Confidential the Migration, Composition, Exploitation and Abundance of Odd-Year Pink Salmon Runs in and Adjacent to the Fraser R

Home , Burrard Inlet, Jervis Inlet, Johnstone Strait, Kingcome Inlet, Knight Inlet, Queen Charlotte Strait

CON FIDENTIAL

THE MIGRATION, COMPOSI TIO N, EXPLOITATION AND ABUNDANC E OF ODD-YEAR PINK SALMON RUNS IN AND ADJAC ENT TO THE FRASER RIVER CONVENTION AR EA

A Summary of Report s to the Governments of Canada and the United States by the Pink Salmon Co-ordinating Committee to Ful fi ll the Requirements of Article VI of the Pink Salmon Protocol which Amended the Sockeye Salmon Fisheries Convention Effective July 3, 1957

Prepared by

Fisheries Research Board of Canada Biol ogical Station, Nanaimo, B. C.

June 1965

/ FOREWORD

This document is a summary of the following two reports submitted

to the Governments of Canada and the United States by the Pink Salmon

Co-ordinating Committee:

(1) The Migration and Exploi tation of Pink Sa lmon Runs in and

Adjacent to the Fraser River Convention Area (398 pages,

submitted in February 1964 and subsequently published as

Bull etin XV of the Inter nationa l Pacific Sa lmon Fisheries

Commission).

(2) The Migration, Compositi on, Exp l oitation and Abundance of

Odd-Year Pink Salmon Runs in and Adjacent to the Fraser

River Convention Area ( 218 pages, submitted in April 1965

and subsequently pub l ished as Bul l etin XVII of the

International Pacific Sa lmon Fisheries Commission).

These reports contain resu l ts of investigations carried out under

the direction of the Committee to fulfill the requirements of Article VI

of the Pink Sa l mon Protocol whi ch amended the Sockeye Sa l mon Fisheries

Convention effective Ju l y 3, 1957. (The first report of the Committee,

entitl ed "A Preliminary Review of Pertinent Past Tagging Investigations on

Pink Salmon and Proposal for a Co-ordinated Research Program for 1959", was

pr eli minary in nature and contains no relevant information not covered in the other two reports.)

In this summary, the data emp l oyed, their sources and their analysis are referred to in only a very brief and general way to give the - 2 - reader some concept of the information on which the results were based and of its relative reliabili ty. References to other investigations have been excluded. Only those final results which bear directly upon the protocol problem have been included in any detail, Except for FIGURES 5 and 15, figures and tables are selected from Bulletins XV and XVII with appropriate changes in their numbers.

INTRODUCTION

Pink salmon spawning in the Fraser River system is limited almost completely to odd-numbered years. These fish are all two years of age, each spawning population made up of progeny of the preceding cycle which hatched and migrated to sea as fry in the spring, spent approximately one and one-half years feeding in the ocean and then returned to spawning streams.

Maturing pink salmon migrating to the Fraser River system approach either from the north (vi a Queen Charlotte, Johnstone and Georgia Straits) or from the south (via Juan de Fuca and Georgia Straits - FIGURE 1). On either approach they intermingle with pinks destined for other Canadian streams south of Cape Scott and for United States streams (mainly in the

Puget Sound area). The runs on both approaches are subjected first to a troll fishery, then to a series of intensive fisheries (mainly seine) which account for the majority of the catch in most years, and finally to further

fisheries (mainl y gillnet) near the mouths of their spawning streams.

In recent years, the effectiveness of the fisheries on Fraser-bound pinks has prompted increased restriction on fishing effort. In 1957, Canada - 3 -

BRITISH COLUMBIA

\ \ I \ I I I' INLET I Thompson Skwawka River , \River I \ I - '\ I I I I I I \ I

/ Squa,mish I River I I HOWE SOUND I I 11ndlan Rivu I 1 I I Harrison I River I INLET I I

CANADA UNITED··- STATES

-----Stillaguamish River

Snohomish River

WASHINGTON

figure 1. Major geographic locations in the area of study. - 4 - and the United States ratified a protocol to the existing Fraser River salmon treaty to bring the management of pink salmon fisheries in the Fraser

Convention waters under international control. Under the terms of this agreement, the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission was charged with scientific investigations and promulgation of regulations for the pink salmon fisheries in the Convention area. In addition, the two countries agreed (Article VI of the Protocol) to conduct a co-ordinated investigation of pink salmon stocks which enter Convention waters for the purpose of determining the migratory movements of such stocks.

In general, those portions of the joint program undertaken in the

Convention area were carried out by the Salmon Commission while those portions of the program involving Canadian and United States waters outside the Convention area were carried out by the appropriate national agencies.

The investigation was conducted in three parts:

(1) An extensive and detailed study of the 1959 run;

(2) A similar but less thorough study of the 1961 run to assess

quantitatively how the 1961 run differed from that in 1959;

(3) Examination of information on runs in other years to assess,

on a general basis, the extent to which the description of

the 1959 run might be applied to other years.

The 1959 Run

A major field program was conducted on the 1959 run to describe the migration routes, times of passage through the major fishing areas, and - 5 - catches by the individua l f isheries and spawning escapements, for each of the major stock groups whi ch were intermingled wi th Fraser pi nks during migration.

Field Prog r am and Analysis

Enumeration of Ca tches and Spawners to Provide a Census of the Run

Weekly commercial cat ches we re recorded through manda tory sa l es record systems . Catches were a l l ocated to fi shing areas on the basis of suppleme nt ar y information provi ded by fisherme n and fish buyers (TABLE 1,

FIGURE 2). Catches by sport fi shermen we r e est imated by the na t iona l agencies from sur veys of numbers of boats and average catches for a sample of f ishermen. Catch in the Indian subsist ence fishery on t he Fraser was estimated by Canadi an Department of Fisheries officers .

Pink sa lmon spawned in 157 streams on the mainland of Canada and the United States opposite Vancouver I s l and and on the no rtheast coast of the Island. The abundance of 29 of the larger spawning populations was estimated by t ag and recovery programs. Since s ome tags wo uld have been l ost from the fish, or caused mortality, these estimates must be considered maxima l. Subsequent ana l ysis indicated that even gross over est imates wou l d not appre ciabl y change the genera l description of the ru n and this source of error was not considered serious. Spawning populations in the four other streams were estimated by various modifications of this procedure and we re not considered subject to the s ame deg ree of error.

These 33 "large" spawning populations accounted for 96 per cent of the total number of spawners in 1959 , I n estimating spawning populations, over 52,000 pinks were tagged and over 360,000 carcasses subsequent l y - 6 -

TABLE 1. Pink salmon catches in the Study Area in 1959,

Fishing Area Commercial Sport Total

Canadian Study Area west Coast 'i'roll 131,085 131,085 Queen Charlotte Strait 167,551 167,551 Malcolm Island 512,751 512,751 Upper Johnstone Strait 945,989 945,989 Lower Johnstone Strait 530,850 500 531,350 Cortes Island 1,288 1,288 Texada Island 26,498 700 27,198 Comox 6,189 775 6,964 Kingcome Inlet 5,261 5,261 Knight Inlet 119,984 119,984 Phillips Arm 9,978 9,978 Toba Inlet 19,083 19,083 Jervis Inlet 105,533 105,533 Howe Sound 9,813 9,813 Total Canadian Study Area 2,582,040 11,788 2,593,828³

Convention Area Canada WestCoast Troll Co186,296 186,296 Juan de Fuca Strait 1,588,669 15,200 1,603,869 Fraser Gulf 435,727 435,727 Fraser River 102,138 102,138 Fraser River, Indian 18,000⁻¹ 18,000 Burrard Inlet 9,812 9,812 Total Canadian Convention Area 2,312,830 43,012 2,355,842 United States West Coast Troll 175,921 175,921 Juan de Fuca Strait 61,598 23,908 85,506 West Beach 77,736 77,736 San Juan Islands 1,338,335 1,894 1,340,279 Point Roberts 773,894 773,894 Total United States Convention Area 2,427,534 25,802 2,453,336 2 Total Convention Area 4,740,364 68,314 4,809,178

U.S. Study Area West Coast Troll 13,427 13,427 Nooksack River 8,106 8,106 Skagit Bay & River 69,425 11,553 80,978 Port Susan-P. Gardner 99,096 2,867 101,963 Admiralty-Puget Sd, 1,315 9,790 11,105 Puyallup River 6,028 6,028 Total United States Study Area 197,397 24,210 221,607

GRAND TOTAL 7,519,801 104,812 7,624,613³

1 Indian subsistence fishery in Fraser River, 2 Excludes 76 pinks taken by Canadian fishermen and one taken by United States fishermen \lhich were not assigned to area. ³ Includes 2,513 pinks later estimated to have been destined for streams outside the Study Area, CATCHES

0 UNDER 50,000 FISHERIES ON MIXED STOCKS 0 50,000 100,000 A QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT

100,000 -200,000 B MALCOLM ISLAND 0 C UPPER JOHNSTONE STRAIT D LOWER JOHNSTONE STRAIT E CORTES ISLAND 200,000-500,000 FISHERIES ON SINGLE STOCKS F TEXADA ISLAND 0 G COMOX KINGCOME INLET H FRASER GULF 2 KNIGHT INLET I POINT ROBERTS 3 PHILLIPS ARM 500,000 -800,000 J SAN JUAN ISLANDS 4 TOBA INLET K WEST BEACH 5 JERVIS INLET 0 L CANADIAN JUAN DE FUCA 6 FRASER RIVER M U.S.A. JUAN DE FUCA 7 NOOKSACK RIVER N CONVENTION TROLL, CANADA e SKAGIT BAY ANO RIVER OVER eoopoo 0 CONVENTION TROLL, U.S.A. 9 PORT SUSAN - PORT GARONER p CANADIAN WES'1 COAST TROLL 10 ADMIRALTY INLET a LOWER PUGET SOUND 0 Q U.S.A. WEST COAST TROLL II PUYALLUP RIVER

FIG. 2. Location and general magnitude of catches for pink salmon fisheries through out the Study Area in 1959, - 8 -

examined, yielding a recovery of nearly 9,000 tags.

The remaining 124 spawning populations were estimated from counts

of live and dead fish in visual surveys by boat and aircraft. While visua l

counts generally underestimate spawning populations, most of the streams we re small with good visibility and probably few fish were missed.

Spawning populations in close geographic proximity whose migration

routes and timing appeared simi l ar in analyses were grouped into single

"stocks". Each of the 17 stocks thus formed (FIGURE 3) contained at least

one major population of over 10,000 fish.

Tagging to Determine Migration Routes, Times of Passage and Relative Composition of the Run

This program involved tagging large numbers of pinks along the

No rthern and Southern Approaches and subsequent recovery of tagged fish in

catches by fishermen and on the spawning grounds. In this program, the

numbers of fish tagged (over 53,000), the numbers examined for tags

(5,621,000), the numbers of tags accounted for in the recovery program

(over 42,000) and the percentage recovery of the tags applied (BO per cent)

far exceeded those for any ot he r similar program on Pacific salmon in this

area.

Tags we re applied each week during the period closed to fishing

to permit a maximum number of tagged fish to escape from the immediate

fishing area. The proportions of recoveries (weighted to standard tagging

intensity) in the populations in the various fishing and spawning areas

were used to estimate the proportions of Northern and Southern Approach KINGCOME

ISLAND

BELLINGHAM BAY

SKAGIT BAY

PORT SUSAN

OLYMPIC PENINSULA

HOOD CANAL

LOWER SOUND

FIG. 3. Spawning areas occupied by stocks of pink salmon in 1959. - 10 - fish from each stock group,

Tagging information for those fishing areas in which tagging was not conducted throughout the season was simulated by extrapolati ng or inter polating tagging information from other areas.

