Scientists hold out faint hope for salmon runs

Animal Advocates Watchdog

WESTCOAST NEWS
Scientists hold out faint hope for salmon runs
Water temperature blamed as experts give the fish another week to show up

Maurice Bridge
Vancouver Sun

August 16, 2005

Federal fisheries scientists say changing water temperatures in the northern Pacific Ocean may be responsible for lower-than-forecast numbers of sockeye salmon entering the Fraser River so far this year.

Paul Ryall, leader of the salmon team for fisheries management in the Pacific region, told a Vancouver news conference Monday it could be another week before scientists are prepared to say if the summer run is strong enough to bear the pressure of commercial fishing.

"Fish are later in migration this year to date, and we think that's a combination of the environmental conditions that we have had with warm temperatures," Ryall said.

Ocean temperature studies in the north Pacific going back to 2002 -- the year before the current run of sockeye entered the ocean -- show substantial changes in subsequent years.

Many of the changes are increases, some as much as several degrees on an average surface temperature of 13 C to 14 C. Warming reduces the amount of nutrients available to fish.

But Ryall noted both warming and cooling can affect how and where salmon develop in the salt water.

"What happens is these fish can get pushed further north to find some cooler water, and that means they are further away from home when they start their migration, and that's going to make them later.

"We've also observed that these fish are smaller on average, so they won't able to swim as fast, and once again that contributes to lateness in timing."

He added if there has been less food in the ocean over the past two years, that would reduce overall numbers of returning salmon.

However, Ryall said the results of test-fishing through the weekend in Johnstone Strait, between the mainland and northern Vancouver Island, indicates returning numbers are starting to increase.

"Things have improved at this point . . . from what we were thinking as recently as Friday, but at this point we still need to see more of the run before we can pinpoint a number on it."

Sockeye returns across B.C. and Washington state have been either lower than forecast or lower than previous averages, causing concern to commercial, recreational and first nations fisheries, particularly in the Fraser River.

The early Stuart run, the first of the year, is estimated at 210,000 fish, down from a forecast of 258,000, and dramatically down from an average of 882,000. It was also 10 days later than expected.

The estimated early summer return of 250,000, although down only slightly from its average of 283,000, is well off fisheries estimates of 718,000.

The department also denied allegations that reductions ordered in the native food fishery have led to weekend confrontations between Cheam Indian band members and fisheries enforcement officers on the Fraser River near Mission.

In a letter to B.C. Attorney-General Wally Oppal and federal Attorney-General Irwin Cotler, the president of the Sportfishing Defence Alliance warned that continued confrontation could result in "death or serious injury".

"If they go in to check any of the Cheam people, they get immediately swarmed and their boats jammed, and they try to swamp their boat," Bill Otway said Monday in a telephone interview.

Neither attorney-general responded to Otway's letter, and Greg Savard, director of conservation and protection for Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the Pacific region, played down the report.

He said he had discussed the matter with his staff, and had been told that while there "were certainly some issues, some potential violations in the Cheam areas, and interactions and discussion with the Cheam, but to the best of my understanding, they were not chased off the water as Mr. Otway is indicating."

Cheam Indian Band Chief Sid Douglas said Monday he had not received any reports of confrontations between band members and fisheries officers.

THE PROVINCE
Latest News

Water may be too warm for sockeye

The Canadian Press

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Warm ocean temperatures may be the cause of the missing Fraser River summer sockeye run, say Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials.

However, they aren't giving up hope yet that the salmon run will return.

More than 11 million salmon were forecast to return, but the peak this past weekend had reached to just over 100,000 fish.

Normally, the run would peak in mid-August.

Fisheries manager Paul Ryall believes the salmon are late.

"I still stand by the statement that it's too soon to say," he said. "We're still seeing fish return.

"We are thinking that, for sure, we'll be meeting our conservation objectives."

Fisheries scientist Mike Foreman said ocean temperatures were two to five degrees higher than normal for the salmon.

"That may not sound a lot to you, but it's a huge amount for a fish," he said.

"We would expect that to affect their size, their migration routes and their numbers returning."

Timing may be everything because, if the summer sockeye return at the same time as the endangered Cultus Lake salmon, the department would restrict fishermen to a 10- to 12-per-cent bycatch.

The near non-existent returns so far mean there has been no commercial or recreational fishing for what was supposed to be a lucrative salmon run.

The sockeye return every four years, and in March the Department of Fisheries had forecast a strong 2005 return based on the summer run.

In 2004, millions of Fraser River salmon also disappeared.

A report by former B.C. Supreme Court judge Bryan Williams blamed the loss on illegal fishing and high water temperatures.
© The Vancouver Province 2005

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WESTCOAST NEWS
Dog owners told to watch out as reports of wolf sightings on the rise

Canadian Press

August 16, 2005

PRINCE RUPERT - People are being advised to keep a watchful eye on their pets and not walk their dogs near wooded areas following an increase in the number of wolf sightings.

"We are doing our darndest to try and take care of the problem," said Blain Thin, a conservation officer for the Prince Rupert-Terrace area.

Thin has been doing patrols in Prince Rupert and using predator calls in an attempt to lure the wolf or wolves out of hiding in order to destroy them.

The most recent report came on Monday when Iris Faust was walking her two Yorkies and a wolf began following her. She picked up her dogs and took shelter at a nearby hotel.

"I was lucky I had them on harnesses," she said.

Thin said there has been a large increase in the number of wolf sightings in Prince Rupert during the summer months. In June, there were five reports and in July 11, including one in which a stray dog was attacked and another where a pet was killed.

So far this month, 26 reports have been received.

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