Science Response 2018/052

Science information to support consideration of risks to Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon in 2018

Context

In 2003, Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon (comprising the Cultus-L Conservation Unit (CU)) were assessed as Endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and recommended for listing under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The COSEWIC Endangered recommendation has not changed in the most recent COSEWIC status assessment conducted in 2017. The Cultus-L CU was also placed in the Red status zone under the WSP in 2012, and remained in that status zone in 2018 when it was re-assessed. To date, this CU (which is referred to as a Designatable Unit (DU) by COSEWIC and SARA) has not been listed under SARA. Despite recovery efforts since 2000, the current abundance of Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon remains at critically low levels and very poor returns are expected in 2018.

The Cultus Lake population is one of five CUs managed in the Late Run Fraser Sockeye Salmon management aggregate. This group enters the Fraser River and begins their annual upstream migration in August. In 2018, the Adams River stock (Shuswap Complex-L CU) (another component of the Late Run aggregate that is considered Not At Risk by COSEWIC) is expected to provide an abundant return of Sockeye Salmon. Although fishing plans for the 2018 season are currently under development, fishing opportunities on the Late Run aggregate are anticipated and, as a result, fishing mortalities of Cultus Sockeye Salmon are expected to occur. In some years, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries Management has constrained fisheries on stronger stocks in order to protect weaker co-migrating stocks such as Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon.

DFO Fisheries Management has requested that Science Branch provide an update of the state of knowledge for Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon, with three specific objectives outlined in the Terms of Reference.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of July 18, 2018 on the review of Science Information to Inform Consideration of Risks to Cultus Lake Sockeye Salmon in 2018.

Complete document (PDF, 390 KB)

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