Description of the 1959 Run

Abundance and Mig rati on Routes

Catches and spawning escapements indicate that 10,264,000 pinks entered the Study Area in 1959, Of these, 3,776,000 (37 per cent) approached from the north through Queen Charlotte Strait and 6,488,000 (63 per cent) approached from the south through Juan de Fuca Strait. The disposition of the fish from each of the approaches is given in detai l in FIGURE 4, and summarized by major stock groups (Canada Non Fraser, Fraser River and United

States stocks) in FIGURE 5.

Northern Approach. The 3,776,000 pinks entering along the Norther n

Approach were subjected to the following sequence of events:-

(1) The troll fishery operating in Queen Charlotte Strait removed

130,000 (3 per cent), leaving 3,646,000 to pass southward.

(2) In Queen Charlotte Strait, all of the 49,000 pinks bound for Kingcome

Inlet and 57,000 of the 351,000 bound for Upper Vancouver Island and Knight

Inlet left the main migration route. (In Kingcome Inlet 5,000 fish we re caught, leaving a spawning escapement of 44,000.)

(3) The main body of the run (3,540,000) then passed southward into the

Malco lm Island area where net and troll fisheries removed 513,000 (14 per cent). In this area a further 243,000 Knight Inlet and Upper Vancouver FIGURE 4. Migration routes of Northern and Southern Approach runs in the Study

Area in 1959 showing, for each run, catches in the various fishing areas

(rectangles), spawning escapements by stock (circles) and the total numbers of fish entering and leaving fishing areas along the migration routes (Figure 12 of Bulletin XV, I.P.S.F.C.). 3,776,290' FIGURE 5. Migration routes through Northern and Southern Approach runs in the

Study Area in 1959, showing for t he major stock groups (United States brown,

Fraser red, Canada Non-Fraser blue) the catches in the various fishing areas

(rectangles), the spawning escapements (circles) and the total numbers of fish entering and leaving fishing areas along the migration routes (drafted from data in Figure 12 of Bulletin XV , I.P.S.F.C.). NORTHERN APPROACH 35%

1959 PINK SALMON RUN QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT TROLL TO FRASER RIVER &ADJACENT AREAS 130

JOHNSTONE STRAIT 1990 QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT

STRAIT OF GEORGIA

STRAIT OF GEORGIA 36

6 17 13 SOUTHERN APPROACH 65% FRASER GULF 436

287 133 NON CONVENTION WEST COAST TROLL 110 TOTAL 122 CANADA 30 14 166 FRASER RIVER u.s. 3 14 TOTAL 33 132 15 110 POINT ROBERTS

CONVENT,ON AREA WEST COA T TROLL TOTAL 2120 \ 34 137 15 CANADA 186 NORTHERN RUN VIA 129 32 SANJUAN ISL. (2; U.S. 15 176 TOTAL 66 286 -30 362 CAN.JUAN DE FUCA (B) SAN JUAN ISLANDS 134 WEST BEACH (1) 1232

WEST BEACH 77 UNITED STATES -I -11 -64 11)

31 43 - 13 -

Island pinks left the main path . (In Knight Inlet and adjacent passages a gillnet and seine fishery removed 120,000 or 38 per cent of the 316,000 fish present, leaving a spawning escapement of 196,000.)

(4) The remaining 2,784,000 fish proceeded southward to Upper Johnstone

Strait where a mixed fishery (mainly seines) removed 946,000 (34 per cent).

A further 50,000 Knight Inlet and Upper Vancouver Island fish left the main run at this point.

(5) The main run of 1,788,000 pinks then passed southward to Lower

Johnstone Strait where the net fishery removed 531,000 (31 per cent). In this area, 149,000 pinks bound for streams adjacent to Johnstone Strait and

Phillips Arm left the main body, of which 139,000 escaped local fisheries en route to their spawning grou nds.

(6) The main run of 1,108 , 000 pinks then left Johnstone Strait and entered the Strait of Georgia where escapements to streams in Mid-Vancouver

Island, Toba Inlet, Jervis Inlet, Howe Sound and Burrard Inlet left the main body. In Georgia Strait north of the Fraser, 507,000 pinks left the run of which 382,000 reached spawning streams.

(7) The remaining 601,000 pinks proceeded southwards towards the mouth of the Fraser. Here a Canadian gillnet fishery (Fraser Gulf) removed

135,000 and a United States net fishery at Point Roberts took a further

53,000. Most (382,000) of the remaining pinks entered the Fraser River, where fishermen took a further 39,000, leaving 284,000 and 59,000 spawners for the early and late run stocks respectively. Canadian fisheries operating off the mouth and in the Fraser removed 175,000 and the United States net fishery at Point Roberts removed 53,000. - 14 -

(8) Of the 31,000 which migrated south of Point Roberts, 14,000 escaped

from subsequent fisheries at San Juan Islands, Juan de Fuca Strait, West

Beach, Bellingham Bay and Puget Sound to spawn in streams in the State of

Washington.

Southern Approach. The Southern Approach run of 6,488,000 pinks was subjected to the following sequence of events:-

(1) A troll fishery off the west coast of Vancouver Island removed approximately 542,000 (8 per cent), leaving 5,946,000 pinks to enter Juan de

Fuca Strait.

(2) In Juan de Fuca Strait, 5,041,000 pinks entered the Canadian fishing area on the northern side where 1,604,000 (32 per cent) were removed, and

905,000 entered the United States fishing area on the south side where 86,000

(9 per cent) were caught.

(3) Of the 4,265,000 fish escaping from the Juan de Fuca Strait fisheries,

50,000 pinks destined for the Olympic Peninsula left the main run for streams on the south side of the Strait, and 4,215,000 fish proceeded to the eastern end of the Strait. Here the main run (3,479,000) turned northward towards the San Juan Islands, leaving 737,000 pinks to proceed eastward and southward.

(4) Of the 737,000 pinks which left the main run at the eastern end of the Strait:

(a) 515,000 pinks swung southward through Admiralty Inlet

to provide all the spawners (48,000) and local catch

(16,000) in the Hood Canal and Lower Puget Sound areas

and 451,000 of the 578,000 pinks reaching the Skagit - 15 -

Bay-Port Susan area. (Of these 578,000 pinks,

399,000 escaped local fisheries and spawned in

streams in this area.)

(b) 222,000 fish proceeded eastward to the We st Beach

fishing area where they were joined by 30,000

pinks from San J uan Islands. Here seiners and reef

nets removed 77,000 (32 per cent). 127 ,000 continued

through Deception Pass to the Skagit Bay-Port Susan

area, 29,000 continued through Rosario Strait to

the Bellingham Bay area (where a local fishery removed

a further 8,000) and 19,000 turned northward to rejoin

the main body of the run in the Point Roberts area.

(5) Meanwhile, the main run of 3,479,000 pinks proceeded northwards to the San Juan Islands area, where a net fishery (mainly seines) removed

1,338,000 (38 per cent). Most (2,102,000) of the remaining 2,141,000 pinks

continued northward towards Point Roberts, while 39,000 proceeded eastward to the West Beach-Bellingham Ba y area.

(6) A total of 2,121,000 fi sh entered the Point Roberts fishing area

(2,102,000 from San Juan Islands and 19,000 from West Beach) where a seine and gi llnet fishery removed 721 , 000 (34 per cent).

(7) The 1,400,000 fish escaping the West Beach fishery continued no rth ward towards the mouth of the Fraser River where a gillnet fishery took

301 ,000, leaving 815,000 to enter the Fraser River and 284,000 to proceed northward in t he Strait of Georgia. - 16 -

(B) Of 815,000 fish which entered the Fraser, 81,000 were caught in the river, leaving a spawning escapement in the Fraser system of 734,000 (589,000 early and 146,000 late).

(9) Of the remaining 284,000 fish escaping the Fraser Gulf fishery,

131,000 proceeded eastward to Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound and 153,000 to more northerly areas in Georgia Strait, the majority to Jervis Inlet. Of these two groups of pinks, 123,000 and 106,000 respectively escaped local fisheries en route to their spawning grounds.

Abundance of Stocks in the Northern, Southern and Combined Runs

The run of 1959 was one in which Fraser fish were predominant.

On the Northern Approach, the Early Fraser stock (1,257,000) made up 33 per cent of the run (TABLE 2) and was by far the most abundant stock

(FIGURE 6). The Jervis Inlet (507,000), Late Fraser (441,000), and Knight

Inlet (430,000) stocks made up a further 37 per cent. Appreciable contribu tions were also made by Phillips Arm (256,000), Burrard Inlet (205,000),

Howe Sound (156,000), Toba Inlet (146,000) and Johnstone Strait (142,000) stocks, which together provided a further 24 per cent. Mid-Vancouver Island,

Kingcome Inlet, Upper Vancouver Island and the five United States stocks were the remaining 6 per cent (236,000 fish).

On the Southern Approach, the Early Fraser stock (3,679,000 fish) was also the most abundant (FIGURE 6), accounting for 57 per cent of the run

(TABLE 3), The late Fraser stock contributed 17 per cent of the run

(1,083,000 fish), the Skagit Bay-Port Susan stock 15 per cent (990,000 fish), the Jervis Inlet stock 4 per cent (242,000 fish), and the Burrard Inlet stock

3 per cent (189,000 fish). TABLE 2. Catches and spawning escapements by stock for the 1959 pink salmon run entering via the Northern Approach (sport and Indian catches included). Figures in parentheses include fish not destined to enter Johnstone Strait,

CATCH SPAWNERS TOTAL RUN (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) JOHNSTONE STRAIT GEORGIA STRAIT STOCK Queen Upper Lower Charlotte Malcolm Johnstone Johnstone Texada Fraser Point Other Local Total Strait Island Strait Strait Total Island Gulf Roberts Areas Total Fisheries Catch

Kingcome Inlet (2,405) (5,261) (7,666) (43,500) (51,166) Upper Vancouver Is. 415 1,366 1,444 2,810 3,225 6,709 9,934 (1,650) (4,460) (34,600) (39,060) Knight Inlet 11,416 81,461 20,243 101,704 108,677 221,797 177,529 399,326 (12,412) (119,984) (234,100) (196,000) (430,100) Johnstone Strait 3,479 20,771 37,462 17,626 75,859 79,338 63,100 142,438 Mid Vancouver I s . 1,658 5, 207 18,548 8,200 31,955 5,369¹ 5,369 38,982 17, 702 56, 684 Phillips Arm 7,538 52,267 75,475 35,174 162,916 9,828 180,282 76,042 256,324 2 Toba Inlet 3,153 29,052 34,150 16,564 79,766 1,199 1,199² 17,766 101,884 43,850 145,734

Jervis Inlet 10,720 77,400 135,674 53,208 266,282 3,449 3,449 65,958 346,409 160,813 507,222 --..J Howe Sound 5,077 19,765 36,258 12,712 68,735 1,461 1,461 7,203 82,476 73,473 155,949 Burrard Inlet 5,027 40,289 51,169 16,155 107,613 1,422 1,422 4,631 118,693 86,187 204,880 Total Canada Non-Fraser 48,483 327,578 410,423 159,639 897,640 6,332 6,568 12,900 214,063 1,173,086 705,405 1,878,491 (53,119) (230,631) (1,194,290) (795,267) (1,989,557) Early Fraser 49,394 134,026 350,176 241,445 725,647 12,419 109,884 38,198 160,501 37,098 972,640 284,188 1,256,828 Late Fraser 24,546 43,958 156,297 118,228 318,483 4,120 23,596 9,640 37,356 1,947 382,332 58,460 440,792 Total Fraser 73,940 177,984 506,473 359,673 1,044,130 16,539 133,480 47,838 197,857 39,045 1,354,972 342,648 1,697,620 Total United States 2,793 7,189 29,093 12,038 48,320 465 1,727 5,177 11,160³ 18,529 5,413 75,055 14,058 89,113 GRAND TOTAL 125,216 512,751 945,989 531,350 1,990,090 28,336 135,207 53,015 17,728 229,286 258,521 2,603,113 1,062,111 3,665,224 (129,852) (275,089) (2,624,317) (1,151,973) (3,776,290) Per Cent Removal 3.4 14.0 25.8 14.5 54,J o.6 3.7 1,4 0.5 6.2 7.1 71,0 29.0 100.0 (J.4) 13,6 25,0 14,l 52.7 o.6 3.6 1.4 0,5 6,1 (7,3) (69,5) (30,5) (100.0) ¹Comox. ²Cortes. ³South of Point Roberts. NORTHERN APPROACH SOUTHERN APPROACH STOCK.

