Submitted to the Marine Stewardship Council on June 1, 2009. The Manuscript Report will be available through DFO’s library website at http://inter01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/waves2/index.html Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences #### 2009 CERTIFICATION UNIT PROFILE: INNER SOUTH COAST CHUM SALMON (EXCLUDING FRASER RIVER) by P. Van Will, R. Brahniuk, L. Hop Wo, and G. Pestal1 Fisheries & Aquaculture Management Branch Department of Fisheries and Oceans 200 - 401 Burrard St Vancouver, BC V6C 3S4 1SOLV Consulting Ltd., Vancouver, BC V6H 4B9 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2009. Cat. No. Fs 97-4/2855E-PDF ISSN 1488-5387 Correct citation for this publication: Van Will P. R. Brahniuk, L. Hop Wo and G. Pestal . 2009. Certification Unit Profile: Inner South Coast Chum Salmon (Excluding Fraser River). Can. Man. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. ####: vii + 63p. Table of Contents Abstract......................................................................................................................................... vi Résumé .......................................................................................................................................... vi Preface.......................................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Stocks covered in this document................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Fisheries covered in this document ............................................................................................ 1 2 Background and Stock Objectives ....................................................................................... 3 2.1 Life history ................................................................................................................................. 3 2.1.1 Stock units...........................................................................................................................................................3 2.1.2 Stock characteristics............................................................................................................................................6 2.2 Stock enhancement activities ..................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1 Enhancement approach .......................................................................................................................................7 2.2.2 Inner South Coast chum enhancement facilities..................................................................................................8 2.3 Fisheries intercepting Inner South Coast chum.......................................................................... 9 2.3.1 Overview.............................................................................................................................................................9 2.3.2 First Nations......................................................................................................................................................10 2.3.3 Recreational.......................................................................................................................................................10 2.3.4 Commercial.......................................................................................................................................................11 2.4 Stock objectives........................................................................................................................ 12 2.4.1 Regional objectives ...........................................................................................................................................12 2.4.2 Conservation objectives for Inner South Coast chum salmon...........................................................................12 2.4.3 Management objectives for Inner South Coast chum fisheries .........................................................................13 2.4.4 Performance Measures ......................................................................................................................................14 3 Management Framework.................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Regional approach to salmon harvest....................................................................................... 15 3.2 Harvest strategy for Inner South Coast chum salmon.............................................................. 15 3.3 Decision Guidelines for Commercial Fisheries........................................................................ 17 3.3.1 Johnstone Strait mixed-stock fisheries (Areas 12, 13) ......................................................................................17 3.3.2 Johnstone Strait terminal chum fisheries...........................................................................................................19 3.3.3 Strait of Georgia terminal chum fisheries .........................................................................................................21 4 Assessment Framework....................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................. 29 4.2 Annual Monitoring................................................................................................................... 29 4.2.1 Escapement .......................................................................................................................................................29 4.2.2 Other abundance monitoring programs.............................................................................................................29 iii 4.2.3 Catch .................................................................................................................................................................31 4.3 Analysis.................................................................................................................................... 32 4.3.1 Stock composition.............................................................................................................................................32 4.3.2 Pre-season Outlook ...........................................................................................................................................32 4.3.3 Trend Summaries ..............................................................................................................................................33 5 Stock Status .......................................................................................................................... 35 5.1 Regular status evaluations........................................................................................................ 35 5.2 Present Status........................................................................................................................... 35 5.2.1 Conservation priorities ......................................................................................................................................35 5.2.2 Production objectives ........................................................................................................................................35 5.3 Trends....................................................................................................................................... 36 5.3.1 Escapement .......................................................................................................................................................36 5.3.2 Catch and exploitation rate................................................................................................................................36 5.3.3 Survey coverage ................................................................................................................................................36 5.3.4 Index of escapement by population (Pavg) .......................................................................................................36 6 Conservation Measures in Inner South Coast Chum Fisheries ...................................... 37 6.1 Coast-wide conservation strategy............................................................................................. 37 6.2 Chum conservation measures................................................................................................... 37 6.3 Measures to reduce incidental harvest and by-catch in chum fisheries ................................... 38 References .................................................................................................................................... 39 Tables ........................................................................................................................................... 41 Figures.......................................................................................................................................... 51 iv List of Tables Table 1. Population Structure of Inner South Coast chum .................................................................... 41 Table 2. Escapement summary for Inner South