Pacific Almon Commission
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Pacific almon Commission 1998/99 Fourteenth Annual Report Pacific Salmon Commission Established by Treaty between Canada and the United States March 18, 1985 for the conservation, management and optimum production of Pacific salmon Fourteenth Annual Report 1998/99 Vancouver, B.C. Canada October 1999 PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION 600 - 1155 ROBSON STREET ESTABLISHED BY TREATY BETWEEN CANADA VANCOUVER, B.C. V6E 1B5 AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TELEPHONE: (604) 684-8081 MARCH 18. 1985 FAX: (604) 666-8707 Our File: Your File: Letter of Transmittal In compliance with Article n, Paragraph 14 of the Treaty between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America concerning Pacific salmon, it is my pleasure as Chair of the Pacific Salmon Commission to present my compliments to the Parties and to transmit herewith the Fourteenth Annual Report of the Commission. This report summarizes the activities of the Commission for the fiscal year April 1, 1998 to March 31, 1999. Reports on the results of the 1998 fishing season presented by the Parties and on meetings of the Commission and the Standing Committee on Finance and Administration are presented in summary. Executive summaries of documents prepared by Pacific Salmon Commission staff and the joint technical committees during the period covered by this report are also presented. The Auditors' report on financial activities of the Commission during the fiscal year April 1, 1998 to March 31, 1999, as approved by the Commission, is also included in this report. Discussion by the Commission on fishery regimes for 1999 and beyond were limited during the 1998/99 meeting cycle in an attempt to reach agreement on an abundance-based approach to coastwide management of chinook stocks. While progress was made, agreement could not be reached during the Commission's meeting cycle. Further discussion on this and other fishery regime issues is, at the time of writing, being conducted at the government-to-government level. P.S. Chamut Chair iii PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION OFFICERS for 1998/99 Chair Mr. James Pipkin (to December 2, 1998) Patrick S. Chamut (from December 2, 1998) Vice-Chair Mr. Patrick S. Chamut (to December 2, 1998) Mr. W. Ron Allen (from December 2, 1998) COMMISSIONERS Canada United States Mr. Patrick S. Chamut (Chair) Mr. W. Ron Allen (Vice-Chair) Mr. Dennis Brown (to February 5, 1999) Mr. James Pipkin Mr. Hubert Haldane Mr. David Benton Mr. Michael Hunter Mr. Curt Smitch Mr. Gerry Kristianson Mr. J ev Shelton Mr. Rich Chapple (from February 5, 1999) Mr. Rollie Rousseau Mr. C.C. (Bud) Graham (to November 12, 1998) Mr. Larry Rutter Mr. Gibby Jacob (from February 5, 1999) Mr. Ted Strong Mr. Paul Sprout (from February 5, 1999) Mr. Bill Valentine SECRETARIAT STAFF Executive Secretary Mr. Ian Todd Administrative Officer Mr. Ken Medlock Chief Biologist Dr. Jim C. Woodey v Contents Letter of Transmittal .......................................................................................................................................... iii Introduction xi 1 Activities of the Conunissioo ........................................................................................................................... 1 A Executive Session of the Pacific Salmon Commission December 1-3, 1998 - Vancouver, B.C.................................................................................................. 3 B. Meeting of the Commission and Panels Januaty 11-15,1999 - Vancouver, B.C..................................................................................................... 4 C. Fourteenth Annual Meeting of the Commission February 8-12, 1999 - Portland, Oregon ................................................................................................... 5 n Activities of the Standing Committees ............................................................................................................. 7 A Meetings of the Standing Committee on Finance and Administration. ............................................................................................................... 9 B. Meetings of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics ................................................................................................................... 10 m Activities of the Panels .............................................................................................................................. ... 11 A Fraser River Panel. ............................................................................................................................................. 13 B. Northern Panel. .................................................................................................................................... 13 C. SOuthernPanel ..................................................................................................................................... 13 IV. Review of 1998 Fisheries and Treaty-Related Perfonnance............................................................................. 15 A. Fraser River Sockeye Salmon ................................................................................................................ 17 B. Preliminary 1998 Post-Season Report for United States Salmon Fisheries of Relevance to the Pacific Salmon Treaty .................................................................................................. 20 C. 1998 Post-Season Report for Canadian Treaty Limit Fisheries ............................................................................................................ 44 D. 1998 Update Reports for Salmonid Enhancement Programs in the United States and Canada ............................................................................................. 61 (1) 1997 Annual Report on the Salmonid Enhancement Activities of the United States ............................................................................................................. 61 (2) 1998 Annual Report on the Salmonid Enhancement Activities of the United States ............................................................................................................. 61 (3) 1998 Update Report for the Salmonid Enhancement Program in British Columbia ........................................................................................ 62 vii v. Repom of the Joint Technical Coounittees .................................................................................................... 67 A Chinook ............................................................................................................................................................. 69 B. NorthemBoundary ............................................................................................................................... 74 C. Transboundary Technical Committee ................................................................................................................ 76 VI Publications of the PacifIC Sabnoo Connni.ssion .............................................................................................. 79 vn Report of the Auditors for 1998/99 ................................................................................................................ 85 vm Appendices ................................................................................................................................................. 95 A Letters oftransrnittal to governments regarding fishery regimes for 1998 ........................................................................................................................ 97 B. Annex N to the Pacific Salmon Treaty, Revised 1991 ....................................................................................................................................... 99 C. Appointtnent of Officers for 1998/99 ..................................................................................................... 124 D. Approved BudgetFY 1998/99 .............................................................................................................. 125 E. Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat Staff as of March 31, 1999 ........................................................................................................................... 126 F. Membership Lists for Standing Committees, Panels, Joint Technical Committees, and Other Appointtnents as of March 31, 1999 ......................................................................................................................... 127 ix INTRODUCTION Interception of Pacific salmon bound for rivers of one country in fisheries of the other has been the subject of discussion between the Governments of Canada and the United States of America since the early part of this century. Intercepting fisheries were identified through research conducted by the two countries on species and stocks originating from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. The results of this research identified that Alaskan fishers were catching salmon bound for British Columbia, Oregon and Washington. Canadian fishers off the West Coast of Vancouver Island were capturing salmon bound for rivers of Washington and Oregon. Fishers in northern British Columbia were intercepting salmon returning to Alaska, Washington and Oregon, and United States fishers were catching Fraser River salmon as they travelled through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the San Juan Islands towards the Fraser River. Management of stocks subject to interception became a matter of