KINGCOME INLET

UPPER VANCOUVER ISLAND

JOHNSTONE STRAIT

MID VANCOUVER ISLAND ESCAPEMENT KNIGHT INLET CATCH PHILLIPS ARM

TOBA INLET

JERVIS ARM

HOWE SOUND

BURRARD INLET CANADA NON-FRASER

EARLY FRASER

LATE FRASER FRASER

BELLINGHAM BAY

SKAGIT BAY- PORT SUSAN

LOWER PUGET SOUND

HOOD CANAL

OLYMPIC PENINSULA UNITED STATES

2 0 I 2 3 MILLIONS OF FISH

FIG. 6. Abundance (catch plus spawners) of pink salmon stocks in 1959, Northern and southern components are shown for each stock, TABLE J. Catches and spawning escapements by stock for the 1959 pink salmon run on the Southern Approach {sport and Indian catches included).

U.S. Non- u.s. U.S. Juan San Canadian Non- Canadian Canadian Convention Convention de Juan West Point Convention Convention Juan de Fraser Local Total Total Stock w.c. Troll W.C. Troll Fuca Islands Beach Roberts W.C. Troll W,C. Troll Fuca Gulf Catch Catch Spawners Run Canada Non-Fraser Mid Vancouver Is, 25 331 228 953 109 1,338 313 350 1,257 206 l,595 6,705 5,498 12,203 Phillips Arm 9 113 54 1,787 107 120 656 169 3,015 l,158 4,173 Toba Inlet 17 222 216 732 681 210 235 1,146 92 1,387 4,938 3,250 8,188 Jervis Inlet 500 6,549 4,871 32,362 84 10,404 6,191 6,936 29,646 4,084 43,437 145,064 96,487 241,551 How Sound 183 2,401 1,795 30,780 260 10,070 2,270 2,543 7,175 1,852 2,610 61,939 26,627 88,566 Burrard Inlet 392 5,130 4,131 20,507 171 20,879 4,848 5,432 18,845 7,259 5,181 92,775 96,413 189,188 Total Non-Fraser 1,126 14,746 11,295 87,121 624 43,372 13,939 15,616 58,725 13,493 54,379 314,436 229,433 543,869 Fraser River Early Fraser 7,612 99,740 35,895 914,014 8,436 603,245 94,269 105,621 918,694 226,016 76,163 3,089,705 588,812 3,678,517 Late Fraser 2,242 29,370 7,167 317,195 3,007 74,262 27,759 31,103 379,637 61,011 4,930 937,683 145,540 1,083,223

Total Fraser 9,854 129,110 43,062 1,231,209 11,443 677,507 122,028 136,724 1,298,331 287 ,027 81,093 4,027,388 734,352 4,761,740 United States Bellingham Bay 103 1,346 1,883 1,000 3,757 1,272 1,426 1,069 7,895 19,751 29,902 49,653 Skagit B,-P, Susan 2,049 26,846 24,148 18,827 61,084 25,373 28,430 216,185 187,851 590,793 399,340 990,133 L. Puget Sound 59 776 818 733 821 3,488 6,331 13,026 15,584 28,610 Hood Canal 99 l,298 1,387 1,226 1,374 9,642 690 15,716 32,142 47,858 Olympic Peninsula 137 1,799 2,913 1,700 1,905 8,219 16,673 49,674 66,347 Total U.s .A. 2,447 32,065 31,149 19,827 64,841 30,304 33,956 238,603 202,767 655,959 526,642 1,182,601 GRAND TOTAL 13,427 175,921 85,5061,338,157 76,908 720,879 166,271* 186,296 1,595,659 300,520 338,239 4,997,783 1,490,427 6,488,210

Per Cent Removal 0,2 2.7 1.3 20.6 l,2 11.1 2.5 2,9 24,7 4,6 5.2 77,0 23.0 100.0

*Includes 35,186 Southern Approach fish taken in Queen Charlotte strait troll fishery. - 20 -

In the combined run, Fraser fish made up 63 per cent of the total run (TABLE 4). Skagit Bay-Port Susan fish (1,063,000) and Jervis Inlet fish (749,000) accounted for a further 18 per cent. The Knight Inlet,

Burrard Inlet, Phillips Arm, Howe Sound, Toba Inlet and Johnstone Strait stocks each contributed between 100,000 and 430,000 fish and together accounted for 16 per cent of the run (FIGURE 6). The remaining 3 per cent consisted of fish from the Olympic Peninsula, Mid-Vancouver Island, Hood

Canal, Bellingham Bay, Upper Vancouver Island and Lower Puget Sound stocks, each of which contributed less than 75,000 fish.

Exploitation of Stocks by Fisheries

Fisheries operating on the Northern Approach run removed 80 per cent of the Fraser fish and 60 per cent of the Canada Non-Fraser fish from this run (TABLE 5). The difference is largely attributable to a two-week tie-up of the Canadian fleet early in the season, but was also because 6 per cent of the Canada Non-Fraser fish on this approach did not enter the

Johnstone Strait fishing area, and a further 20 per cent were taken at a rate of only 25 per cent because they did not pass through all of the fishing area. (The Johnstone Strait fisheries were by far the most intensive of those operating on the Northern run - TABLE 6,)

Fish bound for United States streams (less than 90,000) had the highest rate of removal (84 per cent).

Fisheries operating on the Southern Approach run removed 85 per cent of Fraser fish and 58 per cent of the Canada Non-Fraser fish from this run (TABLE 7). The difference was related to ( l) the tie-up of the Canadian fleet early in the season, (2) the tendency for rates of removal to be - 21 -

TABLE 4, Abundance (catches plus spawners) of pink salmon in the Study Area in 1959. ------Percentage Stock Catch Spawners Total Stock of Run

Kingcome Inlet 7,666 43,500 51,166 0.50 Upper Vancouver Island 4,460 34,600 39,060 0.38 Johnstone Strait 79,338 63,100 142,438 1.39 Mid Vancouver Island 45,687 23,200 68,887 o.67 Knight Inlet 234,100 196,000 430,100 4.19 Phillips Arm 183,297 7?,200 260,497 2.54 Toba Inlet 106,822 47,100 153,922 1.50 Jervis Inlet 491,473 257,300 748,773 7.29 Howe Sound 144,415 100,100 244,515 2.38 Burrard Inlet 211,468 182,600 394,068 3.84

TOTAL CANADA NON-FRASER 1, 508,726 1,024,700 2,533,426 24.68

Early Fraser 4, 062,345 873,000 4,935,345 48.08 Late Fraser 1, 320,015 204,000 1,524,015 14.85

TOT AL FRASER 5,382,360 1,077,000 6,459,360 62.93

Bellingham Bay 21,193 30,700 51,893 0.51 Skagit Bay-Port Susan 652,742 410,000 1,062,742 10.35 Lower Puget sound 15,366 16,000 31,366 0.30 Hood Canal 19,132 33,000 52,132 0.51 Olympic Peninsula 22,581 51,000 73,581 0.72

TOT AL UNITED ST ATES 731,014 540,700 1,271,714 12.39

GRAND TOTAL 7,622,100 2,642,400 10,264,500 100.00 TABLE 5. Rates of removal (percentage of the number entering the Study Area which were caught) by stock for the Northern Approach run in 1959.

FISHERIES SPAWNERS TOTAL STOCK Johnstone Strait Georgia Streit STOCK Queen Upper Lower Charlotte Malcolm Johnstone Johnstone Texada Fraser Point Other Local All Strait Island Strait Strait Total Island Gulf Roberts Areas Total Fisheries Fisheries Kingcome Inlet 4.7 10.3 15.0 85.0 100.0 Upper Vancouver Is. 4.2 3.5 3.7 7.2 11.4 88.6 100.0 Knight Inlet 2.9 19.0 4.7 23.7 27.9 54.4 45.6 100.0 Johnstone Strait 2.4 14.6 26.3 12.4 53.3 55.7 44.3 100.0 Mid Vancouver Ia. 2.9 9.2 32.7 14.5 56.4 9.5 9.5 68.8 31.2 100.0 Phillips Arm 2.9 20.4 29.5 13.7 63.6 3.8 70.3 29.7 100.0 Toba Inlet 2.2 19.9 23.4 11.4 54.7 0.8 0.8 12.2 69.9 30.1 100.0 Jervis Inlet 2.1 15.3 26.7 10.5 52.5 0.7 0.7 13.0 68.3 31.7 100.0 Howe Sound 3.3 12.7 23.2 8.2 44.1 0.9 0.9 4.6 52.9 47.1 100.0 Burrard Inlet 2.4 19.6 25.0 7.9 52.5 0.7 0.7 2.3 57.9 42.1 100.0 Total Canada Non-Fraser 2.7 16.5 20.6 8.0 45.1 0.3 0.3 o.6 11.6 60.0 40.0 100.0 Early Fraser 3.9 10.6 27.9 19.2 57.7 1.0 8.8 3.0 12.8 3.0 77.4 22.6 ioo.o Late Fraser 5.6 10.0 35.4 26.8 72.2 0.9 5.4 2.2 8.5 0.4 86.7 13.3 100.0 Total Fraser 4.3 10.5 29.8 21.2 61.5 1.0 7.9 2.8 11.7 2.3 79.8 20.2 100.0 Total United States 3.1 8.1 32.6 13.5 54.2 0.5 2.0 5.8 12.5 20.8 6.1 84.2 15.8 100.0

GRAND TOTAL 3.4 13.6 25.0 14.1 52.7 o.6 3.6 1.4 0.5 6.1 7.3 69.5 30.5 100.0 - 23, -

TABLE 6. Fishing intensity (percentage of the fish present that were caught ) for fisheries throughout the Study Area in 1959.

