Aboriginal Fish Strategy

Planned Activities and Focus for 2008

The fisheries program is in the planning stages for another busy year. The focus of this year’s fish eries program will be the following activities:

    3.  Working with DFO towards the development of an improved indicator stock program for upper Fraser Chinook—including working towards establishing a Chinook hatchery in the upper Fraser

  4.  Continuing research and assessment efforts in relation to the Upper Fraser white sturgeon population

  5.  Working with other Band programs in support of various environmental assessment activities

  6.  Fisheries Program staff capacity development.

We will keep the community informed of the program’s activities as they unfold and will be working closely with the Band’s fishers as the salmon fishery begins. Unfortunately, this year’s fishery is not looking optimistic. In June or July we’ll be hosting a community meeting focused on fisheries matters.

In 2007 the fisheries staff were kept busy with a number of projects and the ongoing monitoring of Lheidli T’enneh’s FSC fishery (as meager as the fishery was). Program staff also undertook several training programs, including the Aboriginal Environmental Technician Certificate Program (Carl Frederick and Sean Nome). Staff were also involved in a number of non-fisheries program (but related) matters including environmental assessment processes for several projects including the PNG-PTP gas line twinning, Graymont Limestone Quarry, and several wind energy proposals. This newsletter provides a summary of 2007’s activities and highlights the sockeye forecasts for the coming season.

2008 Sockeye Stock Outlook; FSC Opportunities for Prince George and Area

Each year DFO (PSC) develops forecasts or runsize projections for Fraser sockeye stocks.  With changing environmental conditions and other factors, predicting what actually mat-erializes has become increasingly challenging over the last decade. The following sockeye runsizes are predicted:

                    Early Stuart – 24,000 – 35,000

                    Bowron – 3,000 – 5,000

                    Nadina – 59,000 – 103,000

                    Late Stuart – 355,000 – 177,000

                    Stellako – 361,000 – 477,000

Note that these are total runsize predictions (i.e. what is expected to return in the marine area) and reflect predictions at the 50% (larger number) and 75% (smaller number) probability levels. What manages to migrate upstream to Prince George is of course subject to many fisheries and en route challenges and losses. Based on DFO’s targets, the following forecasts of terminal escapement are the best estimates of what might make it back to this area.

                    Early Stuart – 24,000 – 35,000

                    Bowron – 2,000

                    Nadina – 38,000 – 43,000

                    Late Stuart – 78,000 – 142,000

                    Stellako – 159,000 – 191,000

Based on these projections approximately 277,000 – 376,000 sockeye may migrate to Prince George during the period when FSC fishing may be allowed. Fish returning at these levels of abundance will create substantial difficultly for First Nations trying to meet their food requirements in this area. DFO has been informed that escapements to this area at these levels will constrain FSC harvesting needs. We will work to provide you with the most up-to-date in-season information as it begins to develop.