Concern for B.C. sockeye salmon as Fraser River return estimates drop by millions
Optimism over an expected bumper season for wild British Columbia sockeye salmon has turned to distress, after a regulatory body’s estimate of returns to the Fraser River dropped by nearly half this week.
The low figure raises conservation concerns and suggests the sockeye fishery in B.C. waters is unlikely to open this year, creating what a commercial fishers’ union says are dire circumstances for its members.The commission, which was created jointly by the United States and Canada to manage Pacific salmon stocks, estimated last Thursday that the run would be 7.2 million before dropping that figure further.
“In order for us to come up with the best run size, we need to see a peak in that data. We weren’t seeing that last week, so there was definitely some uncertainty,” Martens said.Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray was not available for an interview and the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife did not return a request for comment.
Fishers expressed dismay at both the missed opportunity to fish and the lack of support they felt from government. For Kyle Louis, who fishes out of Steveston, B.C., learning that his U.S. counterparts were hitting the water while he was forced to dock was heartbreaking. “They should be seeking a labour force adjustment for us, maybe some disaster relief,” he said, noting fishing has been limited for years.
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