Fisheries and Oceans Canada has suspended all salmon fishing at the mouth of the Fraser River due to a sharp climb in water temperature, as well as a below-average discharge, which have resulted in “concerning” fish counts. The ban applies to all commercial, recreational and First Nations fisheries.
The Fraser River Panel, the DFO group responsible for in-season salmon run assessments, stated Friday its early season estimate of 4.8 million summer sockeye would have to be downgraded to about 1.2 million.
It concluded the decline is a result of ocean and river conditions.
Salmon thrive in cool waters. DFO has reported irregular sea surface temperatures — up to three degrees higher than normal in some places — over the past year.
“This ‘warm blob’ is likely affecting adult salmon growth and migration behaviour in the ocean,” a report stated.
Last week, DFO reported river temperatures 1.8 degrees Celsius above average — or 19.8 degrees Celsius. A temperature of 20 degrees is said to be associated with high pre-spawn mortality and disease.
Concurrently, the river’s discharge was 30 per cent below average. DFO stated it was too early to assess the Fraser River pink salmon run.
As a result, DFO stated “current run size estimates of Fraser River Summer Run sockeye salmon combined with record water temperatures in the Fraser River have resulted in no allowable harvest and a conservation concern. The department’s priorities are to ensure that there is sufficient sockeye returning to the spawning grounds.”
