JOINT CHUM TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

Joint Chum Technical Committee. Final 1990 Post Season Summary Report. TCCHUM (92)-1. March, 1992

Introduction

This Joint Chum Salmon Technical Committee report presents the appropriate information for 1991 chum salmon in southern British Columbia and Washington, as required in Chapter 6 of Annex IV of the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST). In addition, the Pacific Salmon Treaty Letters of Transmittal dated May 16, 1990 paragraph 6, provided for an amendment to Chapter 6 of Annex IV of the PST. Detailed information may be found in the Canadian and United States agency reports appended to this report.

Status of Treaty Requirements

Chum stocks and fisheries in southern B.C. and in U.S. Areas 4B, 5, 6C, 7, and 7A are managed under the terms set out in the Pacific Salmon Treaty. The following provides a brief synopsis of the PST chum annex provisions (italics) and of Canadian and United States management actions in 1990.

1. The Parties shall maintain a Joint Chum Technical Committee to review stock status, develop new methods for stock management and report on management and research findings.

[Reports published in 1990 are listed in Section 1.6, 1990 Technical Committee Publications.] The committee provided a report detailing estimates of Canadian and U.S. interceptions of Southern British Columbia and Washington chum salmon.

2. Canada was to manage its Inside fisheries to provide rebuilding of depressed naturally spawning stocks and minimize increased interceptions of U.S. chum.

In 1990, the gross escapement of Inside chum totaled 1,711,000. Wild escapement totaled 1,468,000 which was 73% of the Clockwork goal of 2,000,000. The Fraser River wild escapement was 626,000 or 89% of the 700,000 goal. Although stock compositions samples were taken, the technical committee has not addressed the issue of whether increased interceptions were minimized.

Terminal area fisheries scheduled by Canada to harvest specific stocks with identified surpluses included; mid Vancouver Island (Area 14), Cowichan (Area 18) and Fraser River (Area 29). These fisheries were managed to limit interceptions of U.S. origin or other non-targeted stocks.

3. In 1990, Canada was to manage its Johnstone Strait Clockwork harvest to set levels dependent on the run size entering Johnstone Strait as determined in-season. The catch level of chum salmon in U.S. fishing Areas 7 and 7A was determined by the catch of chum salmon in Johnstone Strait. In addition, the traditional proportion of effort and catch between Areas 7 and 7A was to be maintained.

The Clockwork Harvest Plan was reviewed after the end of the 1988 fishing season; no subsequent changes were incorporated for 1990. The inseason estimate of Johnstone Strait run size was 3,790,000 providing for a harvest of 30% or 1,137,000 chum. Post season, the run size was 3,514,000 chum resulting in an overall harvest rate was 36.7% for clockwork assessment purposes.

The total allowable catch for U.S. Areas 7 and 7A was 140,000, however, this was increased by a 41,700 chum underage from the U.S. fishery in 1989. The total catch for this fishery in 1990 was 181,000 chum. The U.S. catch in Areas 7 and 7A was disproportionately harvested in Area 7. The traditional proportion is an even distribution of catch between the two areas.

4. In 1990, the U.S. was to maintain the limited effort nature of its chum fishery in U.S. Areas 4B, 5, and 6C to minimize increased interceptions of Canadian chum. In addition, the U.S. was to monitor this fishery for increasing interceptions of Canadian chum.

The U.S. chum fishery in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Areas 4B, 5, and 6C) was limited, as it has been in past years, to participation by gillnet fishermen from the four Tribes that fish in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The catch of 52,200 chum was similar to the 1989 catch level. Genetic stock Identification (GSI) samples were taken to determine whether this catch resulted in higher interceptions of Canadian chum.

5. When the catch of chum salmon in U.S. Areas 7 and 7A fails to achieve the specified ceiling, the ceiling in subsequent years will be adjusted accordingly.

Post season, a minor shortfall in 1990 catch of 850 chum was identified in the U.S., Area 7 and 7A fishery (Table 1).

6. Catch compositions in fisheries covered by this chapter were to be estimated post-season using methods agreed upon by the Joint Chum Technical Committee.

Fisheries, covered by this chapter, were sampled; and estimates were provided to the Joint Interception Committee. However, methods for estimating stock composition are under review by the committee.

7. In 1990, Canada was to manage the Nitinat net chum fishery to minimize the harvest of non-targeted stocks.

The boundaries of the Nitinat fishery were the same as in 1988 and 1989. Canada conducted GSI sampling to quantify the incidence of interceptions of passing stocks.

8. In 1990, Canada was to conduct GSI sampling of the West Coast Vancouver Island troll fishery (Areas 121-124) if catch levels were predicted to reach levels similar to those in 1985 and 1986.

Early season catch information from the West Coast Vancouver Island troll fishery did not indicate that the season's total chum catches would reach 1985 and 1986 levels. As a result, Canada did not conduct GSI sampling of this fishery.

9. As per the Pacific Salmon Treaty Letters of Transmittal dated May 16, 1990, paragraph 6, the Commission recognized the U.S. fishery harvested approximately 41,700 chum salmon less than agreed to for 1989 and that this underage would be taken in years when the Johnstone Strait catch of chum would exceed 225,000.

The Canadian catch of chum in Johnstone Strait exceeded 225,000, therefore U.S. fisheries harvested the 41,700 shortfall from 1989.