An Interim Report the Number of Adult Saison and Grilse

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AN INTERIM REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF ADULT SAISON AND GRILSE IN HERRING PURSE-SEINE CATCHES FROM SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 1963-64

D. N. Outram Fisheries Research Board of Canada Biological Station, Nanaimo, B. C.

This report is the result of a preliminary analysis of the data , using estimated catches. The final report, incorporating any changes that full analyses of the data and of catches as reported on Department of Fisheries sales slips require, will be published later.

March, 1964

> •* A* ^ THE NUMBER OF ADULT SALMON AND GRILSE IN HERRING PURSE-SEINE CATCHES FROM SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA IN 1963-64

I. INTRODUCTION

A fleet of about 80 seine-boats removes over 100,000 tons of herring annually from the coastal waters of southern British Columbia. The fishery depends on schools of fish that congregate in the "inside passages" during the winter months , prior to spawning in early spring. From late September onwards herring stocks move into the Strait of Georgia by two main routes: (l) from the north through Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage and (2) from the south through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Herring fishing may take place in daylight or at night. Night fishing frequently involves the use of bright, mercury vapour lamps to attract and concentrate dispersed schools of herring. This- method of fishing , known as "pitlamping", came into prominence during the 1959-60 fishing season and has accentuated the fears of other fishermen and of the public that significant numbers of other species of fish , particularly salmon, were being taken in herring catches, especially in the Strait of Georgia!.

Substantial numbers of dogfish, young and adult Pacific cod , hake, and whiting^, were observed in the 1963 landings. Less frequently noted in the deliveries were sole of various species, skate, midshipmen, rockfish, pilchards, sablefish and squid.

During the winter of 1963, the Department of Fisheries and the Fisheries Research Board of Canada initiated a joint program to assess the extent to which salmon occur in herring catches in southern British Columbia. This is an interim report on the results obtained in 1963. The catches used are the estimates appearing in weekly reports of the district supervisor. The final report must await the analysis of the catch as reported on the sales slip record. Preliminary observations by personnel of the Biological Station, Nanaimo, B. C. had been carried out during the winters of 1959, 1960 and 1961. The results were published in Manuscript Report No. 753 of the Biological Station, Nanaimo, in June 1963.

II. METHOD OF CHECKING SALMON IN CATCHES

The reduction plants at Steveston, B. C. were examined to determine where it was possible to carry out checks of the number of salmon in herring deliveries. The reduction plant at Imperial Cannery was the only plant having an adequate observation site. A check-point was set up on the roof, beside a 2 -

slow-moving conveyor belt , Herring were pumped from the hold of the seiner onto a long wire-meshed conveyor , washed , and carried up across the roof towards the observers and thence to storage bins inside .

With a staff of four observers , three on duty at a time , it was possible to check all landings by a fleet of 24 seiners on an around-the-clock basis from September 26 to December 2. Two observers were stationed beside the conveyor belt . It was estimated they removed about 80 per cent of the salmon mixed with the herring . The third observer kept a careful check of the number of salmon removed by plant personnel and seiner crew . The numbers of salmon found should be considered to be minimum estimates as reports from fisheries inspectors on the fishing grounds indicated that some salmon were at times released at sea .

III . RESULTS

The 1963 winter herring fishing shifted from one area to another depending on weather , quota extensions , and the availability of herring . Consequently , some localities were fished infrequently while others were fished for eight weeks . During the period of the survey over 24 , 000 tons of herring were examined for salmon , about one-quarter of the total catch in District 3. A total of 3, 655 adult salmon and 7, 091 grilse were found . Table I shows the actual numbers of salmon and grilse found each week , the numbers per hundred tons of herring and estimates of the numbers of salmon and grilse in the total weekly catch . In Table II the actual numbers of adult salmon and of grilse , and the numbers per 100 tons of herring ( Figs . 1-4 ) are shown by fishing localities and weeks .

A . Northern Georgia Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound

( l ) Mainland inlets (Jervis Inlet , Bute Inlet , Loughborough Inlet , Knight Inlet and Belleisle Sound ) - Fig . 1.

Except for Knight Inlet these localities were not heavily fished . The numbers of salmon and grilse found were negligible , not exceeding 5 per 100 tons of herring in any locality. A search of 227 tons landed during the week ending October 19 from Belleisle Sound did not yield any salmon , while observations on half of the 5, 600 tons taken from Knight Inlet during the two- week period ending October 19 showed that there were only 5 adult salmon and 2 grilse per 100 tons of herring (Table II ) . Catches from Knight Inlet in November (1, 260 tons ) were not searched , probably because all these fish went to other reduction plants .

( 2) Upper East Coast of Vancouver Island (Clio Channel and vicinity only ) - Fig . 1. Part of this sub-district , knight Inlet and Belleisle Sound , was considered in the previous section on mainland inlets . While herring were also - 3

taken in Retreat Pass, off Mexicans Point and in Seymour Inlet, only those catches from Clio Channel were examined for salmon. Clio Channel is sometimes a productive herring fishing ground but in the winter of 1963 only 276 tons were taken. An examination of the deliveries during the week ending October 19 found 43 adult salmon and 74 grilse or 15 adults and 27 grilse per 100 tons of herring (Table II), a relatively low ratio of occurrence.

