Field Services Branch Fisheries and Oceans Pacific Region ..... Government of Canada Gouvernement du Canada • """I"" Fisheries and Oceans Peches et Oceans Field Services Branch Department of Fisheries and Oceans 1090 West Pender Street Vancouver, B.C. V6E 2P1 EdIted and compiled by Maxine Glover & Cindy Low Glover Business Communications Ltd. Cover design and layout by Bev Bowler Word processIng of the text by Doug Harris Cover photo by Mar; Trim: Salmon seiner in Barkley Sound Contents Directors' Reports .. 1 Habitat Management. 78 Coordination and liaison. 78 Fraser River, Northern B.C. and Yukon .. 4 Land Use ............. 81 Kamloops District ..... 5 Water Quality .. ... 91 New Westminster District .................... 7 Water Use ............ 97 Whitehorse District ........... 11 Management Biology ... 14 Management Services... .................. 103 Southern Inspection District. 20 Recreational Fisheries Coordinator.... .. 104 Recreational Fisheries Advisor. .. .... 104 South Coast 22 Training and Career Development... .... 105 Nanaimo District 22 Field Services Systems. ... .... 106 Port Alberni District. 27 Campbell River District. 31 Ship Division ...... .. 109 Victoria District 34 Management Biology 38 Fisheries Development. .. 112 Habitat Management 45 Vancouver Island Inspection District 45 Headquarters Support ... .... 115 Herring Coordinator ...... 115 Northern Operations. 46 Licence Appeals Board ..... ..... 115 Kitimat District .. 47 Licence Appeals Committee .116 Queen Charlotte District 53 Salmon Coordinator .. .117 Prince Rupert District ... 58 Salmon Services. .118 Management Biology. ......... 62 Northern Inspection District .................. 66 Appendices. ... 121 A Key Field Services Branch Staff ..... 122 Offshore 67 B Advisory Committees ..... 124 Special Programs and Management .. 67 C Publications List ... .......... 129 Offshore Operations. ........ 68 D Field Services Offices. ....... 130 Offshore Surveillance and Enforcement ............. 68 Operations Center .......................... 72 ~~c~ n Inspection Engineering 73 Shellfish Coordinator.. 74 Boat Inspection. 75 Product Inspection 75 Bacteriological Laboratory 76 Chemical Laboratory... 76 Fishing Vessel Insurance Plan. ................ 77 Directors' Reports vessels came into being. In addition Field Services to setting out more clearly the terms and conditions of vessel licencing, I am very pleased to provide some they should form a sound basis on which introductory comments to the 19B2 fleet rationalization can be developed. Review of activities of the Field Ser­ vices Branch, Department of Fisheries I am also pleased to note the and Oceans, Pacific Region. establishment of closer ties between our Branch and Fisheries Research in The Field Services Branch is often order to encourage the development of described as the leading or cutting joint programs for the creation and edge a f the Department, as it is the application of more precise salmon group which has responsibility for the management tools. Techniques, such as day-to-day management of the fisheries electrophoresis and scale analysis, and for the enforcement of the various used for the identification of salmon Fisheries Acts and Regulations and for runs and to assess the size of compo­ the protection of the resource. nents of intermingled runs, should be of very great value to our managers in The Branch is now totally decentral­ the future. ized, with area managers in Nanaimo and New Westminster and a director in The three-area system for the Prince Rupert. Collectively, they management of the roe herring fishery manage operations in ten districts and was employed successfully for the 30 subdistricts. Each area office now second year in 19B2. However, the has the capability to deal with many of fixed quota management system under the responsibilities of the Branch, development ultimately should be an such as vessel licencing and insurance, even better approach to the fishery. inspection of processing facilities and products, enforcement of fisheries The Branch has a very signi ficant regulations, management of 'fisheries responsibility for the protection of and habitat issues. fish habitat. This can a ften be an area of conflict with other resource A number of new initiatives were users, where their encroachment can undertaken in 19B2 which reflect the harm or endanger fish and their habi­ present emphasis of the Branch. tat. In order to help resolve such conflicts, the Department is developing A special covert operation was a policy of "No Net Loss" with respect undertaken in 19B2 against salmon to such matters, in the hope that the poaching on the Fraser River and the concept will provide reasonable grounds illegal sale of such fish. While the for the resolution of such differences results of this exercise were somewhat and for the maintenance of the produc­ controversial, they demonstrated the tive capacity of fish habitat. magnitude a f the poaching problem and reaffirmed the Branch's dedication to a In 1983, we will continue to upgrade strong enforcement