Biological Reconnaissance of Chum Salmon in the Lower Bella Coola Valley to May, 1979 Fisheries and Marine Service Manuscript Re
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Biological Reconnaissance of Chum Salmon in the Lower Bella Coola Valley to May, 1979 Russ T. Hilland Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans Fisheries Management Salmonid Enhancement Program 1090 W. Pender St., Vancouver, ~.C. V6E 2P1 DECEM BER 1979 Fisheries and Marine Service Manuscript Report #1543 Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences These reports contain scientific and technical information that represents an important contribution to existing knowledge but which for some reason may not be appropriate for primary scientific (i.e. Journal) publication. They differ from Tech nical Reports in terms of subject scope and potential audience: Manuscript Reports deal primarily with national or regional problems and distribution is generally restrict ed to institutions or individuals located in particular regions of Canada. No restriction is placed on subject matter and the series reflects the broad interests and policies of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, namely, fisheries management, technology and development, ocean sciences, and aquatic environments relevant to Canada. Manuscript Reports may be cited as full publications. The correct citation appears above the abstract of each report. Each report will be abstracted by Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts and will be indexed annually in the Department's index to scientific and technical publications. Numbers 1-900 in this series were issued as Manuscript Reports (Biological Series) of the Biological Board of Canada, and subsequent to 1937 when the name of the Board was changed by Act of Parliament, as Manuscript Reports (Biological Series) of the F isheries Research Board of Canada. Numbers 901-1425 were issued as Manuscript Reports of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada. Numbers 1426-1550 were issued as Department of Fisheries and the Environment, Fisheries and Marine Service Manuscript Reports. The current series name was changed with report number 1551. Details on the availability of Manuscript Reports in hard copy may be obtained from the issuing establishment indicated on the front cover. Rapport manuscrit canadien des sciences halieutiques et aquatiques Ces rapports contiennent des renseignements scientifiques et techniques qui constituent une contribution importante aux connaissances actuelles mais qui, pour une raison au pour une autre, ne semblent pas appro pries pour la publication dans un journal scientifique. Ils se distinguent des Rapports techniques par la portee du sujet et Ie lecteur vise; en effet, ils s'attachent principalement a des problemes d'ordre national au regional et la distribution en est generalement limitee aux organismes et aux personnes de regions particulieres du Canada. II n'y a aucune restriction quant au sujet; de fait, la serie reflete la vaste gamme des inten~ts et des politiques du Ministere des Peches et des Oceans, notamment gestion des peches; techniques et developpe ment, sciences oceaniques et environnements aquatiques, au Canada. Les Manuscrits peuvent etre consideres comme des publications completes. Le titre exact parait au haut du resume de chaque rapport, qui sera publie dans la revue Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts et qui figuera dans I'index annuel des publi cations scientifiques et techniques du Ministere. Les numeros de I II 900 de cetle serie ont ete publies II titre de manuscrits (Serie biologique) de l'Office de biologie du Canada, et apres Ie changement de la designation de cet organisme par decret du Parlement, en 1937, ant ete classes en tant que manus crits (Serie biologique) de l'Office des recherches sur les pecheries du Canada. Les numeros allant de 901 II 1425 ont ote publies II titre de manuscrits de l'Office des recherches sur les pecheries du Canada. Les numeros 1426111550 ont ete publies II titre de Rapport manuscrits du Service des peches et de la mer, Ministere des Peches et de l'Environnement. Le nom de la serie a ete change a partir du rapport numero 1551. La page couverture porte Ie nom de l'etablissement auteur ou 1'0n peut se procurer les rapports sous couverture cartonnee. I BIOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE of CHUM SALMON in the BELLA COOLA VALLEY to MAY , 1979 RUSS T. HILLAND Department of Fisheries and Oceans Fisheries Management Salmonid Enhancement Program 1090 W. Pender St . , Vancouver , B. C. V6E 2Pl DEC E M B E R 1 979 FISHERIES and MARI NE SERVICE MANUSCRIPT REPORT #1543 i ABSTRACT Hilland, Russ T . 1979 . Biological Reconnaissance of Chum Sal mon in the Lower Bella Coola Valley to May, 1979 . Fish. Mar . Ser e Man . Rep. Series No . 