2011 Information Document to Assist Development of a Fraser Chinook Management Plan DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES RECORD OF REVISIONS Plan: 2011 Fraser River Chinook Information Document Date last revised: Wednesday, March 9, 2011 Version Number: 1 (this number will change if amendments are issued in-season) # Date Page Subject Revision Details Contact ADDITIONAL NOTES: 2 Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................................................4 LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................................4 1. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................1 2. LIFECYCLE ............................................................................................................................................1 2.1. NOMENCLATURE.........................................................................................................................................2 3. GENERAL CONTEXT ...........................................................................................................................3 3.1. POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES ..........................................3 3.2. PACIFIC SALMON TREATY ...........................................................................................................................4 3.2.1. PST Renewal..................................................................................................................................................... 5 3.3. SPECIAL CONCERNS FOR 2011 ....................................................................................................................6 4. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ...........................................................................................................7 4.1. CONSERVATION ...........................................................................................................................................7 4.2. FIRST NATIONS OBJECTIVES .......................................................................................................................8 4.3. INTERNATIONAL OBJECTIVES......................................................................................................................8 4.4. DOMESTIC ALLOCATION OBJECTIVES .........................................................................................................8 5. STOCK ASSESSMENT ..........................................................................................................................9 5.1. MANAGEMENT UNITS .................................................................................................................................9 5.2. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF FRASER CHINOOK...............................................................................12 5.2.1. Lower Fraser River Stocks.............................................................................................................................. 12 5.2.2. Other Populations/Watersheds of Note in the lower Fraser River................................................................... 12 5.2.3. Interior Fraser River Stocks ............................................................................................................................ 13 5.3. STOCK ASSESSMENT METHODS ................................................................................................................13 5.4. FORECASTS...............................................................................................................................................14 5.5. ESCAPEMENT OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................17 5.6. ALBION TEST FISHERY..............................................................................................................................17 6. ENHANCEMENT..................................................................................................................................18 6.1. LOWER FRASER CHINOOK ENHANCEMENT...............................................................................................18 6.1.1. Chilliwack River Hatchery.............................................................................................................................. 18 6.1.2. Chehalis Hatchery ........................................................................................................................................... 18 6.2. INTERIOR FRASER CHINOOK ENHANCEMENT............................................................................................18 6.2.1. Spius Creek Hatchery...................................................................................................................................... 19 6.2.2. Shuswap Falls Hatchery.................................................................................................................................. 19 7. FISHERIES MANAGEMENT .............................................................................................................19 7.1. FISHERIES IMPACTING FRASER RIVER CHINOOK.......................................................................................19 7.1.1. First Nations Fisheries..................................................................................................................................... 20 7.1.2. Recreational Fisheries ..................................................................................................................................... 20 7.1.3. Commercial Fisheries...................................................................................................................................... 21 7.2. 2010 FISHING PLAN AND OBJECTIVES.......................................................................................................22 7.2.1. Fraser Spring 42 Chinook ................................................................................................................................ 22 7.2.2. Spring 52 and Summer 52 Fraser Chinook....................................................................................................... 25 7.2.3. First Nations Fisheries..................................................................................................................................... 28 7.2.4. Recreational Fisheries ..................................................................................................................................... 29 7.2.5. Commercial Fisheries...................................................................................................................................... 30 7.3. CATCH MONITORING ................................................................................................................................32 7.3.1. First Nations Fisheries..................................................................................................................................... 32 7.3.2. Recreational Fisheries ..................................................................................................................................... 35 7.3.3. Commercial Fisheries...................................................................................................................................... 37 7.4. 2010 FISHERY SUMMARY..........................................................................................................................37 7.4.1. First Nations Fisheries..................................................................................................................................... 38 3 7.4.2. Recreational Fisheries ..................................................................................................................................... 39 7.4.3. Commercial Fisheries...................................................................................................................................... 42 7.5. ASSESSMENT OF FISHERY IMPACTS ON FRASER RIVER CHINOOK..............................................................43 7.6. PROPOSED 2011 FISHING PLAN.................................................................................................................43 7.6.1. First Nations Fisheries..................................................................................................................................... 46 7.6.2. Recreational Fisheries ..................................................................................................................................... 47 7.6.3. Commercial Fisheries...................................................................................................................................... 47 List of Tables TABLE 1. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CURRENT PACIFIC SALMON TREATY ESCAPEMENT REPORTING UNITS, WILD SALMON POLICY (WSP) CONSERVATION UNITS (CUS) AND SPAWNING LOCATIONS .............................................10 TABLE 2. DEFINITIONS OF SALMON OUTLOOK CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA ..................................................................15 TABLE 3: 2011 OUTLOOK STATUSES FOR FRASER RIVER CHINOOK .............................................................................16 TABLE 4: SPRING 52 AND SUMMER 52 FRASER CHINOOK MANAGEMENT ZONE APPROACH 2010.................................27