Number of Fish Per Cent Fishing Fishery Available Catch Intensity 2 Queen Charlotte Strait 3,776,290 129,856² 3.4 Johnstone Strait Malcolm Island 3,540,008 512,751 14.5 Upper Johnstone Strait 2,784,695 945,989 34.0 Lower Johnstone Strait 1,788,353 531,350 29.7 Total Johnstone Strait 3,540,008 1,990,090 56.2 Georgia Strait 1,261,014 35,450 2.8 Local fisheries (grouped) 1,186,264 285,101 24.0

TOTALCANADA NON CONVENTION¹ 4,060,102³ 2,460,230³ 60.6

Fraser Gulf and River 2,000,323 555,865 27.8 Juan de Fuca Strait 5,064,479 1,603,869 31.7

TOTAL CANADA CONVENTION1 4,117,913 4 2,159,7344 52.4

Point Roberts 2,254,230 773,894 34.3 San Juan Islands 3,504,885 1,340,279 38.2 West Beach 256,101 77,736 30.4 Juan de Fuca Strait 905,097 85,506 9.4

TOTAL UNITED STATES CONVENT ION ¹ 4,484,210 2,277,415 50.8

UNITED STATES NON CONVENTION1 697,880 343,652 49.2

2 WEST COAST TROLL 6,488,210 541,915 8.4

ALL AREAS 10,264,500 7,624,613 74.J

1Excluding West Coast Troll. ²Excluding Southern Approach fish, 35,186 of which were caught in Queen Charlotte Strait and assigned to West Coast Troll in the general analysis. 3rncluding Burrard Inlet sport catch (actually taken in Convention waters). ⁴ExcludingBurrard Inlet sport catch. TABLE 7. Rates of removal (percentage of the number entering the Study Area which were caught) by stock for the Southern Approach run in 1959.

FISHERIES SPAWNERS TOTAL West Juan de Fuca San West Point Fraser Local All STOCK STOCK Coast Strait Juan Beach Roberts Gulf Fisheries Fisheries Troll Canada U.S. Is. Mid Vancouver Is. 8.3 10.2 1.9 7.8 0.9 11.0 1.7 13.1 54.9 45.1 100.00 Phillips Arm 8.4 15.7 1.3 42.8 4.0 72.2 27.8 100.00 Toba Inlet 8.4 14.0 2.6 8.9 8.3 1.2 16.9 60.3 39.7 100.00 Jervis Inlet 8.4 12.3 2.0 13.5 4.3 1.8 18.0 60.3 39.7 100.00 Howe Sound 8.3 8.1 2.0 34.8 0.3 11.4 2.1 2.9 69.9 30.1 100.00 Bu.rrard Inlet 8.4 10.0 2.2 10.8 0.1 11.0 3.8 2.7 49.0 51.0 100.00 TOTAL CANADA NON-FRASER 8.4 10.8 2.1 15.9 0.1 8.0 2.5 10.0 57.8 42.2 100.00 Early Fraser 8.4 25.0 0.9 24.8 0.2 16.4 6.1 ·2.2 84.0 16.0 100.00 Late Fraser 8.4 35.0 0.7 29.3 0.3 6.9 5.6 0.4 86.6 13.4 100.00 TOTAL FRASER 8.4 27.3 0.9 25.9 0.2 14.2 6.o 1.7 84.6 15.4 100.00

Bellingham Bay 8.4 2.2 3.8 2.0 7.6 15.8 39.8 60.2 100.00 Skagit Bay-Pt.Susan 8.4 21.8 2.4 1.9 6.2 19.0 59.7 40.3 100.00 L. Puget Sound 8.4 12.1 2.9 22.l 45.5 54.5 100.00 Hood Canal 8.4 20.1 2.9 1.4 32.8 67.2 100.00 Olympic Peninsula 8.4 12.4 4.3 25.1 74.9 100.00

TOTAL UNITED STATES 8.4 20.2 2.6 1.7 5.5 17.1 55.5 44.5 100.00 GR A N .D TOTA L 8.4 24.6 1.3 20.6 1.2 11.1 4.6 5.2 77.0 23.0 100.00 - 25 - higher in the later season at the height of the Fraser run, (3) the persist ence of Fraser fish in the Point Roberts and Fraser Gulf areas for longer periods than fish destined for elsewhere.

Almost all United States pink salmon migrated via the Southern

Approach, and most passed through only one intensive fishery (Canadian,

Juan de Fuca Strait), although a portion was also fished intensively in the

West Beach area (FIGURE 5, TABLE 6). In consequence the rate of removal on these stocks was only 56 per cent.

Seventy-four per cent of the total run entering the Study Area in

1959 was caught (TABLE 8). Canadian stocks which did not go through all of the Johnstone Strait fishing area showed relatively low removal rates (11 to

56 per cent depending on the intensity of the local fisheries). Canadian stocks passing through Johnstone Strait suffered 54 to 70 per cent removal, according to the effect of the two-week tie-up early in the season and the intensity of local fisheries. The slight difference in rate of removal between Early and Late Fraser fish (82 and 87 per cent respectively) reflects approximations in the assignment of catch and the joint rate of removal (83 per cent) is probably the best estimate. Rates of removal for United States stocks varied between 31 (Olympic Peninsula) and 61 (Skagit Bay-Port Susan) per cent according to the number and intensity of the fisheries on them.

Times of Passage of Stocks through the Major Fishing Areas

The first pinks to appear in the Johnstone Strait fishing area were bound for streams tributary to J ohnstone Strait, Howe Sound and Upper

Vancouver Island (FIGURE 7). These stocks had all reached their peak abund ance by August 8, by which time pinks from all other stocks except Knight TABLE 8. Rates of removal (percentage of numbers entering the Study Area which were caught) by stock for the total run in 1959. FISHERIES SPAWNERS TOTAL STOCK Queen San STCCK Charlotte Johnstone Georgia local Fraser Point West Juan Juan de Fuca West Coast Troll All Strait Strait Strait Fish, Gulf Roberts Beach Islands Fisheries Canada u s C ada us Kingcome Inlet 4,70 10.28 14.98 85.02 100.00 Upper Vancouver Is, 4.23 7,19 11.42 88,58 100,00 Knight Inlet 2,88 23.65 27,90 54,4.3 45,57 100.00 Johnstone Strait 2,44 5.3,26 55,70 44,.30 100,00 Mid Vancouver Is. 2.41 46.39 7,79 2,.32 0,.30 1.94 0,16 1..38 1.82 0.33 0,96 0,52 66,.32 33.68 100,00 Phillips Arm 2,89 62,54 3,84 o.68 0,25 0.02 0,09 0,05 70,36 29,64 100.00 Toba Inlet 2,05 51.82 0,78 12.44 0.06 0.44 0,48 0,74 0,14 0,30 0.15 69.40 30.60 100.00 Jervis Inlet 1.4.3 35.56 0.46 14,61 0,55 1,.39 0.01 4.32 3,96 o.65 1,76 0,94 65.64 34.36 100.00 Howe Sound 2.07 28.11 o.6o 4,01 0,76 4,12 0.11 12,59 2.93 0,7.3 1,97 1.06 59,06 40,94 100,00 Burrard Inlet 1,28 27,31 0,36 2,49 1.84 5,30 0,04 5,20 4,78 1,05 2.61 1,40 53.66 46.34 100.00 TOTAL NON-FRASER 2.10 35.43 0.51 11,25 0.53 1.71 0.02 .3,44 2.32 0,46 1.17 o.6.3 59.55 40.45 100.00 Early Fraser 1.00 14,70 0,25 2,29 6,81 13,00 0,17 18,52 18.61 0.73 4,05 2,18 82 •31 17,69 100.00 Late Fraser 1.61 20.90 0.27 0,45 5,55 5.51 0,20 20,81 24,91 0,47 .3,86 2.07 86,61 13 •.39 100,00 TOTAL FRASER 1,14 16.16 0.26 1.86 6,51 11,2.3 0.18 19.06 20.10 0,67 4,01 2.15 83 •33 16,67 100.00 Bellingham Bay 0,10 1.79 0.02 15,62 0.06 0,40 7,24 1.9.3 2.06 3.63 5,20 2,79 40.84 59.16 100.00 Skagit Bay-Ft.Susan 0,22 3.75 0,04 18.15 0,14 0,47 5.83 1.81 20,97 2,27 5,06 2.72 61.42 38.58 100.00 Lower Puget Sound 0,28 4,80 0,04 20.72 0,17 0.61 12.14 2.61 4,96 2,66 48.99 51.01 100.00 Hood Canal 0.24 4.22 0,04 1.36 0,15 0,95 19,41 2.66 4,99 2.68 36.70 63.30 100,00 Olympic Peninsula 0.30 5,17 0.05 0.18 1,.35 12,15 3,96 4,90 2.63 .30.69 63.31 100.00 TOTAL UNITED STATES 0,22 3.80 0.04 16,37 0,14 0,41 5,16 1,72 19.41 2,45 5,05 2,71 57.48 42.52 100,00 GRAND TOTAL 1.27 19,.39 0,29 5,98 4,24 7,54 0,76 1.3,06 15,63 0.83 3.43 1,84 74,26 25,74 100.00 27 -

JUL. AUG. SEP. BEFORE 25 8 15 22 29 I

HOWE SOUND 60

JERVIS INL ET MALCOLM I. I UPPER JOHNSTONE LOWER JOHNSTONE 200 ESCAPEMENT

100

UNITED STATES

MID VANCOU VER !SLAN D

200

0 100

a z 60

0 20

I-

200

100

LATE FRASER

100

BEFORE 25 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 JUL. AUG. SEP.

FIG. 7, Times of passage of stocks of Northern Approach pink salmon through the Johnstone Strait fishing areas in 1959 as shown by their weekly abundance in the fishing area. Catches by the Malcolm Island, Upper Johnstone Strait and Lower Johnstone Strait fisheries (shaded differently) and escapements from the combined fisheries (unshaded) are shown separately for ea ch week. - 28 -

Inlet and Late Fraser had begun to enter the area. The Jervis and Toba Inlets stocks peaked in the week ending August 15, followed by Burrard Inlet, Mid

Vancouver Island, United States, Knight Inlet and Phillips Arm stocks in the following week. Early Fraser fish entered Johnstone Strait at the beginning of August but were not present in numbers until mid-August, when the Late Fraser fish began to enter. By the last week in August, Early Fraser dominated the run, reaching peak abundance in the week ending September 12.

The following week, Late Fraser stock peaked, dominating the run thereafter.

The two-week tie-up of the Canadian net fishery during the period ending

August 8 allowed substantial escapement of earlier fish of all stocks except

Early and Late Fraser.

Most of the run passed through the Juan de Fuca Strait fishing areas during the three-week period August 15 to September 5 (FIGURE 8). The earliest fish were destined for Be llingham Bay and Howe Sound, and peaked in the week ending August 1. By August 15, Jervis Inlet and Burrard Inlet s tocks reached peak abundance. These four stocks and other small Canada Non

Fraser and United States stocks dominated the run to August 8. After

August 8, Skagit Bay-Port Susan and Early Fraser stocks increased sharply in abundance, peaking during the weeks ending August 22 and August 29,

After August 29, the abundance of the Skagit Bay-Port Susan fish declined rapidly but Early Fraser fish continued to dominate the run until September

5. The Late Fraser stock peaked in the week ending September 5 and dominated the run thereafter. As noted in the previous section, the proportion caught was low early in the season (before August 22) and high thereafter

(especially during the week ending August 29). - 29 -

JUL. AUG. SEP. BEFORE 8 22 29 12 19 26 BELLING HAM BAY.

HOWE SOUND

20 NORTH JERVIS

OLYMPIC PENINSULA

LOWER PUGET SOUND

HOOD CANAL

SKAGIT PORT SUSAN

200

100

1000

900

800

700

0 600

0 500

400

200

100

300

200

100

BEFORE25 I JUL. FIG. 8. Times of passage of stocks of Southern Approach pink salmon through the Juan de Fuca Strait fishing areas in 1959 as shown by their weekly abundance in the fishing ar ea. Catches (shaded) and escapements from the fishing (unshaded) are shown separately for each week. - 30 -

At San Juan Islands (FIGURE 9) the relative timing of the stocks was similar to that in Juan de Fuca Strait but one week later for most stocks. Canada Non -Fraser stocks dominated the run before August 15. Early

Fraser fish overshadowed all others during the three-week period August 15 to September 5, peaking in the week ending September 5 (the same week as in

Juan de Fuca Strait). This apparent shift in timing may be attributed to the effects of the Juan de Fuca Strait fisheries. Late Fraser fish domina ted the run after September 5 and peaked in the week ending September 12. As in Juan de Fuca Strait, the proportion caught was much higher later in the season.

