As sockeye salmon begin spawning in the Adams River, the Pacific Salmon Commission’s latest in-season run size for the Fraser River is 19.9 million.
Canadian and American Fishers caught about 10.7 million fish and there appears to be optimism for the future of the fishery — at least in how it’s managed.
The commission’s Oct. 6 report accounts for all salmon that entered the river, save for a few remaining stragglers. It is not expected to change significantly.
About 300 Fraser River gillnetters caught about 1.6 million sockeye this summer.
“We’re very pleased to have had a relatively good season. Faced with what we went through in the past couple of years, most guys did okay,” said Bob McKarney, spokesman of the Area E (Fraser River) Gillnetters Association.
McKarney said the fishery was better managed this year, although fishers still could have caught more fish, in his opinion.
“Certainly there are some encouraging signs and we’re hopeful that’s an indication of this government being more responsive,” he said.
Fishers have long since criticized the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for over protection of fish stocks, which go to waste further up stream.
“We didn’t overfish and some indications from seeing the early spawning grounds seem to say we could have caught more fish,” said McKarney.
Commercial fishers caught 7.9 million fish, First Nations 1.6 million and recreational anglers 368,000.
American fishers only caught 695,000 since most of the runs came from the north side of Vancouver Island, instead of coming through the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Pre-run estimates by DFO pegged the run between seven million and 73 million fish.
Frozen sockeye salmon can presently be had for about $6 per pound on the Steveston wharf.