Previous observations carried out during the winter of 1959 on 206 tons landed from Bones Bay during the week ending November 26 showed no salmon, while a check of 271 tons from Blackfish Sound in early October 1961 yielded only 9 adults and 45 grilse per 100 tons of herring (Table III).

(3) Middle East Coast of Vancouver Island (Discovery Passage, Deepwater Bay , and Denman Island) - Fig. 2. The middle east coast sub-district yielded 20,347 tons of herring in 1963-64. Of this amount 1,641 tons were caught in the summer fishery. In the winter fishery , 475 tons were taken from Pender Harbour or Jervis Inlet in Area 16, 2,899 tons from near Denman Island in Area 14, and 15,343 tons^in Area 13 in the vicinity of Discovery Passage.

^Discussed in a previous section - Mainland inlets - see Fig. 1.

The sub-district quota of 10,000 tons was taken on October 15. The most intense fishing was in Discovery Passage where 7,891 tons were caught, compared to 739 tons from Denman Island. On October 12, shortly before the quota was taken, a part of the Discovery Passage fishing grounds - Deepwater Bay - was closed to herring fishing because of the large numbers of salmon and grilse present in the herring catches. This area was not re-opened when a quota extension of 10,000 tons was granted on November 14. The extension was taken by December 2, with fishing again being more intense in Discovery Passage (7,452 tons)than near Denman Island (2,160 tons). About 22% of the herring landings from Discovery Passage in October were searched for salmon and grilse , and about 24% of the landings from Denman Island. In November about 5% of the landings from Discovery Passage and 19% of the landings from Denman Island were searched.

The incidence of salmon in herring catches from Discovery Passage and Denman Island are discussed below:

Discovery Passage (Fig. 2). This region includes Discovery Passage proper, Granite Bay and Deepwater Bay. The numbers of grilse in the herring catches (Table II) increased sharply from relatively modest numbers (12 per 100 tons) during the week ending October 5 to large numbers (344 per 100 tons)during the week ending October 19 (fishing stopped on October 15). The incidence of grilse in the landings during the period from November 14 to December 2 was much lower than in October; the numbers varied from 76 per 100 tons of herring on November 14 to 16, to none on December 1 and 2. Two 4 species of grilse were identified , coho and Chinook. The former were between 4 and 20 times as numerous as the latter and were responsible for producing the marked changes in numbers noted (Table IV). The numbers of young Chinook per 100 tons of herring remained relatively constant throughout the season, varying between 2 and 38 per 100 tons of herring.

The numbers of adult salmon did not fluctuate as widely as did the numbers of grilse, although they showed the same general pattern of variation. Numbers increased steadily from 47 per 100 tons of herring during the week ending October 19. In November the numbers declined from 63 per 100 tons to none. Chum was the dominant species of adult salmon particularly in October, the numbers varying between 40 and 77 per 100 tons of herring (Table IV). The other three species were about equally abundant, between 2 and 9 of each occurring per 100 tons of herring. Pink salmon were found only in October. Deepwater Bay was closed to herring fishing on October 12 because of large numbers of salmon and grilse in the catches. The data on the catches examined from Deepwater Bay and from the rest of Discovery Passage (including Granite Bay)during the first 3 weeks of October are given below:

Discovery Passage Deepwater Bay Week ending Tons No. of No. of Tons No. of No. of searched salmon grilse searched salmon grilse

Oct. 5 ...... 361 172 42 Oct. 12 204 87 191 966 765 1,901 Oct. 19 240 226 801 •. •. ..

While there were 79 adult salmon and 197 grilse per 100 tons of herring from Deepwater Bay compared to 48 adults and 93 grilse per 100 tons from Discovery Passage during the week ending October 12, there were 94 adults and 334 grilse per 100 tons from the latter locality the following week. It would thus appear that salmon and grilse were as prevalent in the catches from Discovery Passage as in those from Deepwater Bay. However, because of the concentration of fishing in Deepwater Bay the total numbers of salmon and grilse taken there would be much greater than in Discovery Passage.

