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Sockeye run 'largest return since 1913': Fraser River Panel

This summer's Fraser sockeye run could be "the largest return since 1913," according to the Fraser River Panel.

In a regulatory announcement published on August 24 on the website of the Pacific Salmon Commission, the panel reported:

Test fishing catches of sockeye have continued to been strong in the marine approach routes over the past several days. These catches along with other assessment data have caused run size estimates for Fraser sockeye to increase. At the meeting today, the Panel approved increasing the run sizes for several Fraser River sockeye runs and adopting the following estimates of their 50% marine migration timing through Area 20:

Early Summer-run sockeye increased from 2,900,000 fish to 3,200,000 fish (August 7 marine timing);

Summer-run sockeye increased from 4,000,000 fish to 4,500,000 fish, (August 13 marine timing);

Harrison sockeye increased from 900,000 fish to 1,000,000 fish (August 8 marine timing);

Late Shuswap/Weaver sockeye increased from 11,000,000 fish to 16,000,000 fish (August 19 marine timing);

and the forecast of 241,000 fish from the Birkenhead stock-group.

The panel concluded: "Current run size assessments suggest that the total Fraser sockeye return this season is slightly over 25,000,000 fish (including 105,000 Early Stuart sockeye), which is the largest return since 1913."

The Hells Gate slide in 1913 blocked the Fraser Canyon and nearly destroyed the river's sockeye runs.

The panel also noted that the Fraser discharge at Hope is 24 percent lower than average for August 24, and the river's temperature at Qualark Creek is 17.6ºC, 0.5ºC above the average for this date.

Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee.


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