Fraser River Sockeye Fisheries and Fisheries Management - Cohen ...

The lack of clearly defined escapement targets for each indicator stock and the large yearto-yearvariability in escapement targets for each run-timing group makes it difficult toregulate fisheries and evaluate management performance. The trend towards increasingcomplexity in the definition of escapement goals may have become an impediment toachieving these goals. From 2003-2006, observed escapement was substantially less thanthe escapement targets for three of the four run-timing groups (-42% to -54%). Withinthe Late-run groups, the observed escapement to Birkenhead exceeded the escapementtarget in 2003 and 2006 and the average for the “True Late” stocks was only slightly lessthan the target (-9%). A detailed comparison of observed escapement with theescapement targets for each of the 19 indicator stocks was not possible because theannual targets have not been documented for each of these stocks. A clearly defined setof escapement targets for each indicator stock and run-timing group would be mucheasier to communicate to fishers than the current complex Total Allowable Mortality(TAM) rules and still allow managers the latitude to implement harvest rate ceilings toprotect less productive stocks when returns of the target stocks are large.The WSP has identified the need to define lower benchmarks (LBs) and upperbenchmarks (UBs) for each Fraser sockeye stock. Holt et al. (2009) describe the methodsthat should be used to define these benchmarks and Grant et al. (2010) provided a rangeof estimates for each benchmark generated from alternative stock-recruitment models.However, the interim LBs and UBs defined through the FRSSI process and recentCanadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) working papers are fixed values intendedto be compared with the 4-year average escapements for each stock or run-timing group(Staley 2010; Grant et al. 2010). These processes and CSAS papers have madesubstantive contributions to the definition of management goals and escapement targetsbut more work remains to be done. There should be at least two different LBs and twoUBs for each cyclic stock. Since each run-timing group contains at least one cyclicstock, managers need cyclic-specific LBs and UBs for each run-timing group. Thesebenchmarks or escapement goals would make it easier to assess stock status and trendsfor each cycle year relative to these defined goals and determine if fisheries should bepermitted to target specific stocks in a specific year. For example, if the run size is belowthe LB for a stock, no fisheries should be permitted to target that stock. The stockspecificbenchmarks should be used to define the LBs, UBs and total allowable mortality(harvest plus natural mortality) for each run-timing group. The LB and UB for a runtiminggroup could simply be the sum of the values for the component stocks. The totalallowable mortality for each run-timing group should be based on the in-seasonassessment of the total return, environmental conditions and status of each stock relativeto its LB and UB.102