Denman Island (Fig. 2). The numbers of grilse in the catches followed a similar pattern (Table II)to that in Discovery Passage. Numbers increased sharply during the first two weeks of October (from 74 to 199 per 100 tons of herring) but when fishing resumed in mid-November they had returned to and remained at a relatively low level (4 to 13 per 100 tons of herring). The relative proportion of young coho and Chinooks and the variation in numbers of each were similar in Discovery Passage and off Denman Island (Table IV). 5

The numbers of adult salmon followed a pattern somewhat similar to that in Discovery Passage, but failed to show any increase in the second week in October. In contrast to Discovery Passage where chums were the dominant species of adult salmon, off Denman Island Chinooks were, with chums being relatively scarce (Table IV). The number of Chinooks varied from 6 to 34 per 100 tons of herring. The large number of Chinooks (79 per 100 tons)recorded for the week ending October 5 may not be representative, as almost all were caught in one set of 67 tons. The incidence of salmon and of grilse in the herring catches was of the same order of magnitude and followed the same general pattern throughout the middle east coast sub-district , even though in one part of the sub-district chums were the dominant species of adult salmon while in another Chinooks were. Data from previous years (Table III), although less extensive , suggest that salmon and grilse are not found in as large numbers in the herring catches in this sub district every year, even when the fishery occurs early in October. Observations- made in early October,1961,on 396 tons of herring from Deepwater Bay showed a relatively low incidence of salmon, 16 adults and 3 grilse per 100 tons of herring. An examination of 559 tons in early December, 1961, from the same locality did not yield any salmon or grilse. In early October, 1961, observations on 93 tons from Denman Island also showed only 25 adults and 2 grilse per 100 tons of herring. In 1959, 1,079 tons examined from Denman Island in late November showed only 2 adults and 2 grilse per 100 tons of herring. A search of 17 tons in mid-December, 1960, yielded no salmon.

While the relative abundance of the two species of grilse, chinook and coho was the same throughout the sub-district , different species of adults were dominant in Discovery Passage (chums) and off Denman Island (chinooks). It seems probable that the herring fishery in Discovery Passage in the first half of October coincided with the movement through this area of a chum salmon run. Relatively little is known of the movements of grilse in or out of the Strait of Georgia. The fishery in the first part of October may also have coincided with a migration of young coho. This is suggested by the build-up at that time of large numbers of this species , followed by the presence of much reduced numbers when fishing resumed in mid-November.

(4) Lower East Coast of Vancouver Island (Fig. 3) The lower east coast catch was a record 66,141 tons, of which 5,559 tons were taken in the summer fishery. The winter fishery (60,582 tons) began in the last week in September. The 40,000 ton quota was approximated on October 28 and a 15,000 ton extension granted immediately. This was taken on November 6. Up to this date Area 17A (Nanoose Bay to Newcastle Channel) had produced 26,860 tons, Area 17B (Porlier Pass and Trincomali Channel) 17,970 tons , Area 18 (Active Pass and Tumbo Channel)5,235 tons and Area 19 (Victoria to Beechey Head) 1,372 tons. There was no further fishing until November 21 when a second extension of 10,000 tons was granted , of this 6,135 tons were caught in Area 17B, 2,448 tons in Area 17A , and 393 tons in Area 18. This extension was taken on November 26, when fishing ended for the season. 6 -

Up to November 6, 33% of the catch in Area 17A , 66% of the catch in Area 17B , 41% of the catch in Area 18, and 26% of the catch in Area 19 were searched for salmon and grilse. In the period November 21 to 26, 37% of the Area 17A catch , 16% of the Area 17B catch , and 1C% of the Area 18 catch were examined .

The incidence of both adult salmon and grilse ( Fig . 3 and Table II ) particularly in Areas 17A and 17B showed very much the same pattern of vari - ation as in the middle east coast , but was at a very much lower level . In these two areas the numbers of grilse per 100 tons of herring increased to a peak during the third week of October ( in Area 17A the peak was 64 grilse per 100 tons , in Area 17B , 104 grilse per 100 tons ) , and then fell sharply and remained at a low level (generally less than 20 grilse per 100 tons ) for the remainder of the season. In Areas 18 and 19 this pattern was not evident , possibly because the fishery was less continuous than in Areas 17A and 17B. In Area 18 the number of grilse fluctuated between 6 and 64 per 100 tons of herring and in Area 19 from 0 to 36 per 100 tons . In all four Areas of the lower east coast sub-district young Chinooks and cohoes were present in about equal numbers (Table IV ) , and i n approximately the same proportion as young Chinooks were in the middle east coast . Both species reached a peak in numbers during the week ending October 19.

In Area 17B the numbers of adult salmon per 100 tons of herring increased during the first two weeks of October ( to 57 per 100 tons ) and then declined to between 2 and 19 per 100 tons . In Area 17A much the same picture was presented although the number of salmon per 100 tons of herring appears to be a maximum ( 118 per 100 tons ) during the first week of October . This ratio, however , may not be representative as it is based on one small landing of 34 tons . In Area 18 there were relatively few adult salmon in the catches , the numbers varied from 9 to 18 per 100 tons of herring and were higher early in the season than later. In Area 19 the numbers of adults were of about the same order as in Area 18. In the lower east coast , Chinooks were the dominant species of adult salmon in the herring catches , varying in numbers from 1 to 21 per 100 tons of herring . Coho and chums , present in approximately equal numbers , were considerably less numerous than Chinooks . The number of coho varied from less than 1 to 4 per 100 tons of herring , the number of chums from less than 1 to 11 per 100 tons .