1543 , Vancouver B.C. The results of Chum salmon studies conducted in the Bella Coola Valley to May 1979 are presented, along with relevant background data . water quality parameters were determined for a hatchery supply and temp eratures monitored throughout the study area. The timing and size of migrant wild fry were studied and compared to the results of previous fry studies. Timing, abundance and distribution of churn spawners were estimated using temporary fences, seining and walking surveys . Spawner characteristics were determined from both live and dead samples (age composition ; 27 . 4% age 3 , 65 . 3% age 4 , 7.2% age 5; sex- ratio : 1 . 6 males per female; mean fecundity: 3086 eggs per female; mean length : males 77 . 5 cm, females 69 . 2 cm; mean' weight: males 6 . 7 kg., females 5 . 5 kg . ) . Differences in morphology and timing were not apparent in fish from the various tributaries . A pilot egg-take resulted in the acquisition of approximately 135 , 727 eggs; 133,324 (98 . 2%) survived to the eyed stage; 114,494 (84 . 4%) emerged as fry . The fry were reared to . 77 gms . and 72,234 marked with a left pelvic fin clip prior to release . Key words: Bella Coola Valley, Chum Salmon , hatchery , fry studies, spawner characteristics, pilot egg-take. ii I , RESUME Le r"pport prcsente les resultats des etudes menees jusqull! mai 1979 sur Ie saumon ketn dans la vallee de Ia Bella Coola, ainsi que des donnees de base sur Ie sujet . On a determine les parametres de qualite de l'eau necessaires a l'approvisionnement d'une .piscifacture, et on a controle les temperatures dans toute la zone etud I.ee. On a etudie et compare a des resultats anterieurs Ie temps de croissance et la taille des alevins sauvages au moment de la migration. On a estirhe Ie t emps de croissance, l'abondance et la distribution des saumons keta reproducteurs a I'aide de barrie res de denomb r emen t ou de sennes et par des releveseffectues a pied. On a releve les caracteristiques des reproducteurs a partir d'echantilions morts et vivants (composition par age : 27,4 % ages de 3. ans, 65,3 % a gcs de 4 ans, 7,2 % ages de 5 ans ; rapport des sexes: 1,6 male par femelle ; fecondite moyenne: 3 086 oeufs par femelle; longueur moyenne : males 77,S cm, fcmelles 69 , 2 cm; poids moyen: males 6 , 7 kg, femelles 5,5 kg.) Aucune difference n'npparaissait dans la morphologie et Ie temps de croissance des poissons provenant des divers affluents. Un prclevement pilote d'oeufs a permis de recolter 135 727 oeufs; 133 324 (98,2 %) ant survecu jusqu'au stade embryonne; 114 494 (84,4 %) sont devenus des alevins. Les alevins ont ete eleves jusqu'a ce qu'ils atteignent Ie poids de 0,77 g, et 72 234 ant ete marques a la nageoire pelvienne de gauche avant d'et re liberes . Mots cles: vallee de la Bella Coola, saumon keta, piscifacture, etudes sur les alevins , caracteristiques des r eproducteurs, prelevement pilote d'oeufs. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT --------------------- ------------------------------- i LIST OF TABLES -------- ---------------- - --------------------- v LIST OF FIGURES ----------------- ---------------------------- vi INTRODUCTION - - ------------------------------------- --------- 1 STUDY AREA -------------------- ------------------------------ 1 CLIMATE OF THE BELLA COOLA VALLEY ----- ----------------- 4 OCEANOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF BURKE CHANNEL ---------------- 6 BACKGROUND INFORMATION -------------------------- - ---------- - 6 SPECIES AND STOCK I NTERACTIONS - -- --- - -----~- -- - - ---- - -- 7 HISTORIC CHUM SALMON ESCAPEMENTS ----------------------- 7 BELLA COOLA MAI NS TREAM SPAWNING ------------------------ 8 HATCHERY SITE SELECTION ---- - --------------------------- 8 METHODS AND MATERIALS - - ----------- - - - ------ - ---------------- 9 TEMPERATURE MON ITORING - --- ------------- - ---- ----------- 9 Ocean Temperat ures --- -------------- - -------------- 9 Groundwater Temperatures -------- ------------------ 9 Stream Temperatures - - -------- ----- - - ----.---------- 9 WATER QUALITY TESTS - -------- ---------- --------------- -- 9 Pr e liminary Sampling -~ - --- - ---- ---- - -- -- -------- - - 9 The 1979 Samp ling Program -----------------------7- 10 FRY TRAPPING ----------------------------- - --------- ---- 10 ADULT STUDIES (1978) - ------ - --- ______0 ______ ------ - - ---- 14 Enumeration - ------ --------------------- --- -------- 14 . Biological Characteristics - ------------ ----------- 14 PILOT EGG - TAKE - ----- ----------------------- ------------ 16 RESULTS ------------------------------------ --- - --- ---------- 18 TEMPERATURE MONITORING ----- ----------- ----------------- 18 Ocean Temperature Monitoring - ---- -------- - -------- 18 Groundwater Temperatures - - ---- ------------- ------- 18 Stream Temperatures - - --------- ------ - - ---- -------- 20 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont ' d) Page WATER QUALITY TESTS --------------------------- ----- --------- 21 FRY TRAPPING ---------------------------------------- --------