Public Notice

Update on Nisga’a Individual-Sale (IS) Fishery Targets to 23 July 2013 & NLG’s Demonstration Selective Fishery

The in-season Total Return to Canada (TRTC) estimate for Nass Sockeye continues to track higher than the pre-season forecast (~409,000-512,000 vs. 344,000) based on mean and early run timing estimates to date (63-79%).  As a result, the Nisga’a in-season entitlement for Nass Sockeye is currently higher than the pre-season forecast (~64,000-87,000 vs. 55,000).  The total Nisga’a harvests of Nass Sockeye to date is ~52,000.  Current domestic (FSC) catches are ~15,000 Sockeye with a potential target of 30,000.

Based on the in-season data to date, the IS fishery targets are higher than the pre-season target (~34,000-57,000 vs. 21,000).  The total IS harvests of Nass Sockeye to date is 34,019.  The Marine IS has caught 21,790 Sockeye in 5 openings and the In-river has caught 12,229 Sockeye in 6 openings.  Based on the current in-season data, future IS fisheries will be considered after the closure periods.

All IS fisheries are currently CLOSED to allow passage of the Kwinageese Sockeye stock that is rebuilding from a spawning ground blockage that was detected in 2011.  Opportunities for future  IS fisheries will be considered after the closure periods based on Area:

• Marine IS fishery – openings will be considered after 24 July – next announcement for the Marine IS will be either later today or on Thursday, 25 July regarding future openings; and
• In-river IS fishery – openings will be considered after 28 July -next announcement for the In-river IS will be on Tuesday, 29 July regarding future openings.

In addition to IS fisheries, NLG negotiated the leasing of 40 Area C commercial gillnet licenses to participate in DFO’s Inland Selective Demonstration Fishery Program in 2013.  DFO allocate catches of Sockeye to NLG’s inland selective fishery program based on a license sharing formula from commercial gillnet catches in Area 3. The demonstration fishery harvests are additional to Nisga’a Treaty Allocations (and IS targets) and have to be caught selectively (no gillnets).  The Grease Harbour fishwheels are being used to harvest these additional catch shares as arranged by NLG and NFL.

As of 16 July, DFO allocated 3,821 Sockeye that can be harvested selectively from the GH fishwheels based on Area 3 commercial catches.  The total demonstration harvest to date is 3,114 Sockeye.  Sockeye harvests at the GH fishwheels are now closed from 22 July to 3 August to allow Kwinageese Sockeye to pass upriver.

The next update on in-season Nisga’a Treaty (and IS) allocations and NLG’s Demonstration fishery allocations will be on Tuesday, 29 July.