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

Table 2 Summary of available information on accuracy, precision and reliability ofthe catch monitoring programs used to produce estimates of the harvest ofFraser sockeye (2001-2009).% of Quality of Catch EstimatesLocation Catch Accuracy Precision ReliabilityCanadian First NationsFood, Social, Ceremonial 29% Good Unknown MediumEconomic Opportunity 6% Good High GoodCanadian Commercial 42% Fair Unknown MediumCanadian Recreational 3% Fair NA MediumCanadian Selective 1% Very Good High HighUS (Alaska + Wash.) 15% Very Good High HighTest Fisheries 4% Very Good High HighTotal 100% Good Unknown MediumOverview of First Nation FisheriesOur evaluations related to commercial fisheries management address the following twotasks as defined in the Statement of Work (Appendix A):3.1 The Contractor will summarize the food, social, ceremonial andcommercial harvest levels of Fraser River sockeye allocated to First Nations(through treaty, fisheries agreement, communal fishing licence or other program oragreement), and the actual harvest levels achieved, according to fishing locationand method, for the period 1980 - 2009. The formal and informal structure of theFirst Nations fishery will be characterized.3.2 The Contractor will describe and evaluate the accuracy, precision andreliability of methods for making catch estimates.The management of First Nation fisheries that target Fraser sockeye is a challengingprocess involving more than 72 First Nations (Figure 3). In 2009, AFS Agreements weresigned with 39 groups representing most of these First Nations. In addition to these AFSAgreements, communal licences that define fishing times, locations, methods and targetspecies are issued to each First Nation or First Nation group. On 3 April 2009, theTsawwassen First Nation became the first group with a modern day Treaty to include a21