Our Blog
Deep Inlet Notice
To Deep Inlet THA Fishery User Groups:
A reminder about boat traffic and anchoring near island homes in the Deep Inlet area.
Please review our plan:
Berry Island Resident Impact and Noise Reduction Plan
Hidden Falls Broodstock
Hidden Falls eggtakes are continuing at a good pace but it appears there will not be enough broodstock to meet the 180 million egg goal. Currently we have 115 million eggs (August 3) and on that same day coincidentally we had our largest eggtake of the season (12 million). The estimated number of chum being held is about 30,000 which should result in 30 million eggs. We have requested 20 million eggs from DIPAC and another 10 million from AKI. If these requests come through we expect to have 175 million eggs.
The distribution of these fry next spring will approximate 55 million at Kasnyku Bay, 45 million at Takatz, 24 million at Deep Inlet, and 50 million at Southeast Cove.
Currently the harvest of adult Hidden Falls stock chum at Deep Inlet is 650,000. An additional 50,000 catch is attributed to the fall stock (Medvejie) which should be building this next week.
Hidden Falls Broodstock Looking Promising
Two independent pilot reports corroborate that there are sufficient chum in the Hidden Falls SHA to meet the broodstock goals. We also have DIPAC as a backup for up to 30 million eggs if we need them. Currently we have 20 million eggs and 25,000 fish behind the barrier net. Once we get most of what we need for broodstock I hope to open Takatz Bay for common property. I expect it will be Sunday before I could make such a call.
Deep Inlet Early Stock (Hidden Falls) Better than 2014
Contrary to the Hidden Falls stock at Hidden Falls, at Deep Inlet it is performing quite well. In fact better than in 2014. The run probably has another week to go but right now the return is 520,000 or roughly 2.5% marine survival and will likely end up at 3%. In rounded numbers, 23 million Hidden Falls stock fry released at Deep Inlet in 2011 resulted in 600,000 adults in 2015, while at Hidden Falls/Takatz 76 million fry released in 2011 resulted in perhaps 250,000 (a rough guess) adults. Three times the release but less than half the return. Same stock, same eggtake site (Hidden Falls), same incubation, but different result.
We are lucky to have this comparison as it strongly suggests the problem is post release of the fry. I believe it is predation by humpback whales, Pollock and other predators. I am working on a plan for addressing the disaster at Hidden Falls which will be delivered to the NSRAA board of directors this fall.
Let’s hope the fall run at Deep Inlet performs as well as the summer run.
Hidden Falls Update July 10
No new broodstock estimate today as the weather prevented survey so far today. Will update as soon as I have new numbers.
Hidden Falls Update – July 9
It seems certain Hidden Falls will not open for chum salmon again in 2015. Right now we are attempting to estimate numbers of chum in the area for broodstock. Two fish spotter pilots estimate there are 100,000 fish from Turbot to Cosmos and offshore. At least one fisherman believes the number is closer to 50,000. ADF&G has also looked at just Kasnyku Bay and estimated 50,000. I was on the water in Kasnyku on July 7 and estimated 20,000 chum.
Some good news is that the male ratio was 58% at Pt Gardiner, over 60% at Deep Inlet for the Hidden Falls stock, 58% male at Amalga, and finally 54% in the Augusta sample. So there should be a lot more fish on the way. I’ll be getting more pilot reports soon and will update tomorrow July 10.
RSS - Posts
Recent Comments