Public Notice

Update on Nisga’a Individual-Sale (IS) Fishery Targets to 8 August 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 (~420,000-454,000 vs. 344,000) based on mean and early run timing estimates to date (87-94%).  As a result, the Nisga’a in-season allocation for Nass Sockeye is currently higher than the pre-season forecast (~67,000-74,000 vs. 55,000).  The Nisga’a harvests of Nass Sockeye to date is ~62,000 (not including NLG’s Demonstration fishery catch).  Current domestic (FSC) catches are ~21,000 Sockeye with an anticipated catch of 30,000 based on past years. 

Based on the in-season data to date, the IS fishery targets for Sockeye are higher than the pre-season target (~37,000-44,000 vs. 21,000).  The total IS harvests of Nass Sockeye to date is 40,661.  The Marine IS has caught 23,355 Sockeye (plus 16,869 Pink and 402 Coho) in 6 openings.  The In-river has caught 17,306 Sockeye (plus 1,412 Coho) in 8 openings. 

The in-season estimate of Sockeye remaining to be caught ranges between 5,000 and 12,000 Sockeye based on the in-season entitlement estimates to date. Based on the uncertainty of the final entitlement estimates for 2013, combined with potential higher interceptions of Sockeye in late SE Alaskan seine fisheries targeting large returns of Pink salmon, the remaining number to be caught will be allocated for domestic fisheries.  Therefore, the IS fisheries are closed until further notice. 

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 5 August, DFO allocated 5,008 Sockeye to NLG for selectively harvesting from the GH fishwheels based on Area 3 commercial gillnet catches in 2013.  Harvests started on 5 July with a closure period from 22 July to 3 August to allow Kwinageese Sockeye to pass.  Of the total large Sockeye caught at the GH fishwheels (~24,000), only 4,383 have been harvested to date as part of the NLG demonstration fishery.

The total Nisga’a catch summary to date including the demo fishery is in the attached:

The next update on in-season Nisga’a Treaty (and IS) allocations and NLG’s Demonstration fishery allocations will be on Monday, 19 August.