Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2877 2009 CERTIFICATION UNIT PROFILE: INNER SOUTH COAST PINK SALMON (EXCLUDING FRASER RIVER) by P. Van Will, R. Brahniuk, 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 97-4/2877E-PDF ISSN 1488-5387 Correct citation for this publication: Van Will P. R. Brahniuk, and G. Pestal . 2009. Certification Unit Profile: Inner South Coast Pink Salmon (Excluding Fraser River). Can. Man. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2877: 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 pink salmon enhancement facilities.......................................................................................8 2.3 Fisheries intercepting Inner South Coast pink salmon............................................................. 10 2.3.1 Overview...........................................................................................................................................................10 2.3.2 First Nations......................................................................................................................................................10 2.3.3 Recreational.......................................................................................................................................................11 2.3.4 Commercial.......................................................................................................................................................12 2.4 Stock objectives........................................................................................................................ 13 2.4.1 Regional objectives ...........................................................................................................................................13 2.4.2 Conservation objectives for Inner South Coast pink salmon.............................................................................13 2.4.3 Management objectives for Inner South Coast pink salmon fisheries...............................................................14 2.4.4 Performance Measures ......................................................................................................................................15 3 Management Framework.................................................................................................... 17 3.1 Regional approach to salmon harvest....................................................................................... 17 3.2 Harvest strategy for Inner South Coast pink salmon................................................................ 17 3.3 Decision Guidelines for Commercial Fisheries........................................................................ 18 3.3.1 Mainland inlets terminal pink fisheries (Area 12/13)........................................................................................18 3.3.2 Pink salmon retention in other Inner South Coast salmon fisheries (Areas 11 to 19) .......................................20 4 Assessment Framework....................................................................................................... 23 4.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................. 23 4.2 Annual Monitoring................................................................................................................... 23 4.2.1 Escapement .......................................................................................................................................................23 4.2.2 Other abundance monitoring programs.............................................................................................................23 4.2.3 Catch .................................................................................................................................................................24 iii 4.3 Analysis.................................................................................................................................... 26 4.3.1 Stock Composition and Exploitation Rates.......................................................................................................26 4.3.2 Pre-season Outlook ...........................................................................................................................................27 4.3.3 Trend Summaries ..............................................................................................................................................27 5 Stock Status .......................................................................................................................... 29 5.1 Regular status evaluations........................................................................................................ 29 5.2 Present Status........................................................................................................................... 29 5.2.1 Conservation priorities ......................................................................................................................................29 5.2.2 Production objectives ........................................................................................................................................29 5.3 Trends....................................................................................................................................... 30 5.3.1 Escapement .......................................................................................................................................................30 5.3.2 Catch and Exploitation Rate..............................................................................................................................31 5.3.3 Survey coverage ................................................................................................................................................31 5.3.4 Index of escapement by population (Pavg) .......................................................................................................31 6 Conservation Measures in Inner South Coast Pink Salmon Fisheries ........................... 32 6.1 Coast-wide conservation strategy............................................................................................. 32 6.2 Pink salmon conservation measures......................................................................................... 32 6.3 Measures to reduce incidental harvest and by-catch in pink salmon fisheries......................... 33 References .................................................................................................................................... 35 Tables ........................................................................................................................................... 36 Figures.......................................................................................................................................... 47 iv List of Tables Table 1. Population Structure of Inner South Coast pink salmon.......................................................... 36 Table 2. Escapement summary for Inner South Coast pink salmon ....................................................... 38 Table 3. Catch summary for Inner South Coast pink salmon – Odd years............................................ 41 Table 4. Catch summary for Inner South Coast pink salmon – Even years .......................................... 42 Table 5. Operational Management Escapement Goals (MEG) for Inner South Coast pink salmon – Management Areas. ...............................................................................................................................