1983 Atlantic Salmon Sport Catch Statistics Maritime Provinces
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DFO Library / MPO - Bibliotheque Government Gouvernement * of Canada du Canada 11 11 111 II 11 11 07013843 Fisheries Peches and Oceans et Ocean 1983 Atlantic Salmon Sport Catch Statistics Maritime Provinces compiled by S.F.O'Neil ,M.Bernard and J. Singer SH Freshwater and Anadromous Division 572 M3 Fisheries Research Branch A8 1983 Scotia- Fundy Region 1 9 8 3 ATLANTIC SALMON SPORT CATCH STATISTICS MARITIME PROVINCES compiled by S.F. O'NEIL', M. BERNARD", AND J. SINGER 2 'FRESHWATER AND ANADROMOUS DIVISION FISHERIES RESEARCH BRANCH DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS SCOTIA-FUNDY REGION HALIFAX, N.S. 2 FRESHWATER AND ANADROMOUS DIVISION FISHERIES RESEARCH BRANCH DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS GULF REGION MONCTON, N.B. N411,..1.01121.U6 D'a3 OCEAOSPECIAES PEcHes RT cO Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1984 ISSN 0226-305X iii CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 ATLANTIC SALMON ANGLING CATCHES - CANADA 3 COMMENT ON THE 1983 SPORT FISHERY - MARITIME PROVINCES 4 HISTORICAL CATCH BY YEAR ANGLED 4 HISTORICAL CATCH BY YEAR OF RUN 5 PERCENTAGE OF BRIGHT CATCH ANGLED AS LARGE SALMON 6 COMMENT ON THE 1983 SPORT FISHERY - MARITIME REGIONS 7 COMMENT ON THE 1983 SPORT FISHERY - NEW BRUNSWICK 8 COMMENT ON THE 1983 SPORT FISHERY - NOVA SCOTIA 8 COMMENT ON THE 1983 SPORT FISHERY - PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND 9 VARIATION ORDERS 1983 12 SALMON RIVERS BY MANAGEMENT ZONE 16 MONTHLY AND SEASONAL CATCH BY RIVER ALMA RIVER 19 APPLE RIVER 19 BADDECK RIVER 19 BARACHOIS RIVER 19 iv CONTENTS (continued) Page BARTHOLOMEW RIVER 20 BARTIBOG RIVER 20 BIG SALMON RIVER 20 BLACK RIVER (SAINT JOHN COUNTY) 20 CAINS RIVER 21 CATALONE RIVER 21 CHETICAMP RIVER 21 CHIGANOIS RIVER 21 CORNWALLIS RIVER 22 COUNTRY HARBOUR RIVER 22 DEBERT RIVER 22 DIGDEGUASH RIVER 22 DUNGARVON RIVER 23 EAST RIVER (PICTOU COUNTY) 23 EAST RIVER (SHEET HARBOUR) 23 ECONOMY RIVER 23 ECUM SECUM RIVER 24 V CONTENTS (continued) Page FOLLY RIVER 24 FRAMBOISE RIVER 24 FRENCH RIVER 24 GASPEREAU BROOK (GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY) 25 GASPEREAU RIVER (KINGS COUNTY, N S ) 25 GERRATT BROOK 25 GOLD RIVER 25 GRAND RIVER 26 GREAT VILLAGE RIVER 26 GUYSBOROUGH RIVER (MILFORD HAVEN) 26 HAMMOND RIVER 26 INGONISH RIVER 27 INGRAM RIVER 27 IRISH RIVER 27 ISAACS HARBOUR RIVER 27 JACQUET RIVER 28 KEDGWICK RIVER 28 KENNEBECASIS RIVER 28 v.i CONTENTS (continued) Page KIRBY RIVER 28 LAHAVE RIVER 29 LISCOMB RIVER 29 LITTLE SOUTHWEST MIRAMICHI RIVER 29 LORRAINE BROOK 29 MACCAN RIVER 30 MAGAGUADAVIC RIVER 30 MARGAREE RIVER 30 MARIE JOSEPH RIVER 30 MEDWAY RIVER 31 MERSEY RIVER 31 MIDDLE RIVER (GLOUCESTER COUNTY, N B ) 31 MIDDLE RIVER (VICTORIA COUNTY, N S ) 31 MIDGELL RIVER (PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND) 32 MIRA RIVER 32 MORELL RIVER (PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND) 32 MOSER RIVER (NOVA SCOTIA) 32 MUSQUODOBOIT RIVER 33 vii CONTENTS (continued) Page NASHWAAK RIVER 33 NEPISIGUIT RIVER 33 NEREPIS RIVER 33 NEW HARBOUR RIVER 34 NORTH RIVER (COLCHESTER COUNTY) 34 