Might want to rethink that trip to Alaska this summer. Ted's in Seattle just posted this article. Also, the chiefs of all the B.C. tribes have called for a complete halt of chinook fishing this summer on the Fraser. Mike
[url "https://www.tedssportscenter.com/reports/2013/04/05/SE-Alaska-King-Salmon-Season-In-For-Tough-Times/"]https://www.tedssportscenter.com/...-In-For-Tough-Times/[/url]
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This has been coming for years. I was up there 5 years ago when they were offered big monies to study the crash they knew was inevitable. They were so afraid of the ick being compared to mad cow they decided to sweep it under the rug. Last year the Kenai wasn't even fishable and now the chickens are coming home to roost state wide.
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On background, I was there as a guest of the Scientist that certifies studies for the government for west coast universities during a meeting with the director of fisheries for Alaska, the west coast universities that study fisheries, NOAA, the captains and guides associations representing people that make their living off of the fisheries as well as state biologist. This meeting occurs every year as well as teleconferencing.
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Do the spawning river there have dams? Some say that is the problem here. Ron
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The dams or loss of habitat is a huge problem in the lower 48 which can really only be offset by hatcheries in some drainages.
Alaska doesn't have that problem. The fish seem to be picking up a disease at sea and returning with it to die shortly before entering the fresh water or soon there after. The meat is fibrous and can't be used by the canneries even if the fish make it to the nets. Since most seem to die at sea, it's hard to to tell what the rate of decline is.
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How do we know that isn't affecting our fish? I don't fish for them, but I hear that these huge numbers are coming and then nothing. I just wonder why that happens. Ron
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We know because the fish that spawn in different areas tend to stay apart in the ocean in different water temps. The disease the Alaskan Salmon are suffering though seems to be local to only their temperate range but biologists, as far as I know, haven't figured out the basis for the ICK disease effecting the Alaskan fish.
Our local fish numbers for returns are based on the jack returns from the previous year. While that can be a fairly accurate guestimate it can also grossly miss the number of retuning fish due to cyclical ocean temperatures changing the amount of food available to the salmon in the ocean biomass. Our fish are mostly smolt out, ocean food available and fish in past the states that take most of our hatchery raised fish as their own.
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I was planning a trip up there to float fish a river this year but we cancled due to last years collapse. Gunna sit out a few years to see what happens. I wouldnt be surprised if something similiar is happining to "our" fish. Theres been a lot of speculation as to why Snake basin springers return at a lower rate than other stocks. One issue has always been dam mortality either direct or indirect (delayed)
Theres a new study out that looks at whether passing thru all the dams may be causing delayed mortality in the on snake river spring chinook smolts. The study compares mortality rates for snake river vs lower river spring chinook smolts. What they found was the two groups had similiar mortality rates. They speculate that IF additional mortaliy due to the dams occurs it happens after the smolts leave the estuary environmment.
I found it interesting they had similar mortality rates. However since the Snake fish are passing 8 dams and the mortality rate is 2-10% at each dam, delayed mortality is somewhat of a moot point. If your already looking at 50% or more mortality on the outgoing year class
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Yes, there is no doubt the dams are most detrimental. The Olympic Peninsula, Vancouver Island, and the San Juans are as healthy as they have ever been. The pink run is estimated to be around 15 million this year, the coho remain steady, and the kings and resident kings are great. The many tournaments of the past few weeks in the above-mentioned areas are all breaking all-time records for #'s caught per entry. The odd years have been so good recently, that most of the fishermen in Sekiu and Port Angeles are back on the docks by 9 AM, with 4 pinks, coho, and kings. So, go figure. Mike
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