NOOTKA SOUND BULLETIN #1a Date: July 12, 2006 FORECAST: There is no pre season chinook forecast specifically for the Conuma system. The Forecast for Robertson Creek can only be used as a guideline for Nootka Sound Forecasts. In the next bulletin there will be a revised version of the Robertson Forecast that can be applied to Nootka Sound. Historical Escapement: Chinook Coho Stream 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Burman 212 107 472 768 2636 642 750 477 326 1719 2252 2513 Conuma 9970 16468 27376 34653 41053 6985 10339 10445 10051 4851 Not Ins 1989 Tahsis 1320 389 758 762 905 182 3414 767 587 673 1860 1096 Zeballos 200 100 148 69 393 88 75 200 528 310 130 75 BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION and HEAD RECOVERY: Over the last 2 weeks we have been visiting Lodges throughout Nootka Sound promoting better head recovery. This year no Conuma Coho clipped fish will be returning and only 4 and 5 year Chinook will have CWT’s. Biological samples will be taken from the sport and the Commercial GN fishery. Special emphasis will be put into sample fish from the Camel Rock area to investigate concerns that a high number of Gold and Burman fish may reside there. Results to be fanned out when they are completed. HATCHERY UPDATE: System Conuma Burman Tahsis Gold Muchalaht Sucwoa Tlupana 2006 Chinook Egg Targets 2.1 million 500,000 250,000 50,000 150,000 50,000 50,000 All chinook will be thermally marked but not Coded wire tagged (ad clipped). Coho are coded wire tagged. CONSERVATION & PROTECTION: ILLEGAL SALES On Thursday, June 15, 2006, two individuals were arrested in Campbell River for illegally selling sockeye salmon. Officers had been aware of heavy pressure by native gill net fishermen at the mouth of the Gold River on the WCVI for over 2 weeks. The 2 were arrested and 23 salmon were seized. As well, a 1997 Ford truck along with 2 small aluminium vessels, a beach seine net, a gillnet and cash were also seized. ABORIGINAL FISHING/ Assessment: “The Mowachaht/Muchalaht Program completed construction of a traditional style fishing weir on the Upper Gold River in mid-June. The fish fence has provisions for capturing fish moving upstream and unrestricted passage for fish moving downstream. Fish entering the trap are counted and released after the collection of biological information. The purpose of the weir project is to collect DNA and abundance data for summer sockeye, coho, Chinook salmon and steelhead and apply radio tags to summer Chinook. To date a single sockeye was captured. Low flows are preventing fish from ascending the mid-river canyon at Tsaxana, located 8 km’s downstream of the weir site. Over 1000 sockeye have been captured in the beach seine fishery that occurs in the lower river.” Nootka Sound Watershed Society: Last meeting for the summer was Wednesday the 28th until September/October. Minutes of the meeting to follow : Reports of good fishing on the outside but not any numbers inside yet. Survey to start July, 1 2006 with 2 full time creel observers. One at Critter Cove and Cougar Creek (Chris Presslauer) and one out of Westview Marina in Tahsis (Warren Daynes). Charter Patrol Vessel will also be collecting sport boat counts and conducting on water interviews. This year Gui Chaisson will no longer be our charter patrolman and he will be replaced with Gord Bainbridge. Gord will be performing similar duties and will be using Gui’s vessel. SPORT CPUE INSEASON: The data entry for the Sport CPUE indicator is underway and updates should be available in the coming weeks : A Gillnet fishery is planned for 4,000 chinook tentatively starting between the 8th and 15th of August (dates to be confirmed). NEXT WEEK'S FISHING PLANS: Test Fishing - Tentatively scheduled for the last week of July fishing 1-2 days per week and sounding for one day. Will have five sites in the terminal approaches to Conuma River. 1,000 chinook will be harvested with the proceeds going to assessment. Recreational - Most Lodges are starting there season full swing next week. http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish/Tidal/area20sanjuanmap2005_e.htm Contacts Seaton Taylor - WCVI Salmon Stock Assessment (250) 756-7006 E-mail [email protected] Paul Preston – Fishery Manager E-mail (250) 720 4452 E-mail [email protected] Steve Emmonds – Conuma Hatchery manager (250) 283-7418 E-mail [email protected] Roger Dunlop – Biologist - NTC Fisheries/Uu-a-thluk Nootka watershed contact

NOOTKA SOUND BULLETIN #1a Date: July 12, 2006