Research Document - 2009/044

Atlantic salmon return and spawner estimates for Insular Newfoundland

By D.G. Reddin and G.I. Veinott

Abstract

In this paper, the small, large, and two-sea winter (2SW) returns and spawner estimates for insular Newfoundland Atlantic salmon stocks are presented for the years 1971-2008.  The catch statistics used to derive returns and spawner estimates are updated for 2007 from those used previously and new return and spawner estimates are presented for 2008. Data for 2008 should be considered preliminary. The returns and spawner estimates are derived from exploitation rates of small retained salmon in the angling fishery for rivers with enumeration facilities, and utilizing ratios of large:small salmon to estimate large salmon. These exploitation rates are then used to provide estimates of both small and large salmon for all rivers in Insular Newfoundland with and without enumeration facilities but with angling catches. Estimates of 2SW abundance are based on the expected proportion of 2SW fish in the large category. The recruits show a decline for small salmon that began in the mid-1980s while large show an overall decline for the entire time series. Overall, there were approximately 450,000 small salmon in the early 1970s which has declined in recent years to around 200,000. For large salmon, the 1970s showed around 225,000 salmon which by the 2000s had declined to around 50,000. Returns and spawners on other hand have been increasing in recent years in the small and large categories while returns of 2SW fish declined by 3% over the 5 year average.

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