Fisheries

Current Outlooks for Managed Salmon Stocks In British Columbia

Categories: 1= under 25% of target abundance/declining rapidly; 2 = well below target and/or declining; 3 = within 25% of target and stable/increasing; 4 = well above target abundance
Stock status category
Species	No. stocks assessed	1, 1/2	2, 2/3, 2/4	3, 3/4	4
Sockeye	29	6	10	11	2
Chinook	23	1	7	9	6
Coho	18	0	8	8	2
Pink	6	0	4	1	1
Chum	11	4	4	2	1
Total	87	11	33	31	12
Percentage of total		12.6%	37.9%	35.6%	13.8%

For 2004, about half of B.C.’s salmon stocks were stable, increasing, or well above target abundance.

To manage fisheries, Fisheries and Oceans Canada determines the outlook of each managed salmon stock group for the year. The status is based on information about recent returns for that stock and on expert opinion of fisheries managers. Stock outlooks vary from year to year as different year classes of salmon return. For 2004:

• About half of the assessed stocks were classed as doing well (in categories 3 and 4). Directed fisheries would be allowed, subject to allocation policy for each stock.

• Nearly 38% of the stocks were categorized as sensitive (category 2). For such stocks, a directed fishery is likely to be small if permitted at all.

• Of greatest concern were the 11 stocks classed as category 1, meaning they had low abundance or were declining rapidly. For these stocks, not only is a directed fishery unlikely, but it may be necessary to avoid indirectly catching the stock in other fisheries.

• Chum had the highest proportion of stocks in the two lower categories (8 of 11 stocks).

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].

Next: Trends in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Catch >>