1. 2 0 1 7 S K E E N A S O C K E Y E C O N S E R V A T I O N
Gitksan Watershed Authority - Community Meeting [ Feb.1 ]
S K E E N A S O C K E Y E C O N S E R V A T I O N
Agenda
Opening Prayer
Introduction
Information Presentations
2017 Forecast/Background
Pacific Salmon Treaty
Recent Conditions & Survival Trends
Skeena First Nations 2017 FSC Draft Proposal
Discussion

2. 2017 Returning Sockeye are a product of 2012/2013 spawners
The preseason forecast that we are basing this meeting off of is calculated by looking at the number of returning 3 year old jacks and 4 year olds from previous years and using that as an index for returning 4 & 5 year olds this upcoming season

3. Low Returns & Food Fishery Considerations
[ Comparable to 2013 : 463,500 Sockeye ]
Skeena Sockeye Preseason “Just A” Forecast 2017:
594,678 Sockeye (284, ,241,622 uncertain till July)
Returns below 550,000 requires conservation discussions
Skeena First Nation’s Food Fishery : 150,000

4. Commercial Opening, 1.05 M
Commercial opening
Rec. Fishery Closure, 800K
Conservation Discussion
Conservation Concern

7. 2 0 1 6 S K E E N A S O C K E Y E A C C O U N T I N G

8. Overall Skeena Sockeye Run Timing

9. 2014-2016 Later Timed Sockeye= Alaskan % back up
Trends in Skeena Sockeye
Exploitation Rates
(% of the return)
Later Timed Sockeye= Alaskan % back up

10. Pacific Salmon Treaty CHAPTER 2 Northern BC and SE Alaska
Skeena/Nass sockeye

11. Skeena Sockeye
The US shall manage the District 104 fishery prior to Statistical Week 31 to:
achieve a catch share of 2.45 % Skeena/Nass sockeye Annual Allowable Harvest
, ~80% of Skeena sockeye were past D104 and this is the timing that is still used today.
The PST has no Skeena sockeye management restrictions on Ak in Wk 31 and later.

12. District 104
District 101
Just so where we know where we are talking about.
The grey is where fisheries occur in Alaska that impact Skeena sockeye.

13. Impacted Skeena Sockeye Migration
District 104
Impacted Skeena Sockeye Migration
This shows the migration route Skeena sockeye intercepted in Alaskan fisheries.
Almost all of Sk sy interception occurs in D104 with small catches in D101. D104 is discussed in the treaty for Skeena sockeye.

14. Alaskan Exploitation 2008-12 Run norm – ave exploitation
Avg. 5% of Tot Run
Run early – low exploitation
Avg. 3% of Tot Run
Run late – high exploitation
Avg. 14% of Tot Run
To 2012 In general before Wk 31 the Alaskans do pretty good on following the treaty. 1.74% average of AAH
It is Wk 31 onward that the interception of Skeena sockeye has no management measures in the treaty and this increases the overall harvest rate on Skeena sockeye. ~9% average of total run
In 2012 Skeena sockeye were early and the Ak harvest rate on Skeena sockeye was 2.74% of the total run.
Runs were later. Only about 55% to 60% of run past D104 prior to Wk 31

15. Summary Week 31 and its importance US Exploitation Rates
Pacific Salmon Treaty Renewal
US position

16. Climate News Global –Regional – Local Last 3 years has been different
El Nino & “The Blob”
Conditions – no widespread sockeye failure but did mess with:
size for age groups of some populations – like Skeena/Nass
return timing
Impact fresh water conditions

17. Recent Ocean Conditions
The blob is essentially a mass of warm water –
you can see in January it was up to 3 degrees above normal temperatures and
it moved in towards the BC coast in 2015
and appears to be returning to normal temperatures

18. Impacts of warmer ocean temperatures:
Warmer temperatures negatively changed the zooplankton food that sockeye eat
It can impact the fish’s body function
Smaller Sockeye
Wide swings in survival both marine and in fresh water
Smolts that went into the ocean in 2014 & 2015 produced very low age 3 and poor age 4 sockeye returns for 2016 Skeena and Nass
2015 conditions – impacts to sockeye returns

19. Migration Changes
It can also influence return timing if sockeye need to swim further north to be in cooler water
Later & Smaller Sockeye
Higher Harvest by Alaska

21. Fresh Water Conditions
Multiple years of warm ocean conditions influence land and freshwater ecosystems.
Low water, high water temperatures, strange distribution of rain or snow and early spring melt have all had consequences for the different life stages salmon
For Skeena, marine survival declines have added to the ongoing issues of apparent poor/low freshwater production from Babine Lake. Studies ongoing…

22. Concern is Skeena-Wide

23. Discussion
What are our Options?

24. First Nations 2017 Draft Food Fish Proposal
Background on working group
Key Points:
Healthy growth of salmon populations into future
Prioritization of First Nations’ Access & Allocation for Food Fisheries
Mutual respect for all Skeena First Nations to meet their food fish needs
Pre-season forecasting leaves room for us to err on the side of caution to avoid creating irreversible damage to the salmon populations that sustain us

25. Skeena First Nations Technical Committee
Draft Proposal

26. First Nations 2017 Draft Food Fish Proposal
Looking At the Numbers
Pre-season forecasting leaves room for us to err on the side of caution to avoid creating irreversible damage to the salmon populations that sustain us

27. Discussion Points Food Needs and Options
How Gitksan information can be used if we take a conservation approach
Other 2017 Fisheries Concerns besides sockeye
Next Steps

28. Additional References