program and improve the Department's radio com­ munication network, as well as improve We are also pleased to report that staff housing at various isolated posts new regulations dealing with the on the coast. registration and, licencing of fishing 1 In 1982, a new senior management team was established in Ottawa, with Northern Operations the appointments of Dr. Art Mayas deputy minister and Gary Vernon as The 1982 salmon season in the North assistant deputy minister. Coast was characterized by high fishing effort, a record return and catches of I extend my appreciation to the Skeena sockeye and disappointing staff for their continuing dedication returns of pink and chum. It was a and hard work in the face of very challenging season, for our managers difficult challenges. were faced, in many cases, with too many boats for the few fish available. I trust that you will find the 1982 report both interesting and useful in As predicted, the salmon season saw understanding the work and activities concentrated fishing by a large fleet of the Branch. in sped fic areas. The returns to the Skeena system were larger than expect­ ed, and the fleet was regulated to exploit this run in periods of not more than two or three days at a time. D. D. Wilson, Fishing times were controlled to Director, attempt to allow additional "dId stocks Field Services Branch. of sockeye, chinook and steelhead to escape the commercial fishery and head for spawning grounds. As expected, the Central Coast fail­ ed to produce pink salmon. This fact, combined wi th the poor fishing oppor­ tunities in the south, resulted in large fleets in the north. For example, during one opening, 400 sein­ ers and 1,200 gillnetters fished north of Cape Caution. The Queen Charlottes had the largest seine effort on record. Similarly, large numbers of gillnets fished Smith Inlet; the sock­ eye return was greater than expected and the fleet fished for an extended period. Escapements to the Smith Inlet in 1982 were also the highest on record. The Rivers Inlet sockeye return was sufficient for a good escapement. The strength of this run is increasing and a much-improved fishery is hoped for in the future. Chinook conservation measures Were imposed in 1982 in the north coast: a two-week northern troll closure during the last half of June and implemen>R­ lion 0 f a quota on the net catch in Areas 1 and 2W. Millbanke Sound was closed during July as a chum conserva- 2 tion move, but the closure also bene­ technician and an administration fited chinook. Further conservation officer have joined ranks. In addi­ measures for all groups are required in tion, the Branch established a fully­ 1983 in order to comply with the operational licencing section and Canada-U.S.A. agreement. issued 5,006 licences and tabs in 1982. Consolidation of processing plants I wish to express my appreciation in the north continued during 1982. for the effort and dedication that the Port Edward was closed, leaving the Northern· Operations staff have demon­ Cassiar plant as the only operating strated in the management of the fish­ plant on the Skeena River. Oceanside eries resource. I am also appreciative has expanded to become the largest of the support which has enabled me to salmon cannery in B.C. carry out my role. The 1982 roe herring season was a success. The fishery was well managed; a team approach was used in all areas. The anticipated catches, the .seine/ gillnet ratio of catch, quality and roe Eric Kremer, yield of catch were all met. Spawn Director, levels were relatively high in compar­ Nothern Operations. ison to prev ious years; however, there was some concern due to the preponder­ ance of older fish and the apparent lack of recruitment. Nevertheless, the quality and age of the fish provided high roe yields for fishermen and processors. Groundfish landings were down in Prince Rupert in 1982, due to poor market conditions and to the closure of Seal Cove, which had operated as a cold storage plant for 70 years. The northern B. C. area (Areas 1-5) and south-eastern Alaska were the locations of the largest tagging pro­ gram on sockeye and pink salmon ever conducted on the Pacific coast. This program, a joint Canada-U. S. research venture, was initiated in response to the lack of adequate data revealed in international negotiations to define equitable harvests. of salmon stocks subject to interceptions. The results of the tagging will help settle disputes regarding the interception of sockeye and pink in these areas. The Northern Operations Branch con­ tinues to expand under the Region's decentralization program. During the year, OivisionFll staff increased--a senior habitat biologist, a habitat 3 Fraser River, Northern B.C. and Yukon The Fraser River, Northern B.C. and Yukon Division encompasses a geographi­ cal area of approximately 1.3 million square kilometres, including the water­ shed 0 f the Fraser River, the salmon­ bearing streams known as transboundary rivers (originating in northern B.C., and terminating in U. S. waters in the State of Alaska) and the entire Yukon Territory.