Chenik Lake - Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, Kenai, Alaska

with fish holding below the lowest dam. Fish were also observed holding at the confluence of
the Skwentna River where poor visibility made an estimate of the number of fish impossible.
The crew notched both beaver dams, observing no fish ascending the dams while the crew was
on-site. From 16 July to August 4, no fish were seen at the outlet where CIAA crew operated the
weir. On 5 August 2007, CIAA crew counted and passed 7,911 sockeye salmon into Shell Lake.
On 21 August 2007, a second habitat survey was conducted by CIAA crew where the entire
creek was surveyed by helicopter. The crew identified 1 active beaver dam with less than 25 fish
holding below it. Fish were also observed holding at the confluence of the Skwentna River
where poor visibility made an estimate of the number of fish impossible. CIAA crew notched
the active beaver dam and no fish were observed ascending the dam while on-site.
Based on adult sockeye samples collected, 3.23% were age 1.2, 87.65% were age 1.3, 0.29%
were age 2.2 and 8.82% were age 2.3. Of the returning salmon population, 46% were male and
56% were female. The average length of adult sockeye population was 535 mm. The average
length of adult sockeye males was 548 mm. The average length of adult sockeye females was
523 mm.
ADF&G Gene Conservation Lab in Anchorage conducted a Finfish DNA Analysis to determine
the genetic characteristics and profile of the sockeye population at Shell Lake. CIAA crew
randomly collected axillary processes of adult sockeye salmon returning to the lake and samples
were sent to ADF&G Gene Conservation Lab in Anchorage for analysis. ADF&G Gene
Conservation Lab provided CIAA with sampling procedures.
During the 2007 adult salmon escapement, fecundity was sampled to assess the reproductive
potential of the sockeye salmon population at Shell Lake. Table 3 shows the average number of
eggs per female for each size class.
Table 4 - 2007 Shell Lake average female adult sockeye salmon fecundity
Class Size (mm)
450-460 460-470 470-480 480-490 490-500 500-510 510-520 520-530 530-540 540-550 550-560 560-570
Avg No. of Eggs ND 2,589 2,622 2,849 2,956 3,272 2,803 3,263 3,404 3,566 4,415 3,914
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