Fraser River sockeye salmon: data synthesis and cumulative impacts

aw data, the range of error around the estimates and methodological differences in estimates ofrecruits prior to the mid-1990s. Responses to issues raised by participants can be found inAppendix C.Conservation Unit Status AssessmentKatherine Wieckowski, ESSAOne of the tasks of this research is to evaluate the methodology that Fisheries and OceansCanada (DFO) has developed to assess the population and habitat status of 36 Fraser Riversockeye Conservation Units (CUs) (Holt et al. 2009). Two alternative methodologies forassessing population status were compared to the DFO method – one that has been developedspecifically for Fraser sockeye (Pestal and Cass 2009) and another that is not species-specific(Faber-Langendoen et al. 2009). Four criteria were used to evaluate each approach: 1) ecologicalrelevance, 2) method for setting benchmarks, 3) data requirements and availability, and 4)feasibility of implementation.The inherent vulnerability of CU habitats to various stressors was assessed using landscape-levelindicators of migratory, spawning and rearing habitats, including: total spawning extent, ratio oflake influence to total spawning; nursery lake area, and nursery lake productivity. Indicatorswere based on mapped habitat features from provincial GIS datasets and DFO lake productivityestimates. There was little correlation among the three landscape-level indicators, or betweenthese indicators and CU population status.Workshop participants explored potential errors in assessing conservation status, especially whendata are lacking or poor. Pestal and Cass (2009) explicitly considered the uncertainty in availabledata, and only made status determinations for 25 of the 36 CUs in the Fraser Basin.Fisheries & Fisheries Management (Fraser & Bristol Bay)Karl English, LGLThe overarching goal of the study is to examine the Fraser sockeye salmon and Bristol Bayfisheries according to three key metrics: accuracy, precision and reliability. Factors examinedincluded catch monitoring programs, pre-season forecasting methods, in-season abundanceestimates, and escapement goals. Preliminary results showed that in both the Fraser and BristolBay, catch and escapement estimates are sufficiently reliable to manage fisheries and track trendsfor major stock groups, but that pre-season forecasts are not reliable. In the Fraser, harvest rateswere high in the 1980s and early 1990s (70-90%), but much lower from 1995-2009 (18-41%);overharvesting is not a concern now.In-season assessments are timely and reliable for achieving escapement goals in both fisheries. Inthe Fraser Basin (though not in Bristol Bay) there is considerable debate about escapement goals,