In the Point Roberts fishing area, weekly catches indicate that most of the run passed between August 22 and September 12 - one week later than at San Juan Islands. The Southern Approach run to this area was dominated by Canada Non-Fraser stocks prior to August 15, by Early Fraser from August 15 to September 12, and by Late Fraser thereafter.

In the Fraser Gulf fishing area, weekly catches indicate that most of the run passed between September 5 and 26 (three weeks later than at

San Juan Islands). The Southern Approach run in this area consisted mainly of Canada Non -Fraser stocks prior to August 22, Early Fraser fish between

August 22 and September 19 and Late Fraser fish thereafter.

At West Beach, the run before August 8 was dominated by Be lli ngham

Bay stock (FIGURE 10), and for the remainde r of the season by the Skagit

Bay-Port Susan stock.

In Admiralty Inlet all three Puget Sound stocks peaked in or nea r the week ending August 29 (FIGURE 11) with Skagit Bay-Port Susan stocks predominant. - 31 -

BEFORE AUG . SEP. AFTER I 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 BELLINGHAM BAY

HOWE SOUN D

BURRARD INLET

SKAGIT BAY · PORT SUSAN

EARLY FRASER

700

600

500

400

300 z <(

200 I-

100

LATE FRASER

200

100

BEFORE I 8 15 22 29 5 AUG . FIG. 9. Times of passage of stocks of Southern Approach pink salmon through the San Juan Islands fishing area in 1959 as shown by their weekly abundance in the fishing area. Catches (shaded) and escapements (unshaded) are shown separately for each week, - 32 -

BEFORE AUG. SEP. I 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26

BELLINGHAM BAY

CANADA NON- FRASER

EARLY FRASER 10

SKAGIT BAY PORT SUSAN

Cl) 50

Cl) z 40

Cl)

0 30

LATE FRASER

BEFORE

FIG. 10. Times of passage of stocks of Southern Approach pink salmon through the West Beach fishing area in 1959 as shown by their weekly abundance in the fishing area. Catches (shaded) and escapements (unshaded) are shown separately for each week. (Scale for numbers of fish is one-tenth that for Figures 22-24). - 33 -

BEFORE AU G. SEP. AFT. I 8 15 2 2 .2 9 5 12 19

HOOD CANAL

LOWER PUGET SOUND

SKAGIT BAY- PORT SUSAN

236, 217 230

100

80 i;:

0 60

BEFORE I 8 15 22 2 9 5 12 19 AUG . SEP.

FIG . 11. Times of passage of stocks of Southern Approach pink salmon through Admiralty Inlet in 1959 as shown by their weekly abundance. (Scale for numbers of fish is one - tenth that for Figures 22-24). - 34 -

Times of passage of the stocks through other fishing areas along the migration route (FIGURE 4) may be approximated by adjusting the weekly abundance in one of the major fishing areas described above for the trawl time between the two areas (TABLES 9 and 10) and for any groups of fish which left the main run between the two areas.

Times of passage of Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and United

States fish were essentially the same in the first major net fishing area encountered on the Northern (FIGURE 12) and Southern (FIGURE 13) Approaches.

Fraser fish took approximately three weeks (18-20 days from the middle of the fishing area - TABLES 9 and 10) to reach the river fishery from both of their areas and pinks bound for streams in the southern part of the Strait of Georgia took about 10 days from each approach (Northern and Southern

Approach fish took 8 and 12 days respectively to reach Texada Island which is essentially the northern limit of migration of Southern Approach fish).

Comparison of the 1961 Run with that in 1959

The 1961 field program was restricted to quantitative assessments of catches by fishery (TABLE 11, FIGURE 14)and of spawning escapements

(TABLE 12). Procedures employed in gathering these data were similar to those used in 1959 and the data were considered of comparable accuracy. Infor mation on migration routes, composition of the run and timing was derived by comparing detailed catch data with that for 1959. Catches by fishery and spawning escapements for five major stock groups are summarized in TABLE 13 and a description of the abundance and migration of the 1961 run is provided in FIGURE 15. - 35 -

TABLE 9. Travel times between fishing areas on the Northern Approach in 1959 as indipated by the number of days by which 50 per cent of the tags in each fishing area had been recovered .

MEDIAN DAYS OUT FROM TAGGING AT Que en Upper Lower Char lotte Malcolm Johnstone Johnstone BEST FROM TO Strait Island Strait Strait ESTIMATE

Queen Malcolm Is. 6 6 Charlotte U.Johnstone Str. 8 8 Strait L.Johnstone Str. 12 11 Texada Island 16 Fraser River 29 28 United States 27

Malcolm. U.Johnstone Str. 2 3 2 Island L.Johnstone Str. 6 4 5 Texada Island 9 10 Fraser River 23 21 22 United States 21

Upper L.Johnstone Str. 4 1 3 3 Johnstone Texada Island 6 9 8 Strait Fraser River 21 18 20 20 United States 19 19

Lower Texada Island 5 6 4 5 Johnstone Fraser River 17 17 17 16 17 Strait United States 16 16

Texada Fraser River 12 11 12 12 Island United States 10 11 TABLE 10. Travel ti.mes between fishing areas on the Southern Approach as indicated by the number of days by which 50 per cent OFthe tags in each fishing area had been recovered.

MEDIAN DAYS OUT FROM TAGGING AT BEST Cdn. San Juan Sooke San Juan Is. West Beach Admiralty In. Point Roberts ESTIMATE FROM TO (195?) (1945) (1959) (1959) (1959) (1959) (1959) Cdn. San Juan Sooke 3 2 (Juan de Fuca) San Juan Islands 5 4* Pt. Roberts 6 6 Fraser Gulf 15.5 16 West Beach 4 Admiralty In. 4 Skagit Bay 12 12(9)** Sooke San Juan Is. 2 1.5 2 West Beach 2 2 Pt. Roberts 6.5 4 Fraser Gulf 9.5 21 14 Skagit Bay 10.5 7

San Juan Is. Pt. Roberts 1 5 3 2 Fraser Gulf 10.5 19.5 12.5 12 Fraser River 15 14 Texada Is. 9 9

West Beach Pt. Roberts 3 3 Fraser Gulf 13 13 Skagit Bay 8.5 4.5 5 Skagit River 12.5 13

Admiralty In. Skagit Bay 8 8 P.Susan-P.Gardner 10.5 10

Pt. Roberts Fraser Gulf 9.5 14.5 9.5 10 9.5 10 Fraser River 12 11.5 12 Texada Is. 6 6

*In 1959, peak catches in the two fisheries indicated a maximum travel time of 4 days (Appendix R). **Twelve days via Admiralty Inlet, 9 days via West Beach. - 37 -

JULY AUG . SEPT. OCT. 18 25 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3

TOTAL RUN I \ 600 I \ DA NON FRASER I \ I I 'I 500 I \ t8' I I \ I I ; 400 I \ (/) I \ I LL I \ . LL I \ ! 0 (/) 300 : z I (/) I . \ 0 I ! 200 I I \ .I \ I \ I 100 UNITED 0 ... 18 25 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 JULY AU G. SE PT. OCT.

FIG. 12. Times of passage of Northern Approach pink salmon runs to Canada Non Fraser, Fraser and United States streams in 1959 as shown by their week l y abundance i n the Johnstone Strait fishing areas . - 38 -

JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. 25 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3

1500 RUN

. FRASER \ I I \ 1000 \ I \ I \ I \ 0 I \ I 0 \ I \ I \ 0 I

500 I

I UNITED STATES

I •

25 8 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT .

FIG. 13. Times of passage of S outhern Approach pink salmon runs to Canada Non- Fraser, Fraser and United States streams in 1959 as shown by their weekly abundance in the Juan de Fuca Strait fishing areas. - 39 -

TABLE 11. Fink salmon catches i n the Study Area in 1961.

FISHING AREA COMMERCIAL SPORT TOTAL CANADIAN STUDY AREA West Coast Troll 85,875 - 85,875 Queen Charlotte Strait 91.902 900 92,802 Malcolm Island 493,001 - 493,001 Upper Johnstone Strait 456,818 - 456,818 Lower Johnstone Strait 252,310 995 253,305 Cortes Island 322 11 333 Texada Island 9,253 64 9,317 Comox 1,021 425 1,446 Kingcome Inlet 18,693 - 18,693 Knight Inlet 306,273 - 306,273 Phillips Arm 12,851 - 12,851 Toba I nlet 1,524 - 1,524 Jervis Inlet 95,861 185 96,046 Howe Sound 246 13 150 13 396 TOTAL CANADIAN STUDY AREA 1,825,950 15,730 1,841,680

CONVENTION AREA CANADA West Coast Troll 54,161 - 54,161 Juan de Fuca Strait 355,593 3,750 359,343 Fraser Gulf 43,560 72 43,632 Fraser River 91,814 - 91,814 Fraser River, Indian - 29,000ᵃ 29,000 Burrard Inlet - 6.825 6 825 TOTAL CANADIAN CONVENTION AREA 545,128 39,647 584,775

UNITED STATES West Coast Troll 63,893 - 63,893 Juan de Fuca Strait 12,264 12,261 24,525 San Juan Islands 227,779 5,940 233,719 West Beach 87,294 - 87,294 Point Roberts 11 7 314 - 117 .314 TOTAL UNITED STATES CONVENTION AREA 508 544 18,201 526.745 TOTAL CONVENTION AREA 1,053,672 57,848 1,111,520 UNITED STATES STUDY AREA West Coast Troll 10,137 700 10,837 Nooksack River 52,574 - 52,574 Skagit Bay and River 104,047 41,500 145,547 Port Susan-Port Gardner 61,118 2,668 63,786 Admira lty-Puget Sound 17,427 9,383 26,810 Puyallup River 21 228ᵇ - 21,228 TOTAL UNITED STATES STUDY AREA 266,531 54,251 320,782

GRAND TOTAL 3,146,153 127,829 3,273,982

ᵃIndian subsistence fishery.

ᵇlncludes 2,131 pinks taken in Nisqually River. CATCHES

Q UNDER SD,000 FISHERIES ON MIXED STOCKS 0 50,000 100,000 A OUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT 1oopoo 2oopoo B MALCOLM ISLAND C UPPER JOHNSTONE STRAIT D LOWER JOHNSTONE STRAIT FISHERIES ON SIN GLE STOCKS E CORTES ISLAND 0 F TEXADA ISLAND G COMOX I KINGCOME INLET H FRASER GULF 2 KNIGHT INLET ® I POINT ROBERTS 3 PHILLIPS ARM 0 J SAN JUAN ISLANDS 4 TOBA INLET K WEST BEACH 5 JERVIS INLET L ADMIRALTY INLET a LOWER PUGET 6 HOWE SOUND M CANADIAN JUAN DE FUCA SOUND 7 FRASER RIVER N U.S.A. JUAN DE FUCA 8 NOOKSACK RIVER 0 CONVENTION TROLL, CANADA 9 SKAGIT BAY AND RIVER P CONVENTION TROLL, U.S.A. 10 PORT SUSAN - PORT GARDNER 0 0 CANADIAN WEST COAST TROLL 11 PUYALLUP RIVER R U.S.A. WEST COAST TROLL

FIG. 14. Location and general magnitude of catches for pink salmon fisheries throughout the Study Area in 1961. - 41 -

TABLE 12. Pink salmon stocks spawning in the Study Area in 1959 and 1961.

