon smolt were counted through the smolt weir in 2017, and 63,000 sockeye smolt were counted through the smolt weir in 2018. In 2017, an estimated 88% of smolt were freshwater age-1 and 12% were freshwater age-2. In 2018, an estimated 57% of smolt were freshwater age-1 and 42% were freshwater age-2. Biological data were collected to estimate the age, length, and sex composition of the adult sockeye salmon escapement, the escapement was counted through a weir, and a mark-recapture study was conducted to confirm the weir count. The 2017 weir count of 14,748 adult sockeye salmon fell within the optimal escapement goal range of 8,000-18,000 adult sockeye salmon. Conversely, the 2018 weir count of 2,039 adult sockeye salmon was the third lowest escapement since 1980 and well below goal. Age-1.3 adults were the most abundant adult age class to return in 2017, representing an estimated 78% of the total spawning population. Conversely, age-1.2 adults were the most abundant returning adult age class in 2018, representing an estimated 48% of the total spawning population. Numbers of fish observed spawning in Buschmann and Cobb creeks were extremely low during the normal peak spawn timing in 2018 due to extreme low water flow through most of September. Reported subsistence harvest in 2017 (617 fish) was the third largest harvest on record and the number of permit days fished was the highest on record. Conversely, reported subsistence harvest and participation dropped to very low levels in 2018 due to extremely low abundance. Estimated minimum harvest rates in the District 101-108 commercial net fisheries were 47% in 2017 and 66% in 2018.