Pacific Salmon Commission 2010/2011 Twenty Sixth 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 Twenty Sixth Annual Report 2010/2011 Vancouver, B.C. Canada November 2013 ii 600 – 1155 ROBSON STREET VANCOUVER, B.C. V6E 1B5 ESTABLISHED BY TREATY BETWEEN CANADA TELEPHONE: (604) 684-8081 AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FAX: (604) 666-8707 MARCH 18, 1985 Our File: Your File: Letter of Transmittal In compliance with Article II, Paragraph 14 of the Treaty between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America concerning Pacific salmon (the Treaty), it is my pleasure as Chair of the Pacific Salmon Commission to present my compliments to the Parties and to transmit the Twenty Sixth Annual Report of the Commission. This report summarizes the activities of the Commission for the fiscal year April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. It reports on the results of the 2010 fishing season and on meetings of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies. Also included are the annual reports of the Northern and Southern Fund Committees, and an independent auditor’s report on financial activities of the Commission during the fiscal year April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011 Additional details about the Commission’s activities and the Treaty are available at www.psc.org. Sincerely, iii PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION ______________________ OFFICERS for 2010/2011 Chair Ms. Susan Farlinger Vice-Chair Mr. Olney Patt, Jr. COMMISSIONERS Canada United States Mr. Ron Fowler Mr. David Bedford Mr. Gerry Kristianson Dr. Jeffrey Koenings Mr. Saul Terry Mr. Larry Rutter Mr. Russ Jones Mr. Ron Allen Mr. Paul Macgillivray Mr. James E. Bacon Dr. Brian E. Riddell Mr. Roy Elicker Mr. John Field ______________________ iv Contents Table of Contents CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................................................. v INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION .................................................................................................................... 5 A. EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION ............................................................. 6 B. MEETING OF THE COMMISSION AND PANELS ........................................................................................... 7 C. PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION ANNUAL MEETING ................................................................................ 8 ACTIVITIES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES ........................................................................................... 11 A. MEETINGS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ................................................................................................................................................... 12 B. MEETINGS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION ................................... 13 C. MEETINGS OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN FUND COMMITTEES .............................................. 13 ACTIVITIES OF THE PANELS ............................................................................................................................. 17 A. FRASER RIVER PANEL .................................................................................................................................... 18 B. NORTHERN PANEL .......................................................................................................................................... 18 C. SOUTHERN PANEL ........................................................................................................................................... 18 D. TRANSBOUNDARY PANEL ............................................................................................................................ 19 REVIEW OF 2010 FISHERIES AND TREATY-RELATED PERFORMANCE ............................................... 21 A. FRASER RIVER SOCKEYE SALMON ............................................................................................................. 22 B. 2010 POST-SEASON REPORT FOR CANADIAN TREATY LIMIT FISHERIES .......................................... 25 C. 2010 POST-SEASON REPORT FOR UNITED STATES SALMON FISHERIES OF RELEVANCE TO THE PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION ................................................................................... 96 D. UPDATE REPORTS FOR SALMONID ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA .......................................................................................................................... 165 REPORTS OF THE JOINT TECHNICAL COMMITTEES ............................................................................. 169 A. JOINT CHINOOK TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ............................................................................................. 170 B. JOINT CHUM TECHNICAL COMMITTEE .................................................................................................... 175 C. JOINT COHO TECHNICAL COMMITTEE .................................................................................................... 175 D. JOINT NORTHERN BOUNDARY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE................................................................... 175 E. JOINT TRANSBOUNDARY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ............................................................................ 179 F. JOINT TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON DATA SHARING ........................................................................... 187 G. JOINT SELECTIVE FISHERY EVALUATION COMMITTEE ...................................................................... 187 H. HABITAT AND RESTORATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE .................................................................... 187 PUBLICATIONS OF THE PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION ..................................................................... 189 REPORT OF THE AUDITORS FOR 2010/2011 ................................................................................................. 193 APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................................................... 223 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS FOR 2010/2011 ................................................................................................... 224 APPROVED BUDGET FY 2011/2012 ..................................................................................................................... 225 NORTHERN FUND PROJECTS FOR 2010/2011 ................................................................................................... 226 SOUTHERN FUND PROJECTS FOR 2010/2011 .................................................................................................... 227 PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION SECRETARIAT STAFF AS OF MARCH 31, 2011 ..................................... 228 MEMBERSHIP LISTS FOR STANDING COMMITTEES, PANELS, JOINT TECHNICAL COMMITTEES AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS AS OF MARCH 31, 2011 ........................................................ 229 v vi INTRODUCTION 1 Since the early 20th century, Canada and the United States have discussed and collaborated on Pacific salmon conservation and management. Interception of Pacific salmon bound for rivers of one country in fisheries of the other has been a particularly important issue over the years. Scientific research identified a number of intercepting fisheries on species and stocks originating from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. This research indicated that Alaskan fishers were catching some of the salmon bound for British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Canadian fishers off the West Coast of Vancouver Island were capturing some of the salmon bound for rivers of Washington and Oregon, while fishers in northern British Columbia were intercepting certain fish returning to Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. U.S. fishers were catching Fraser River salmon as they traveled through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the San Juan Islands towards the Fraser River. Cooperative management of stocks subject to interception became a matter of common concern to Canada and the United States, and governments desired a mechanism to enable each country to reap the benefits of its respective management and enhancement efforts. That mechanism is now provided through the Treaty Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Concerning Pacific Salmon (hereafter the “Pacific Salmon Treaty” or “the Treaty”), which entered into force upon the exchange of instruments of ratification by the President of the United States of America and the Prime Minister of Canada on March 18, 1985. The treaty, inter alia, established a) a bilateral fishery management organization known as the Pacific Salmon Commission (the Commission), and b) bilateral fishery management regimes for conservation and harvest sharing of salmon stocks. Each country (Party) retains jurisdictional management authority but must manage its fisheries in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Treaty. The Treaty is intended to enable bilateral conservation and enhancement to prevent overfishing, increase production, and ensure that each country receives benefits equivalent to its own salmon production. The Commission also serves as a forum for