NUMBER OF SPAWNERS STOCK 1959 1961

CANADIAN STUDY AREA

1. Upper Vancouver Island 34,600 24,300 2. Johnstone Strait 63,100 67,500 3. Mid Vancouver Island 23,200 21,900 4. Kingcome Inlet 43,500 41,800 5. Knight Inlet 196,000 247,900 6. Phillips Arm 77,200 61,700 7. Toba Inlet 47,100 47,100 8. J erviss Inlet 257,300 259,100 9. Howe Sound 100,100 396,100 10. Burrard Inlet 182,600 76,600 1,024,700 1,244,000

CONVENTION ' STUDY AREA

11. Early Fraser 873,000 699 ,000 12. Late Fraser 204,000 389,000 1,077,000 1,088.,000

UNITED -STATES STUDY AREA

13. Bellingham Bay. 30,700 100,900 14. Skagit Bay-Port Susan 410,000 575.,000 15. Lower Puget Sound 16,000 13,100 16. Hood Canal 33,000 40,500 17. Olympic Peninsula 51,000 78,500

540,700 808,000

GRAND TOTAL 2,642,400 3.,140,000 TABLE 13.• Catchea and escapements by stock group, fishery and approach in the Study Area in 1961.

STOCK GROUP CATCH SPAWNERS TOTAL PER CENT REMOVAL

(l) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) I (9) (10) (ll) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) Queen Johnstone Local Fraser Point West San Juan Juan de Fuca St West Coast Troll All Charlotte Strait Fisheries Gulf Roberts Beach Islands U.S.A. Canada Convention Non Convention Fisheries Strait u.s,A, Canada u.s.A, Canada

NORTHERN APPROACH

Canada Non-Fraser Kingccme Inlet 2,038 - 18,693 ------20,731 41,800 62,531 33.15 Queen Charlotte Strait 24,217 140,437 306,273 ------470,927 272,200 743,127 63.37 Strait of Georgia 43,644 673,585 81,735 ------798,964 540,330 1,339,294 59,66 Total 69,899 814,022 406,701 ------1,290,622 854,330 2,144,952 60,17 Fraser 20,342 352,612 25 ,342ᵃ 5,002 2,243 ------405,541 218,688 624,229 64.97 United States 2,561 36,490 8,169 190 983 1,101 2,114 - 5,966 - - - - 57,574 21,008 78,582 73.27 TOT AL NORTHERN APPROACH 92,802 1,203,124 440,212ᵃ 5,192 3,226 1,101 2,114 - 5,966 -- - - 1,753,737 1,094,026 2,847,763 61.58 Per Cent Removal 3.26 42.25 15.46 0.18 0.11 0.04 0.07 - 0,21 - - -- 61.58 38.42 100.00 -

SOUTHERN APPROACH Strait of Georgia - - 58,945 18,555 82,857 - 177,388 6,379 125,684 16,385 13,890 2,779 22,023 524,885 389,670 914,555 57,39 Fraser - - 96,530 19,885 31,231 - 54,217 4,121 110,968 22,615 19,171 3,836 30,396 392,970 869,312 1,262,282 31.13 United States - - 301,776 - - 86,193 - 14,025 116,725 24,893 21,100 4,222 33,456 602,390 786,992 1,389,382 43.36 TOTAL SOUTHERN APPROACH - - 457,251 38,440 114,088 86,193 231 ,605 24,525 353,377 63,893 54,161 10,837 85,875 1,520,245 2,045,974 3,566,219 42.63 Per Cent Removal - - 12.82 1.08 3.20 2.42 6.49 o.69 9.91 1.79 1.52 0.30 2.41 42.63 57.37 100.00 -

BOTH APPROACHES

Canada Non-Fraser Kingcome Inlet 2,038 - 18,693 ------20,731 41,800 62,531 33.15 Queen Charlotte Strait 24,217 140,437 306,273 ------470,927 272,200 743,127 63.37 Strait of Georgie 43,644 673,585 140,680 18,555 82,857 - 177,388 6,379 125,684 16,385 13,890 2,779 22,023 1,323,849 930,000 2,253,849 58.74 Total 69,899 814,022 465,646 18,555 82,857 - 177,388 6,379 125,684 16,385 13,890 2,779 22,023 1,815,507 1,244,000 3,059,507 59.34 Fraser 20,342 352,612 121,872ᵃ 24,887 33,474 - 54,217 4,121 110,968 22,615 19,171 3,836 30,396 798,511 1,088,000 1,886,511 42.33 United States 2,561 36,490 309,945 190 983 87,294 2,114 14,025 122,691 24,893 21,100 4,222 33,456 659,964 808,000 1,467,964 44.96 TOTAL BOTH APPROACHES 92,802 1,203,124 897,463ᵃ 43,632 117,314 87,294 233,719 24,525 359,343 63,893 54,161 10,837 85,875 3,273,982 3,140,000 6,413,982 51.04 Per Cent Removal 1.45 18,76 13.99 o.68 1.83 l,J6 3,64 0.38 5.60 1.00 0.84 0,17 1,34 51.04 48.96 100,00 -

8 Includes 1 .058 Northern Approach Fraser fish estimated to have been taken at Texada Island, FIGURE 15. Migration routes through Northern and Southern Approach runs in the

Study Area in 1961, showing for t he major stock groups (United States brown,

Fraser red, Canada Non-Fraser blue) the catches in the various fishing ar eas

(rectangles), the spawning escapements (circles) and the total numbers of fish entering and leaving fishing areas along the migration routes (drafted from data summarized in Figure 11 of Bulletin XVII, I.P.S.F.C.). • I

NORTHERN APPROACH 44¾ 1961

PINK SALMON RUN QUEEN CHAR LOTTE TO FRASER RIVER STRAIT TROLL 93 &ADJACENT AREAS

QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT

289 SOUTHERN STRAIT OF GEORGIA APPROACH 56%

NON CONVENTION 18 20 _s_ WEST COAST TROLL 96 TOTAL 30 CANADA33 2l., II U•S· FRASER RIVER

TOTAL 37 3 4 2 5 96 POINT ROBERTS 117

CONVENTION AREA WEST COAST TROLL _1_ 2 Ill TOTAL 19 NORTH RN RUN CANADA 14 54 VIA SAN JUAN IS· (21 U·S· 25 23 16 64 SAN CAN ·JUAN DE FUCA (6) TOTAL 46 42 30 ' 118 JUAN ISLANDS 234 8 WEST BEACH (I)

CANADIAN JUAN DE FUCA (2) 359

12 5 ill 117 (6)

WEST BEACH U.S.JUAN DEFUCA 87 25 - UNITED 86 (I) STATES 7 14 - - 44 -

Migration Routes and Times of Passage

The migration routes (FIGURE 15) and times of passage of various stock groups through major fishing areas in 1961 appear similar to those for 1959.

Abundance of the Run and its Various Components

The abundance of the 1961 run and its various components is given in TABLE 14. Comparable information on the 1959 run is summarized in the same format in TABLE 15. The 1961 run totalled 6,414,000 pinks, the Northern

Approach was 2,847,000 and the Southern Approach 3,567,000. Thus a smaller proportion migrated via the Southern Approach (56 per cent) than in 1959

(63 per cent).

Fraser fish, which comprised 63 per cent of the 1959 run, made up only 24 per cent of the 1961 run, whereas Canada Non-Fraser fish, which made up 25 per cent of the 1959 run, were the largest stock group (48 per cent) in 1961. (Compare FIGURE 16 and FIGURE 6).

On the Northern Approach, the abundance of Canada Non-Fraser and the few United States fish was similar to that in 1959 (8 per cent higher and 11 per cent lower respectively). The big difference between the two years was the much smaller run of Fraser fish in 1961, raising the proportion of Canada Non-Fraser fish from a bare majority in 1959 to three-quarters in

1961.

On the Southern Approach, Fraser fish were much less abundant than in 1959, and accounted for only 35 per cent of the run (vs. 74 per cent in 1959). The abundance of United States fish was only 15 per cent greater - 45 -

TABLE 14. Numbers and percentages of pink salmon migrating by the Northern and Southern Approaches which were destined .for Canada Non-Fraser, the Fraser River and United States areas in 1961 and the percentages of the total runs to these areas which migrated by each. approach.

AREA OF DESTINATION ALL

Canada Fraser United Non-Fraser States

NUMBERS DESTINED FOREACH AREA Northern Approach 2,147,888 620,114 78,527 2,846,529 Southern Approach 914,555 1,263,516 1,389,382 3,567,453

Both 3,062,443 1,883,630 1,467,909 6,413,982

PERCENTAGE DESTINED FOR EACH AREA Northern Approach 75.46 21.78 2.76 100.00 Southern Approach 25.63 35.42 38.95 100.00

Both 47.75 29.37 22.88 100.00

PERCENTAGE MIGRATING BY EACH APPROACH I Northern Approach 70.14 32.92 5.35 44.38 Southern Approach 29.86 67 . 08 94.65 55 .62

Both 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 - 46 -

TABLE 15. Numbers and percentages of pink salmon migrating by the Northern and Southern Approaches which were destined for Canada Non Fraser, the Fraser River and United States areas in 1959 and the percentages of the total runs to these areas which migrated by each approach.

AREA OF DESTINATION Canada United Non-Fraser Fraser States All

NUMBERS DESTINED FOR EACH AREA Northern Approach 1,989,557 1,697,620 89,113 3,776,290 Southern Approach 543,869 4,761,740 1,182,601 6,488,210

Both 2,533,426 6,459,360 1,271,714 10,264,500

PERCENTAGE DESTINED FOR EACH AREA

Northern Approach 52.7 44.9 2.4 100.0 Southern Approach 8.4 73.4 18.2 100.0

Both 24.7 62.9 12.4 100.0

PERCENTAGE MIGRATING BY EACH APPROACH Northern Approach 78.5 26.3 7.0 36.8 Southern Approach 21.5 73.7 93.0 63 .2

Both 100.0 100.0 100.D 100.0 NORTHERN APPROACH SOUTHERN APPROACH STOCKS ESCAPEMENT

KINGCOME INLET D CATCH

QUEEN CHARLOTTE STRAIT

STRAIT OF GEORGIA ____

FRASER RIVER

UN ITED STATES

2 0 MILLIONS OF FISH FIG . 16. Abundance (catch plus spawners) of pink salmon stocks in 1961. Northern and Southern components are shown for each stock. (The Kingcome Inlet, Queen Charlotte Strait and Strait of Georgia components of the Canada Non-Fraser stocks are shown separately.) - 48 - than in 1959, but their relative abundance (39 per cent) was over twice that in 1959. The abundance of Canada Non-Fraser fish was nearly twice that in

1959 and their relative abundance (26 per cent) was three times that in

1959.

The majority (67 per cent) of the Fraser fish approached from the south in 1961 but the proportion was less than in 1959 (74 per cent). In contrast, the proportion of Canada Non-Fraser fish approaching from the south was higher in 1961 (30 per cent) than in 1959 ( 21 per cent). The proportion of United States fish approaching from the south was about 95 per cent in both years.

Spawners

The number of spawners in 1961 (3,140,000 - TABLE 16) was 19 per cent greater than in 1959 (TABLE 17). The abundance of Fraser spawners

(1,088,000) was virtually identical to that in 1959 while the abundance of spawners in Canada Non-Fraser (1,244,000) and United States streams (808,000) was up one-fifth and one-half respectively from the 1959 level. Consequently the proportion of Canada Non-Fraser fish in the total spawning escapement

(39 per cent) was identical to that in 1959, that of the Fraser fish (35 per cent) _ somewhat lower, and of the United States fish (26 per cent) some what higher.