The results obtained in 1963 are in general agreement with those obtained in previous years (Table III ) , pointing to a relatively low incidence of salmon and grilse in the herring catches . In late November and early December , 1960, 435 tons were examined from Area 17A , 730 tons from Area 17B , and 1, 606 tons from Area 18. The incidence of adults was found to be 2 per 100 tons in Area 17A , , less than a half per 100 tons in Area 17B , and 1 per 100 tons in Area 18. The incidence of grilse was 8 per 100 tons in Area 17A , less than a half per 100 tons in Area 17B , and 20 per 100 tons in Area 18. In 1961 , in Area 17A , 1,441 tons examined in late November and early December yielded no adults and 1 grilse per 100 tons of herring , 3, 242 tons in Area 17B yielded less than a half adult and 2 grilse per 100 tons , and 332 tons in Area 18 gave 1 adult and 20 grilse per 100 tons . In Area 17A , 109 tons examined in late September and early October showed appreciable numbers of 7

adults (85 per 100 tons) and some grilse (17 per 100 tons). In the same period, in Area 17B , 2,124 tons yielded 12 adults and 9 grilse per 100 tons, and in Area 18, 4 adults and 2 grilse per 100 tons were found for the 258 tons examined. In Area 19, 269 tons were examined in October, 1961, yielding 4 adults and less than a half grilse per 100 tons. In 1959 and in 1962, examina - tion of the catches was begun too late to confirm the reports of appreciable numbers of salmon (in 1962 particularly of pink salmon smolts)in catches in this area.

The findings in 1963 provide confirmation for the tentative conclusion drawn from the more limited data of 1960 and 1961 that more salmon and grilse occurred in the herring catches early in the season than later. The results, however , do not contribute much additional evidence in support of the hypothesis that salmon and grilse were more prevalent in catches from the southern part of the lower east coast sub-district. It may be that this situation depends in part on the presence in even years of large numbers of young pink salmon arising from the dominant odd-year pink salmon run to the Fraser River. Few adult pinks and no young pinks were identified in the herring catches in 1963.

(5) Lower West Coast of Vancouver Island (Fig. 4) Barkley Sound. A search of 143 of the 927 tons taken in this region during the week ending November 16 showed a very low occurrence of salmon, 21 adults and 26 grilse per 100 tons of herring (Table II). Both off Clo-oose in early October and Barkley Sound in mid November, Chinooks were the dominant species both of adults and of grilse (Table- IV). Previous observations carried out from November 18-26, 1959, and December 7-8, 1960, on 703 and 246 tons of herring respectively, did not show any salmon in the landings (Table III). It would appear that this region is one in which few salmon occur in herring catches. Clo-oose. In recent years an intensive late summer and early fall fishery has developed in this region. A search of about one-seventh of the total catch (l ,075 out of 7,184 tons) delivered during the weeks ending September 27, October 5 and 12 did not show the presence of appreciable numbers of salmon although the pattern did suggest a possible peak later in the season (Table II). The numbers of adult spring salmon per 100 tons of herring increased from 12 during the first week to 52 in the third week. During the last two weeks of the fishery, adult salmon were about 6 times more numerous than grilse in the landings. Observations made on 497 tons of herring landed during the same period in 1961 had indicated a generally low incidence of salmon, 8 adults and 10 grilse per 100 tons of herring (Table III). However, reports had been received during the progress of the Clo oose fishery that appreciable numbers of salmon were being taken in some herring- catches. 8

IV. THE EFFECT OF LIGHTS ON THE NUMBERS OF SALMON IN HERRING CATCHES

The use of mercury-vapour lights to attract and concentrate herring schools has given rise to fears that this method of fishing was also increasing the numbers of other species of fish, particularly salmon, in herring catches. Herring are fished in daytime and at night with and without lights. In com- paring the numbers of salmon present in day sets and in night sets made with and without lights, the data from landings of mixed origin, i.e. landings containing fish from day sets and from night sets , or from night sets with lights and from night sets without lights were omitted. This reduced the amount of data to the point where it was necessary to combine information from landings of fish from only day sets, only night sets with lights , or only night sets without lights by bi weekly periods and by 4 major geographical areas to effect comparisons between- the 3 types of sets within the same period of time.

The amount of information on night sets without lights is much less than on night sets with lights (Table V), and may in a number of cases not be sufficient to form a basis for reliable comparison. While the data may be insufficient to provide conclusive evidence of the effect of lights on the incidence of salmon and grilse in herring catches they do suggest that lights probably increased the incidence of salmon and grilse in night-time herring catches. In the middle east coast sub-district in two of the three periods in which comparisons can be made, more grilse were caught with lights than without (Fig. 6). Similarly in the lower east coast in two of the three periods where comparisons are possible the incidence of grilse was higher when lights were used (Fig. 7), and in the third period the numbers were equal. In the combined catches from various mainland inlets, in the one period for which data are available there were more grilse taken when lights were used than when they weren ’t (Fig. 5).

