Proceedings 2016/055
Proceedings of the Pacific regional peer review of the Assessment of Interior Fraser River Coho Salmon Conservation Units’ Benchmarks and Status; November 6-7, 2014
Chairperson: Bruce A. Patten
Editor: Dawn M. Lewis
Summary
These Proceedings summarize the relevant discussions and key conclusions that resulted from a Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS), Regional Peer Review (RPR) meeting was held on November 6 and 7, 2014 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo to review an assessment of the Interior Fraser River Coho Salmon Conservation Units with respect to Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) benchmarks and status.
Meeting participants included DFO, First Nations, commercial and recreational fishing representatives, environmental non-government organizations, and academia. Three participants had been asked before the meeting to provide detailed written reviews of the working paper.
Participants agreed on the WSP biological status for the Middle Fraser, Fraser Canyon, Lower Thompson, South Thompson and North Thompson CUs. Annual monitoring of the WSP status metric values was recommended as well as a reassessment of the integrated status if there are pattern changes. The benchmarks should be reviewed, and the integrated status should be reassessed, if there are significant revisions to exploitation rates, total spawner, or hatchery-origin spawner data. No evidence for improved smolt-adult survival or a return to the higher productivity regime was found. The status of the CUs appears to be reasonably good under the current productivity regime. However, because the productivity is low, the sustainable harvest that can be expected from the management unit is also low relative to historic levels.
The results of this assessment suggest that the advice reported in Decker et al. (2014) regarding harvest levels remains valid. Further work regarding potential harvest strategies and WSP assessment guidelines is recommended. Participants acknowledged that for future WSP status assessments that there should be increased consideration of the role of ecosystems and habitat. An important success factor for this assessment was the collaborative and inclusive approach that was undertaken; this approach is recommended for future WSP status assessments.
The conclusions and advice resulting from this review will be provided in the form of a Science Advisory Report to Fisheries and Aquaculture Management to inform salmon fishery planning. The Science Advisory Report and supporting Research Document will be made publicly available on the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) website.
Accessibility Notice
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