Catches

Catches from the three major stock groups by Canadian and United

States fishermen inside and outside the Convention area are given in

TABLE 16. Comparable information on the 1959 run is summarized in the same - 49 -

TABLE 16. Numbers and percentages of pink salmon destined for Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and United States areas which were caught by Canadian and United States fishermen inside and outside the Convention Area, and the percentage of the total fish destined for these areas which were caught (rates of removal) in 1961.

AREA OF DESTINATION ALL

Canada Fraser United Non-Fraser States

NUMBERS OF FISH

Catch Canada - Non-Convention 1,374,526 401,527 72,452 1,848,505 a - Convention 158,129 275,840 143,981 577,950 a United States - Convention 283,009 114,427 129,309 526,745 - Non-Convention 2,779 3,836 314,167 320,782 Total Catch 1,818,443 795,630 659,909 3,273,982 Spawners 1,244,000 1,088,000 808,000 3,140,000 Total Abundance 3,062,443 1,883,630 1,467,909 6,413,982

PERCENTAGE DESTINED FOR EACH AREA

Catch Canada - Non-Convention 74,4 21.7 3.9 100.0 - Convention 27.4 47,7 24.9 100.0 United States - Convention 53. 7 21.7 24.6 100.0 - Non-Convention 0.9 1.2 97,9 100.0 Total Catch 55,5 24,3 20.2 100.0 Spawners 39.6 34,7 25,7 100.0 Total Abundance 47,7 29,4 22,9 100.0 PERCENTAGE IN CATCHES AND SPAWNING ESCAPEMENTS Catch Canada - Non-convention 44,9 21.3 5.0 28.8 - Convention 5.2 14.6 9.8 9,0 United States - Convention 9.2 6.1 8.8 8.2 - Non Convention 0.1 0.2 21.4 5,0 Total Catch 59.4 42,2 45,0 51.0 Spawners 40.6 57.8 55,0 49,0 Total Abundance 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

ᵃThe 6,825 pinks caught in Burrard Inlet are included in the Canada Non-Convention catch in this analysis although Burrard Inlet is located in Convention waters (see TABLE 2), - 50 -

TABLE 17. Numbers and percentages of pink salmon destined for Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and United States areas which were caught by Canadian and United States fishermen inside and outside the Convention area, and the percentage of the total fish destined for these areas which were caught (rates of removal) in 1959.

AREA OF DESTINATION Canada United Non-Fraser Fraser States All

NUMBERS OF FISH Catch Canada-Non-Convention 1,252,796 1,256,637 81,882 2,591,315 -Convention 97,646 1,975,700 282,496 2,355,842 United States-Convention 157,158 2,140,169 156,009 2,453,336 -Non-Convention 1,126 9,854 210,627 221,607

Total Catch 1,508,726 5,382,360 731,014 7,622,100

Spawners 1,024,700 1,077,000 540,700 2,642,400

Total Abundance 2,533,426 6,459,360 1,271,714 10,264,500

PERCENTAGE DESTINED FOR EACH AREA

Catch Canada-Non-Convention 48.3 48. 5 3.2 100.0 -Convention 4 .1 83.9 12.0 100.0 United States-Convention 6 .4 87.2 6. 4 100.0 -Non-Convention 0,5 4.5 95.0 100.0 Total Catch 19.8 70.6 9.6 100.0

Spawners 38.8 40.7 20.5 100.0

Total Abundance 24.7 62.9 12.4 100.0

PERCENTAGE IN CATCHES AND SPAWNING ESCAPEMENTS Catch Canada-Non-Convention 49.5 19.5 6.4 25.2 -Convention 3.8 30.6 22.2 23,0 United States-Convention 6.2 33.l 12.3 23.9 -Non-Convention 0.1 0.1 16.6 2.2

Total Catch 59.6 83.3 57.5 74.3

Spawners 40.4 16.7 42.5 25.7

Total Abundance 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 - 51 -

format in TABLE 17. The total catch in 1961 (3,274,000) was 57 per cent

lower than in 1959. Catches in t he Canada Non-Convention and the Convention

areas were down 29 and 77 per cent respectively from those in 1959. Only

the United States catch outside t he Convention area was greater (by 45 per

cent) in 1961 than in 1959, because a larger proportion of fish destined for

United States streams reached the terminal fishing areas. In 1961, Canadian

fisheries outside the Convention area took 29 per cent of the total run

(vs. 25 per cent in 1959), fisher ies in the Convention area took 17 per cent

of the total run (vs. 47 per cent in 1959) and United States fisheries

outside the Conventi on area took 5 per cent of the total run (vs. 2 per cent

in 1959).

The catch of Fraser River fish in 1961 was 90 per cent lower than in 1959, the catch of Canada Non-Fraser fish was 20 per cent higher, and the

catch of United States fish was 10 per cent lower. Thus the big difference in the two years was the tremendous reduction in the catch of Fraser fish.

Rates of Removal

As would be expected from their contributions to the catches and spawning escapements, the Canada Non-Fraser fish were most heavily exploited and Fraser fish least (TABLE 16) . The percentages of the total numbers entering the Study Area which were caught were: Canada Non-Fraser fish 59 per cent (about the same as for 1959 - TABLE 17); Fraser fish 42 per cent

(ha l f the 1959 level); United States stocks 45 per cent (down from the 1959 level of 58 per cent). The rate of removal for the total run in 1961 (51 per cent) was only about two-thirds that in 1959 (74 per cent). - 52 -

General Assessment of Annual Variability

Information available

A gross analysis of the 1963 run in the Convention area was carried out by the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission and is given in their annual report for that year. By incorporating information on catches and spawners north of the Convention area (suppl ied by the Department of

Fisheries, Canada), the run as a whole was described following procedures employed in the analysis of the 1961 run. The 1963 run was distinctive in containing a contribution from United States stocks which was more than 50 per cent of the total to the Study Area (TABLE 18).

For the period 1951 to 1963, weekly catch data were used as a basis for estimating relative abundance of stocks (TABLES 19 and 20). For the years 1937 to 1947, catch data from the Canadian area are on an annual basis only (TABLE 21). Assessment of the runs during this period was largely limited to evidence of runs which were much larger than those in 1959, 1961 or 1963. Information on the runs prior to 1937 was considered inadequate for any comparisons on this basis.

Information on migration routes and times of passage for years other than 1959 was limited to useful but incomplete tagging data for a few years and to the timing of peak catches in some fishing areas.

Variations in the Characteristics of the Run

Migration Routes

Migration routes of runs of pink salmon to Canada Non -Fraser,

Fraser River and United States streams have not changed in recent years. In TABLE 18. Catch, spawners, run (each in thousands of fish) and rate of removal for Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and United States pink salmon migrating via the Northern and Southern Approaches in 1959, 1961 and 1963. Data for the Convention and United States areas in 1963 are from the Annual Report of the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission for that year; data for the Canadian area in 1963 are from Department of Fisheries .records. Data for 1961 are summarized from TABLE 16 and data for 1959 are summarized from TABLE 10.

1959 1961 1963 Catch Spawners Run Rate of Catch Spawners Run Rate of Catch Spawners Run Rate of removal removal removal

NORTHERN APPROACH Canada Non-Fraser 1,194 795 1,989 60.0 1,293 854 2,147 60.2 1,547ᵃ 1,128 2,675 57.8 Fraser River 1,355 343 1,698 79.8 403 218 621 64.9 742ᵇ - - - United States 75 14 89 84.2 58 21 79 73.3 0ᶜ 0ᶜ 0ᶜ - TOTAL 2,624 1,152 3,776 69.5 1,754 1,093 2,847 61.6 - - - - SOUTHERN APPROACH Canada Non-Fraser 315 229 544 57.8 525 390 915 57.4 662ᵃ 638ᵃ 1,300 50.9ᵃ Fraser River 4,027 734 4,761 84.6 393 870 1,263 31.1 2,567ᵈ 1,953ᵈ 4,520ᵈ 56.8ᵈ United States 656 527 1,183 55.5 602 787 1,389 43.4 7,106ᶜ 3,224ᶜ 10,330ᶜ 68.8 TOTAL 4,998 1,490 6,488 77.0 1,520 2,047 3,567 42.6 - - - - BOTH APPROACHES Canada Non-Fraser 1,509 1,024 2,533 59.6 1,818 1,244 3,062 59,4 2,209 1,766 3,975 55.6 Fraser River 5,382 1,077 6,459 83.3 796 1,088 1,884 42.2 3,309 1,953 5,262 62.9 United States 731 541 1,272 57,5 660 808 1,468 45.0 7,106ᶜ 3,224 10,330ᶜ 68.8ᶜ TOTAL 7,622 2,642 10,264 74.3 3,274 3,140 6,414 51.0 12,624ᵉ 6,943 19,567 64.5

ᵃAssumes catch of Southern Approach fish north of Convention waters was negligible. b Johnstone Strait catch only. ᶜAssumes Northern Approach run of United States fish was negligible. dTotal run entering the Convention area (Northern and Southern Approach). ᵉCatch in Convention waters (8,600) plus Canada Non-Convention catch (2,289) plus United States Non-Convention catch (1,735). Excludes West Coast Troll (Canada 237, United States 228). TABLE 19. Catches of pink salmon in the Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Strait areaa to August 26 and in the Strait of Georgia areab throughout the season and catches in the Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Strait area after August 26 for the cycle years 1951 to 1963. The former are considered to represent the catch of Northern Approach Canada Non-Fraser fish and the latter the Non Convention catch of Northern Approach Fraser fish for these years.

YEAR ALL YEARS 1951 1953 1955 1957 1959 1961 1963

CATCHES CANADA NON-FRASER Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straitsᵃ to August 26 1,196,990 2,645,390 1,712,940 2,917,798 1,260,198 1,369,904 1,207,840 12,311,060 Strait of Georgiaᵇ 191,333 258,706 139 ,080 71,468 177,709 128,845 339,317 1,306,458 SUB TOTAL 1,388,323 2,904,096 1,852,020 2,989,266 1,437,907 1,498,749 1,547,157 13,617,518 FRASER RIVER Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straitsᵃ after August 26 865,975 2,227,619 1,330,831 1,437,465 1,026,828 261,986 741,534 7,892,238 TOTAL 2,254,298 5,131,715 3,182,851 4,426,731 2,464,735 1,760,735 2,288,691 21,509,756

PER CENTIN CATCHES NORTH OF THE CONVENTION AREA CANADA NON-FRASER 61.6 56.6 58.2 67 .5 58.3 85.1 67.6 63.3

FRASER RIVER 38.4 43.4 41.8 32.5 41.7 14.9 32.4 36.7

PER CENT IN JOHNSTONE STRAIT CATCH CANADA NON-FRASER 58.0 54.3 56.3 67.0 55.1 83.9 62.0 60.9 FRASER RIVER 42.0 45.7 43.7 33.0 44.9 16.1 38.0 39.1

ᵃCanadian Statistical Areas 12 and 13. ᵃCanadian Statistical Areas 14, 15, 16 and 28. - 55 - TABLE 20. Indices of abundance of Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and .United States fish in the Southern Approach run and percentage composition of the run on the basis of these indices for the cycle years 1937-1963. (The index for Canada Non-Fraser fish does not include catch for this stock group off t he Fraser River and consequently is under estimated. The index for Fraser River fish includes catch of Canada Non-Fraser fish off the Fraser River and catch of Northern Approach fish on the Fraser River and Point Roberts areas and consequently is over-estimated.)