The amount of the increase produced was variable, the greatest was 16 times (from 6 to 95 per 100 tons of herring), the smallest from 0 to 4 grilse per 100 tons of herring. The indications are more clear-cut for adult salmon than for grilse. In the middle east coast in all three periods where comparisons can be made there were substantially more salmon caught when lights were used than when they weren ’t (Fig. 6). The increases were from 0 to 12, 4 to 53, and 23 to 84 salmon per 100 tons of herring. In the lower east coast in the three periods where comparisons are possible, more adult salmon were again caught when lights were used. The increases, however, were not nearly as great as in the middle east coast; they were 16 to 17, 4 to 7, and 0 to 6 salmon per 100 tons of herring. The few catches from mainland inlets show the same tendency (Fig. 5). While the incidence of adult salmon and grilse in the herring catches was generally higher in night fishing when lights were used than when they weren ’t, the incidence of both adults and grilse in day catches was often higher than in either type of night fishing. In the middle east coast in two - 9

out of the three periods where comparisons can be made (Fig. 6)more salmon and grilse were taken in day catches than in night catches. In the third period , however, substantially more of both were taken at night,using lights, than in the day. In the lower east coast, day catches produced the largest numbers of both adult salmon and grilse in three out of five periods where comparable data existed. In the other two periods the highest incidence occurred at night when lights were used. On the west coast of Vancouver Island in two out of three periods there were more adult salmon in day than in night catches , but in only one period were there more grilse. The results obtained in 1960 and in 1961 (Table VI)are in general agreement with the above findings. In both years more salmon and grilse were taken in night catches when lights were used than when they werenft. In October, 1961, there were more salmon and grilse per 100 tons of herring in day catches than in night catches. However, in December, 1961, and in 1960, there were more in the night catches.

IV. SUMMARY

1. From September 26 to December 2, 1963, over 24,000 tons of herring caught in southern British Columbia were searched for salmon at the Imperial Cannery reduction plant, Steveston, B. C. Observers from the Biological Station at Nanaimo and from the Department of Fisheries found 3,655 adult salmon and 7,091 grilse in these landings. 2. The numbers of adult salmon and grilse present in deliveries from mainland inlets were found to be negligible, seldom exceeding 5 per 100 tons of herring.

3. A catch of 276 tons taken from Clio Channel (upper east coast of Vancouver Island) during the week ending October 19 showed a low incidence of salmon (15 adults and 27 grilse per 100 tons of herring). 4. In the middle east coast sub-district the incidence of salmon and grilse in herring landings increased sharply to a high level (94 salmon and 334 grilse per 100 tons of herring) during the first three weeks in October. When fishing resumed in mid-November, the numbers of salmon and grilse had dropped to a moderate level (63 salmon and 69 grilse per 100 tons of herring), and during the three weeks of this fishery the numbers fluctuated about this level.

5. In the lower east coast the incidence of salmon and grilse in the herring landings, parti cularly in Areas 17A and 17B, showed very much the same pattern of variation as in the middle east coast, but was at a much lower level. Peak numbers of grilse in the third week in October were 64 per 100 tons in Area 17A , and 104 in Area 17B. Peak numbers of adult salmon in Area 17B were 57 per 100 tons in the second week of October and in Area 17A , 118 per 100 tons in the first week in October (based on one small landing from Nanoose Bay). The numbers of grilse fluctuated from 6 to 64 per 100 tons in - - 10 -

Area 18 and 0 to 36 in Area 19 with little evidence of a peak period of abund - ance in mid -October in either area . No large numbers of adult salmon were taken in either Areas 18 or 19 . The greatest number in either area was 26 per 100 tons of herring .

6. Landings from Barkley Sound contained relatively few salmon ( 21 adults and 26 grilse per 100 tons ) . 7. Deliveries from the late summer and early fall fishery off Clo -oose did not show appreciable numbers of salmon , although the number of adult springs increased from 12 in the last week of September to 52 per 100 tons in the second week in October when the fishery ended . The number of grilse varied from 0 to 9 per 100 tons .

8. Grilse consisted of two species of young salmon , coho and Chinook . The incidence of young Chinook in the herring catches appeared to be of about the same general order in all sub -districts , varying from 1 or 2 up to 30 per 100 tons of herring . In the lower east coast and lower west coast sub -districts the numbers of young coho and young chinook were roughly equal . In the middle east coast sub -districts , however , young coho were very much more numerous , reaching a peak abundance of 321 per 100 tons of herring in the third week in October . The number dropped sharply when fishing was resumed in mid -November .

9. Four species of adult salmon were identified , chinook , coho , chum and pink . The latter were uncommon in herring catches , a few ( 2 to 5 per 100 tons of herring ) were taken in early October in the middle east coast sub -district . Chum salmon was the dominant species in the Discovery Passage area of the middle east coast . The numbers increased from 33 to 77 per 100 tons of herring during the first three weeks of October . When fishing resumed in mid -November numbers were down to 38 per 100 tons and continued to decline thereafter . Off Denman Island and in the lower east coast and lower west coast sub -districts , chinook salmon was the dominant species , with numbers varying from 1 to 2, to about 20 per 100 tons of herring . Coho were less abundant than Chinooks , with up to 7 occurring per 100 tons of herring , and were relatively evenly distrib - uted in the herring catches in southern British Columbia .

