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

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current year’s run is accounted for inshore. We combined the forecasts <strong>and</strong> observedruns from all districts to facilitate comparison with the Port Moller model (Figure 36).Instead of trying to forecast possible catches, AMBs use these total run forecasts to gaugehow much room they might have to make up or get behind on escapement if they open orclose a fishing period. The less certain that these forecasts project some remainingsurplus production, the more conservative AMBs are with granting openings.Other non-government organizations make C+E forecasts available to ADF&G. FRI usesthe Port Moller test fishery <strong>and</strong> the cumulative C+E to update the pre-season forecast <strong>and</strong>predicts system specific total runs in a more formal statistical setting. Essentially, thepre-season, Port Moller, <strong>and</strong> C+E forecasts are averaged to provide a forecast every fewdays in-season with each method being weighted by the inverse of its variance (RayHilborn, Professor, University of Washington, pers. comm.). Of course, the pre-seasonforecast <strong>and</strong> its weight remain constant, but Port Moller <strong>and</strong> C+E change, with PortMoller reaching its maximum influence midway through the season <strong>and</strong> C+E dominatingtowards the end of the run. Similar to Bristol Bay, Henderson et al. (1987) found the preseasonforecast of sockeye for Smith Sound, B.C. to outperform in-season forecasts basedon C+E until the very end of the season. Fried <strong>and</strong> Hilborn (1988) tried a Bayesianapproach to combine forecasts <strong>and</strong> update them each day but this approach is not used.In-season forecasting uncertainty remains high, accuracy low (until it is too late in theseason to be useful), <strong>and</strong> a magic bullet is yet to be found.Post-season EvaluationsFollowing each fishing season ADF&G releases four publications as a service to thepublic <strong>and</strong> user groups via email <strong>and</strong> by posting them on ADF&G’s Bristol Bay HomePage (See http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/region2/finfish/salmon/bbayhome.php ). First,catch <strong>and</strong> escapement estimates are finalized immediately following the end of thefishing season <strong>and</strong> reported in a Season Summary Report. These estimates are used toupdate brood tables <strong>and</strong> forecast the run for the following year; these Pre-seasonForecasts (second publication) are always reported no later than November <strong>and</strong> in timefor the annual Pacific Marine Expo, a fishing industry trade show hosted in Seattle.Third, Area <strong>Management</strong> Reports (AMRs) are issued sometime before the beginning ofthe next fishing season. These reports summarize the fishing season in much greaterdetail than the Season Summaries <strong>and</strong> offer the catch <strong>and</strong> escapement by stock, age, <strong>and</strong>return year for current year <strong>and</strong> previous 20 years. Fourth, the next season’s Outlook161

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