YEAR ABUNDANCE INDICES PER CENT COMPOSITION Canada I Fraser United TOTAL Canada Fraser United Total Non-Fraserᵃ Riverᵇ ' Statesᶜ Non-Fraser River States

1937 332,041 4,325 ,278 825,098 5,482,417 6.1 78.9 15.0 100.0 1939 129,062 4,152,758 1,061,430 5,343,250 2.4 77.7 19.9 100.0 1941 198,089 2,248,103 438,891 2,885,083 6.9 77.9 15.2 100.0 1943 49,138 831,631 293,954 1,174,723 4.2 70.8 25.0 100.0

1945 182,131 5,682,253 924,722 6,789,106 2.7 83.7 13.6 100.0 1947 ::;1osed to August 18 10,661,537 845,795 ll,507 ,332 - 92.6 7.4 100,.0 1949 436,212 5,724,984 1,757,837 7,919 ,033 5.5 72.3 22.2 100.0 1951 164,194 5,345,405 635,302 6,144,901 2.7 87 .o 10.3 100.0 1953 170,991 4,785,353 1,444,484 6,400,828 2.7 74.7 22.6 100.0 1955 153,461 3,775,599 706,652 4,635,712 3.3 81.5 15.2 100.0 1957 143,342 3,201,885 467,550 J,812,777 3.7 84.0 12.3 100.0 1959 116,317 2,533,853 261,706 2,911,876 4.0 87.0 9.0 100.0 1961 243,499 236,968 344,807 825,274 29.5 28. 7 41.8 100.0

1963 485,073 1,467,774 3,915, 205 5,868,052 8.3 25.0 66.7 100.0

ᵃCatch at San Juan Islands and Point Roberts to August 15. b Catch at San Juan Islands and Point Roberts after August 15 plus Fraser River catch. ᶜCatch at West Beach, Puget Sound and Bellingham Bay. - 56 - TABLE 21. Pink salmon seine catches in Johnstone Strait and adjacent waters (Canadian Statistical Areas 12 and 13), 1935-1963, and pink salmon catches in the Convention area and Puget Soundᵇ areas (combined) , 1937-1963.

YEAR NORTHERN APPROACH ', SOUTHERN APPROACH BOTH APPROACHES Seine catches Per ceht Catches in Per cent Total in Johnstone of total the Convention of total Strait and area and Puget adjacent watersᵃ Soundᵇ areas

1937 4, 743 , 910 42.6 6,400,807 57 .4 11,144,717 1939 2, 566,608 32.0 5,461,046 68.0 8,027,654

1941 2,131,315 38.2 3,454,440 61.8 5,585,755 1943 2,155,642 60.8 1,390,455 39.2 3,546,097 1945 3,343,141 31.8 7, 172,083 68 . 2 10,515,224 1947 3,937, 743 23 .4 12,873,249 76.6 16,810,992 1949 - C - 10,781,032 - - 195 1 1, 728,025 16 . 9 8,486,011 83 . 1 10,214,036

1953 4, 273,413 29 . 6 10, 142 , 145 70.4 14,415,558 1955 2, 524,671 21.4 9, 294 ,322 78. 6 11,818,993 1957 3, 692 , 952 39.0 5, 778, 697 61. 0 9,471,649 1959 1, 730, 034 26.0 4, 924 , 411 74 . 0 6,654,445 1961 1,211,326 48 . 0 1,311,185 52 . 0 2,522,511

1963 1,639,977 13. 7 10,334,904 86.3 11,974,881 d d Mean 2,744,520 32 . 6 6,986,056 67 .4 9,438,655

ᵃFrom Canada Department of Fisheries Annual Reports to 1947 . From British Columbia catch statistics, Department of Fisheries, Pacific Area from 1951 on. ᵇPuget Sound catches include those made in areas south of Convention waters and in the Bellingham Bay area. ᶜInformation on the numbers of fish caught in Johnstone Strait and adjacent waters is not available for 1949. However, the pack of canned pink salmon from the Vancouver Isl and area in 1949 (province of British Columbia, Report of the Fisheries Department for t he year 1949) , indicates an above average catch for this area, probably of the order of that in 1947 . ᵈMean 1937- 1963 excluding 1949. - 57 -

gener al, the Northern Approach i s used by three-quarters of the Canada Non

Fraser fish, one - quarter of the Fraser fish and less than a tenth of the

United States fish. Conversely the Southern App r oach is used by over nine

tenths of the United States fish , three- quarter s of t he Fraser fish and one

quarter of the Canada Non-Fraser fish.

Times of Passage through Maj or Fishing Areas

Times of passage through major fishing areas for Canada Non-Fraser,

Fraser River and United States stocks are simi l a r on both appr oaches . Canada

Non-Fraser fish appear first in a ll years, reaching peak abundance about mid -August. Thereafter, runs to United States str eams and the Fraser River increase rapidl y with the Fraser run peaking about the end of August and the

United States run peaking about one week earlier. After the first week in

September, the r un on both approaches is made up almost exclusively of Fraser

fish .

Relative Abundance of the Northern and Southern Approach Components

The major factor influencing the relative abunda nce in the two appr oaches is the relative size of the three major stock gr oups. I n year s when Canada Non -Fraser fish are relatively abundant (as in 1961) the pr opo r tion of Southern Approach fish is relatively low ; in yea r s when Fraser fish are relatively abundant (as in 1959), the pr oporti on of Southern Approach fish is higher; in years when United States fish are relatively abundant

(as in 1963) the proportion of Southern App roach fish is still higher.

It is probable that since 1937 mo re than one -half of the total run t o the Study Area has used the Southern Approach . The proportion of Southern - 58 -

Approach fish in the run has probably not been much lower than in 1961 (56

per cent) or higher than in 1963 (77 per cent).

Relative Abundance of Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River ; and United States Fish

On the Northern Approach, Canada Non-Fraser fish have probably been

the largest component in all years since 1951, ranging from 53 per cent (in

1959) to 75 per cent (in 1961). Fraser fish may be considered to have made

up virtually all of the remainder.

On the Southern Approach, Fraser fish have made up the bulk of the

run since 1937, with the exception of 1961 and 1963. The proportion of

Fraser fish in the Southern Approach run ranged from 35 per cent (in 1961)

to more than 73 per cent (in 1947). The proportion of United States fish in

the Southern Approach run varied from less than 18 per ce nt (in 1947) to 64

per cent (in 1963). The proportion of Canada Non-Fraser fish in the Southern

Approach run was apparently much greater in 1961 (26 per cent of the run)

than in any other year since 1937. In several years, Canada Non-Fraser fish

appear to have been relatively less abundant than in 1959, when they made

up 8 per cent of the run.

Combining the above information, Fraser fish were the largest

component of the total run in most years. The proportion of Fraser fish in

the total run during the period 1951-1963 apparently did not greatly exceed

that in 1959 (63 per cent) or go below that in 1963 (27 per cent). The

proportion of Canada Non-Fraser fish in the total run during this period was

lowest (less than 20 per cent) in 1953 and highest (48 per cent) in 1961.

Over the same period, the proportion of United States fish in the total run - 59 - apparently varied between the 1959 level (12 per cent) and that in 1963

(54 per cent).

Rates of Removal

Direct information on rates of removal is limited to the 1959, 1961 and 1963 runs. During these three cycle yea rs, the rate of removal for

Canada Non-Fraser fish remained remarkably constant on both approaches ( .56 to .60). Rates of removal for United States fish on the Southern Approach and in the combined run varied to a greater extent ( .43 to .69) whi le rates of removal for Fraser fish show the most extreme variation ( .31 to .85). The differences in rates of removal in different years reflect directly the amount of fishing time permitted . On the basis of a cursory examination of factors affecting the effectiveness of the fisheries it was considered that rates of removal in the years prior to 1959 were less than in 1959. In the years prior to 1951 they were co nsidered to have been appreciably less than in 1959,

Abundance of Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and United States fish

The abu nd ance of Canada Non-Fraser fish and of United States fish was considered to have been the lowest in recent years in 19 59 (2.5 and 1.3 million fish respectively - TABLE 22), while that of Fraser fish was lowes t in 1961 (1, 8 million fish). United States fish were apparently at their highest level of abundance in recent years in 1963 (10.3 million). The abundance of Canada Non -Fraser fish apparently exceeded its 1963 level

(4.0 million) in several years prior to 1959, Fraser fish we re considerably more abundant than in 1959 (6.5 million) in several of the earlier years - 60 -

TABLE 22. Range of abundance of the odd-year Northern and Southern Approach runs to Canada Non-Fraser, Fraser River and United States streams. The year for which each estimate applies is given below in parentheses. Abundance estimates for the years 1959-1963 are based on direct field observation; those for other years are derived from' catch data and are considered to be somewhat low, especially prior to 1951. ( < = less than, > = greater tha.n, >> = much greater than)

(1) (2) (3) (4) 1959 1959-1963 1951-1963 1937-1963

MILLIONS OF FISH

NORTHERN APPROACH Canada Non-Fraser 1.989 1.989-2.675 2.0-4.1 -- (1959) (1963) (1959) (1957) Fraser River 1.698 .621-1.698 0.6-3.7 -- (1961) (1959) (1961) (1953) United States .089 .079-.7 - - (1961) (1963) - - TOTAL 3.776 2.847-3.776 2.8->9.3 3->>10 (1961) (1959) (1961) (1953) (1961) (1937) SOUTHERN APPROACH Canada Non-Fraser .554 .554-1.300 0.6-1.3 0.6ᶜ->> 2ᵈ (1959) (1963) (1959) (1963) (1959) (1949) Fraser River 4.761 1.263-4.761 1.3-9.9 1->> 12 (1961) {1959) {1961) (1951) (1961) (1947) United States 1.183 1.183-9.6ᵃ 1.2-9.6 1.2->9.6 (1959) (1963) (1959) (1963) (1959) (1963) TOTAL 6.488 3.567-13.4ᵃ,ᵇ 3.6-13.4 4->> 17 (1961) (1963) (1961) (1963) (1961) (1947) BOTH APPROACHES Canada Non-Fraser 2.533 2.533-3.975 2.5->4.8 - - (1959) (1963) (1959) (1953&57) Fraser River 6.459 1.884-6.459 1.9->12.6 - - (1961) (1959) (1961) (1953) United States 1.272 1.272-10.330 1.3-10.3 - - (1959) (1963) (1959) (1963) TOTAL 10.262 6.414-19.567 6.4->22.2 6->>26 (1961) (1963) (1961) (1953) (1961) (1947)

ᵃAssumes 7 per cent of United States fish approached from the north in 1963. ᵇAssumes one third of Fraser fish reaching the terminal area approached from the north in 1963.

ᶜCalculated va.lue for 194.3 was 0 •3. However, since this value is minimal (assumes the same rate of removal in 194.3 as in 1959 and fishing effort in 194.3 was undoubtedly curtailed by wartime conditions) the 1959 value was considered to better represent the minimum for this period. ᵈAlthough the calculated value for 1963 (2.2) slightly exceeded that for 1949 {2.0), the rate of exploitation was considered to have been relatively high in 1963 and relatively low in 1949. On this basis the 1949 run would have been larger than the 1963 run. - 61 - and were probably more than twice as abundant in 1947,

The abundance of the total run appears to have been at its lowest level since 1937 in 1961 (6.4 mi l lion). The abundance of the run and its

Northern and Southern Approach components appears to have been greatest in the earlier years when it is cons idered to have appreciably exceeded 26 million. The maximum abundance estimate for the total run in the years for which best data are available wa s 20 million (in 1963).