10 . The use of lights in night fishing appeared generally to increase the incidence of both salmon and grilse . The amount of the increase produced was variable . In some cases no increase resulted . In the area covered by the survey there was no evidence of lights being more effective in one part of it than in another . Larger numbers of salmon and grilse were more often found in day sets than in either night sets made with or without lights .

VI . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the co -operation received from the personnel at Imperial Cannery and in particular that of Mr . Horace Dabner , the plant superintendent . It is also with great pleasure that we acknowledge the work of the Department of Fisheries personnel , Mr . L . Duke , Mr . T . Swean , a / 11

E . Kaspar/ and Mr . V . Knoop , and of my colleagues at the Biological Station , MrTTfl . t . barraclough and Mr . B . Wildman. I would also like to acknowledge the help received from Mr . M . Houghton and Dr. F .H .C . Taylor under whose super- vision the program was carried out .

D . N . Outram

March , 1964

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)

7 grilse

183

Steve

- -

199

- -

number

- - 11

Denman

Island

102

( (

(

83 87

the

153

184

coast

Island

number

Cannery

42 42

)

) ) )

)

301

the

189

east

2092

- 76

- - - - -

334

179

- -

- - - the -

Pass 226

172 173

862

Vancouver

- -

94 63

other

- - -

Imperial

( (

(

( (

Discovery

2 4 55 Middle

273 240

361

1070

tens the

Island

)

catch herring

delivered coast

of -

east

(

Clio

276

Channel

herring

tons

catches

Vancouver

Upper

the

100

herring

)

per

herring

Inlet

(

Jervis

403

number

salmcn

tans

)

grilse

100

first

Bute

adult

Inlet

(

and

120

111

per

the

Inlets

)

line 0

salmon

grilse

number

Inlet

(

top

the

adult

Mainland Loughborough

the

and

)

Lower

first

salmon

Inlet

(

Knight

table

numbers

1019

the

1875

adult

this

)

of actual

(

Sbund

The

227

brackets

Belleisle

numbers

entries

30 7

the

. .

. the

. .

Week

ending

Table

figures

Nov

Oct

Nov

Oct Oct Sept Oct

Dec

Nov Nov

Nov Table III. The number of tons searched and the numbers of adult salmon and grilse found per 100 tons of herring.

No. per 100 Tons of tons and ' Chum Total Grilse Year Date Area Herring Chin Coho Pink Adults Grilse

1959-60 12 206 • •• •• • o •• 0 0 0 0 14 1079 17 21 2 2 16 40 19 2 48 9 23 703 •• 0 0 0 0 1960-61 2AE 104 0 0 0 0 4 245 0 0 0 0 22/XI-16/XII 13 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22/XI-16AII 17A 435 7 1 0 0 8 37 2 8 22/XI-16/XII 17B 730 1 1 1 0 3 4 + + 22/XI-16/XII 18 1606 11 9 0 0 20 325 1 20 22/XI-16/XII 17A/18 105 5 0 0 0 5 26 5 25 22/XI-16/XII 17A/B 103 ? 0 0 0 2 3 2 3 22/XI-16/XII 23 246 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22/XI-16/XII 24 148 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1961-62 28/IX-17/X 12 271 4 18 3 0 35 123 9 45 13 396 9 45 9 0 63 12 16 3 14 93 6 11 5 1 23 2 25 2 17A 109 84 0 5 0 93 19 85 17 17B 2124 193 43 18 0 254 189 12 9 18 258 4 2 5 0 11 6 4 2 19 269 10 2 0 0 12 1 4 + 21 497 18 7 16 0 41 50 8 10 13/17B 79 18 0 5 0 23 13 29 16 27/XI-8/XII 13 559 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17A 1441 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 1 17B 3242 3 2 0 0 5 72 + 2 18 332 3 0 0 0 3 99 1 30 IV The - by by Taole numbers salmon 100 and of each and of per of weeks . of tons sub species herring . Week Lower grilse district Denman Lower Middle Mainland East Coast WestCoast Chum Chum Coast Chum Ending EastChum Chum Coho Coho Passage Coho Coho Coho Discovery Island - Chin Inlets Chin Pink Chin Pink Pink Pink G 11 27 Pink Chin Chin . 12 5 3 3 2 3 1 11 3 Adult 8 0 35 79 6 21 & 2 0 3 0 2 IB 11 3 3 - Sept 32 21 2 0 0 2 5 3 2 40 146 63 6 6 Get. Adult 62 9 2 12 160 11 14 2 5 2 + Grilse 00 0 0 0 0 19 6 2 12 0 191 0 04 0 Uct 77 20 . Adult 90 0 0 0 b + 8 0 1 38 Grilse 8 0 5 4 + 0 3 12 2 321 0 . 0 0 12 .Nov26 0 Oct + 31G 0 0 0 3 6 0 NoGrilse 63 Cct . Adults 11 Adult C 2 0 0 0 0 2 4 v 5 NovGrilse 340 49 + • 9 Adult 11 19 3 14 15 11 1 58 65 0 6 23 + 0 16 5 Nov Grilse. Adult 2 0 2 0 1 11 30 6 0 Nov. 3 2 40 Grilse C 4 + 0 2 1 0 1 11 0 . 1 AdultAdult 2 0 0 2 2 * ICG Dec 7 0 3 0 0 8 0 0 0 . Grilse 2 0 8 0 Adult 2 13 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Grilse . 0 19 Adult . 1 were 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 indicates 0 0 0 0 chum 0 0 0 Grilse 0 0 0 0 0 Channel 19 salmon 0 100 c 4 week tons 1 1 Oct 0 0 0 0 0.5 Grilse 0 0 coho per . 0 of 13 0 or 0 and During per Chinooks 8 ninook of Grilse ending tons , taken herring 1 herring theless than , in Clio ,