NORTH RIVER (VICTORIA COUNTY, N S ) 34 NORTH ASPY RIVER 34 NORTHWEST MIRAMICHI RIVER 35 PETITE RIVIERE 35 POINT WOLFE RIVER 35 PORTAPIQUE RIVER 35 PORT DUFFERIN (see SALMON RIVER) QUODDY RIVER 36 RENOUS RIVER 36 RESTIGOUCHE RIVER 36 RIVER HEBERT 36 RIVER INHABITANTS 37 RIVER JOHN 37 viii CONTENTS (continued) Page RIVER PHILIP 37 RIVER TILLARD 37 ST. CROIX RIVER (CHARLOTTE COUNTY, N.B ) 38 ST. CROIX RIVER (HANTS COUNTY, N S ) 38 SAINT JOHN RIVER 38 ST. MARY'S RIVER 38 SALMON RIVER (COLCHESTER COUNTY) 39 SALMON RIVER (DIGBY COUNTY) 39 SALMON RIVER (GUYSBOROUGH COUNTY) 39 SALMON RIVER (PORT DUFFERIN) 39 SEVOGLE RIVER 40 SHINIMIKAS RIVER 40 SHIP HARBOUR RIVER 40 SHUBENACADIE RIVER 40 SOUTHWEST MIRAMICHI RIVER 41 STEWIACKE RIVER 41 TABUSINTAC RIVER 41 TANGIER RIVER 41 ix CONTENTS (continued) Page TETAGOUCHE RIVER 42 TOBIQUE RIVER 42 TRACADIE RIVER 42 TUSKET RIVER 42 UPSALQUITCH RIVER 43 WALLACE RIVER 43 WAUGH RIVER 43 WEST RIVER (ANTIGONISH COUNTY) 43 WEST RIVER (SHEET HARBOUR) 44 MONTHLY AND SEASONAL CATCH BY MANAGEMENT ZONE 45 MONTHLY AND SEASONAL CATCH BY PROVINCE 47 MONTHLY AND SEASONAL CATCH - MARITIME PROVINCES TOTAL 47 SEASONAL CATCH BY SELECTED RIVER SYSTEMS 48 SEASONAL CATCH BY MARITIME REGION 48 SEASONAL CATCH BY SELECTED AREA 48 SEASONAL CATCH BY PROVINCE 48 SEASONAL CATCH FOR THE MARITIMES 48 x CONTENTS (continued) Page ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO MAP 49 MAP ( NEW BRUNSWICK) 50 MAP (NOVA SCOTIA) 52 MAP (PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND) 53 INTRODUCTION This report provides statistical data on the landings of Atlantic salmon in the sport fishery of the Maritime Provinces in 1983. It is the fourteenth in a series of annual reports and is published primarily to meet requests for basic statistical data on the angling fishery. Summary statistics for years prior to 1983 by province are provided in Table 1. The ninety-nine Maritime rivers on which there was reported catch and/or effort are alphabetically arranged in the body of this report. Data for each river, if applicable, include the numbers of large salmon (>2.3 kg) and grilse (10.3 kg), comprised of both the black or kelt and bright salmon fisheries, and their corresponding weights. Monthly and seasonal fishing effort, expressed as rod-days, is also included for each salmon stream. "Effort" is the product of the number of days fished and the number of anglers fishing. Total seasonal effort may vary considerably from year to year but much of that variation may be due to changes in the length and timing of the open season. For details regarding season dates, refer to the river in question; for variations, refer to pages 12-15. Specific comments on the 1983 Atlantic salmon sportfishery, for the Maritimes, by region and province, follow on the next few pages. Summary statistics on the various major river systems, by province, zone, etc., are provided on page 48. A map of the Maritime Rivers is found on pages 50-53. The basic data on which this report is based are collected by Conservation and Protection Division field staff. Field personnel of Fisheries and Oceans have been completing routine monthly angling reports on various Maritime rivers since 1951. Collation of