1 1 grilse grilse grilse

' rets

tons

salmon

•

• • •

4 • C •

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

- -

• •

- -

2 grilse

•

• • 3

•

• • •

• •

IOC

night

and

oer

Inlets

and

sets

and

- -

day

found

Kainland

• •

•

• • •

•

. •

•

• • 20 •

•

• 12 •

• •

searched

•

• • • •

- - - • • •

•

328

321

685

435

salmon

and

1947

grilse

Tons

herring

tons

•

39 • •

•

salmon

•

210

• • • •

319

•

• •

•

- - -

- - - - -

tons

grilse

IOC

84 23

62 16

Coast

ICO

and

No per

per

East

regions

233

124

each

2646

and

- -

- - -

- -

found

Kiddle

•

• •

6 .

•

17 • • •

•

12 16

searched

•

153

• • •

108

1069

- -

- - -

Columbia

salmon

and

2 9

30 31

grilse

273

Tons

175

133

1258

numbers

British

the

tons

41 25 15 20 12 12

salmon

and

•

114

•

• - - - -

- -

grilse

5 5

•

4 3

6 7

•

of IOC 29 23

southern

found

Coast

and

No per

four

East

grilse

for

526

768

321

485

240

found

- -

- - - -

- -

•

and

•

9 1

Lower

found

•

and

11 . 26

62 •

•

256

282

106 209

•

searched

1963

- - -

- were

- -

herring

Iron

141

286

460

429

910

salmon

and

1513

2182

1397

sa grilse

Tons

grilse

Dec

tons

and

ICC

tons

2 0

salmon

• • •

•

• •

numbers

• • •

•

. - - -

• • •

•

grilse

•

• •

•

per

• • •

•

of IOC

Sept

salmon

Coast

and

per

actual

grilse

from

West

adult

the

and

- -

•

Lower • found

• • •

•

• • •

•

periods

•

11 • • •

•

• 76

• •

•

150 no

searched • • •

•

• •

which

searched

salmon

261

574

126

salmon

114

and

143

grilse

Tons

biweekly

adult

herring

method

lights lights lights lights

lights lights

lights lights lights lights

of of

- -

lights

fishing and

no no no

tons

sets

sets sets

sets

- -

tons

ratio

The

night

day

night night

day

Time

night night

day day day

114

without

and

5 2

2 2

to to to

. . .

period

with

Table

Nov

Biweekly

Sept Nov Nov

Oct

Cct

Dec Represents

oct

indicates Table VI. The number of tons searched and the numbers of salmon and grilse per 100 tons of herring from sets made at night with lights and without lights and in the day in I960 and 1961.

Tons Number of Number of Subdistrict Period Type of fishing salmon per grilse per searched 100 tons 100 tons

I960 Lower East Coast night - lights 993 3 23 night - no lights - • 1427 1 6 day 82 0 2

1961 Middle East Coast Sept. 28-0ct.l7 night - lights ••• •• •• night - no lights 104 17 0 day 241 4 4 Nov. 27-Dec. 8 night - lights 144 0 0 night - no lights 216 0 0 day 199 0 0 Lower East Coast Sept. 28-0ct. 17 night - lights 1172 8 5 night - no lights » •• •• • 0 day 785 19 17 Nov. 27-Dec. 7 night - lights 203 1 4 night - no lights 1288 0 2 day 1797 + 1 ,

J .

o w

U o

“ C

•

0 0

2000

1000

1000 1000 1000

her

shad

of caught a

ring

Tons

searched

with ed

salmon

Dec

QThnii

weeks

prllse

QTJkcu

Nov

herring

Sound

tone

Nov

lelleisle

100

per

and

Nov

Inlet

grilse

and

Knight

ion

Nov

cat

Inlet

ult

Nov

Loughborough

minore

and

Inlet

Oct

ute

searched

LET

Inlet

Oct

tons

Jervis

catch

Oct

INLET

channel

Herring

INLET

Clio

Oct

ELLEI

3 LOUGHBOROUGH

KNIGHT 3 JERVIS

Fig

CLIO

5 0

2 5 ^

2 5 2 5

75 -

Sept

—

— C a

° ;

r a HO

* « « 3 » Tons Grilse amount 175 of E . Adult herringcaughtwith salmon s « ? « . searched 1 -. 5 T . shaded • 0 fco . 75 for c - in

100 V R Y 50 . 3 ^ S A : • 25 - u U g

JC ^ 2000 1000 H " n M C7 u ilia 9 175150 nyj 8 £ 3 125 PASS

M ot o 5000 0 o rrr I: 5 5 3 4000 100 50 C 3000 H u 25 Nov Nov non 16 5 2 . 2 . . . .. Nov Nov Nov 30 Dec C Denman . . J 2 2000 12 9 23 s ...... 1000 . 19 3 Oct by 27 Oct Oct 2 The Oct weeks of 100

7 and , tons , of

Island and Discovery tons and per catch Passage rs searched

ig « ? adult sol herring

herrir nuriw at 1 ; grilse

' — - l - ïï ?

ID C jjj XU Tons - R of i A Adult her E ring caught 17 with llfej amount Grilsesearchedsalmonfor In 5000shaded ïï

' I 100 TTt 75 . 4000 3000 dfl 5 A . flE 50à i ; LLfill 2000 üÉ

J 1000 ( 8 IOC75 R HE f J - 4000 17 ' ! 3000 ILa • 50 m . I 25 1 9 " : IS : . 2000 • 1000 R r 3 i E 5

60 : A rrr 2000 • • 16 i a 1000 . . Dec Nov Nov Nov 3 ô 19 26 A Ik Oct Oct Nov 23 . irrri and . . Seo Nov . ARE Oct Oct calno tons LQ Areas by 1000 T2 12 19searched numbers of • 1 30 h Fig tons and grilse W of A 27 B . . . 100 herrin. catch adult per 3 18 herring in . The , and 17 17 . weeks 3 , , i. . “ 2 . 2

9 .

1000

2000

1000

3000

for

her

shaded

caught

amount

and

with

searched salmon

ring

Tons

oose

Clo

Grilse

Adult

]

Dec

ODD

weeks

Nov

herring

tons

Nov

100

per

Nov

grilse

and

salmon

Nov

adult

Nov

numbers

and

Oct

searched

tons

Oct

catch

y 12

Sound

Oct

herring

Barkley

The

OOSE

Oct

ARKLEI

Fig

CLO

Sept

: _

—

•

825 c

•

c ^ lights

without

lights

- -

and

set

Nov

Dec

with

Night

Iky

Night

sots

night

and

sets

Nov

day

from

herring

GRILSE

ADULT

. .

tons

Oct

Nov

per

inlets

lion

inlane

rrm

jnn

rilse

— —

i i

Oct

periods

adult

biweekly

numbers

27 5

lights

The

Oct

Sept

Fig

10 20

20 10

)

o M

•

CO CO

< o

* o

C §

U O

S -

5 H zz 8 =

- rtl L H I â S 30 2 1 - - DU sz 20 , a jNight ° Bright • 10 to Vi

L * set e a lights lights D met 3 30 SALMON setDay ü ] no w T 5 H H 3 * U 1 À 0 ; rH ) 16 20 16 3®a i Nov1 j 5 Dec o Nov 5 Oct Nov rH 19 Oct Vancouver O to . 10 Sept to 19tons to to adult Oct eastto E sets lightshe coast herringfrom sets numbersbiweekly salmon per . 27 ofof Islandday night . ° the . with without 100 3 periodsand grilse middle and and for in of . 2 . 0 . 2 . .

o 2

» |

3 - -

° LI . HIT 6 3 Z 30 3 3 - g ? [ -

g tt 20 •

JZ Hr ]

10 . «

0 3 20

5 Nov d 16 16 D to numbers lot Nov 5 Oct Nov Dec O 19 19 to P lights oii . tone i 10 to coast Vancouver sets H Sept . Octto Island Oct oU per adult day grilse Fig eekly The in salmon herring . night 27 . er east of . to vithout 5 periodr the of sets. with i / for 100 2 from and H and

2 0 . 2 .7

a , .

/ |

( ,

| lights

Iights

without

- -

set

and

Dec

Nov

set

with

Night Night

fini

sets

night

and

sets

Nov

day

Island

from

Vancouver

herring

of of

Oct

tons

Nov

coast

100

west

ADULT

per

lower

salmon

the

for

grilse

Oct

and

periods

adult

biweekly

numbers

lights

Oct

The

Sept

Fig

20 10

— CQ Ù

KH O O O

H B

o I

0 c c

•