that data into the annual sportfishing "Redbook" began with the 1970 angling season. For the 1983 salmon angling season, Fisheries and Oceans and the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests cooperated in the introduction of a catch and effort report card which will be used to establish a more comprehensive data base. However, preliminary indications are that this data base will be stronger in some areas of the province with respect to coverage and weaker in others. As a result, the two techniques for obtaining salmon angling data in Nova Scotia will be maintained independent from one another, for the next few years. Next year, the redbook series will be discontinued and replaced with a data report 2 of the Fisheries and Oceans Data Report Series. Catch and effort information for future reports will be based on angler license stub "report cards" and then fine-tuned with data provided by Conservation and Protection Division field staff. The information obtained on New Brunswick rivers by Fisheries and Oceans personnel will continue to comprise the data presented on those rivers in future data reports, at least for the short term. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Conservation and Protection Division field staff who provided the bulk of the information contained in this report. Data on portions of the Saint John River watershed and the Crown Reserve waters of the Restigouche and Miramichi river systems was generously provided by the Fish and Wildlife Branch of the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources. Their assistance and that of Parks Canada who contributed data for those rivers contained within national-park boundaries, is greatly appreciated. 3 TABLE 1. Atlantic salmon angling catches, Canada, 1965-1982. Number of salmon and grilse Year of New Nova Prince Edward Newfoundland run Brunswick Scotia Island Quebec and Labrador Total 1965 66,962 2,655 12 12,019 34,947 116,595 1966 85,935 3,596 10 12,873 34,626 137,040 1967 75,002 5,245 27 13,424 27,876 121,574 1968 27,373 3,069 10 8,603 35,744 74,799 1969 43,009 3,174 12 14,138 40,545 100,878 1970 34,969 4,948 13 14,846 37,167 91,943 1971 19,348 3,910 8,801 32,711 64,770 1972 32,119 4,152 7 14,131 29,175 79,584 1973 30,728 5,187 2 15,189 45,936 97,042 1974 42,237 8,506 2 17,455 31,002 99,202 1975 27,593 3,560 15,507 38,930 85,590 1976 43,169 7,309 7 15,348 42,070 107,903 1977 57,936 7,027 20,028 42,987 127,978 1978 24,741 4,060 6 18,498 33,640 80,945 1979 26,210 7,143 3 11,233 36,457 81,046 1980 32,698 8,356 6 24,244 42,640 107,944 1981 28,499 10,232 112 22,637 54,680 116,160 1982 25,116 6,572 83 17,932 47,806 97,509 4 COMMENT ON THE 1983 SPORT FISHERY Maritime Provinces The 1983 Maritime Provinces salmon angling catch was 24,249 fish; 9,205 as large salmon and 15,044 as grilse. Comparison of these figures with previous catches reveals a substantial decline in the 1983 sport catch (Table 2). The thirteen-year mean catch from 1970-1982 of roughly 39,000 large salmon and grilse is considerably higher than that reported for 1983. The 1983 black salmon catch, which represents an increase over last year's catch, is shown as a component of "catch by year of run" in Table 3.