Terms of Reference

Science information to support consultations on BC Chinook Salmon fishery management measures in 2018

Science Response Process – Pacific Region

April, 2018
Nanaimo, British Columbia

Chairperson: Diana Dobson

Context

The wide variation in early life history, age of maturation, ocean distribution, return timing, and other characteristics make Chinook Salmon among the most resilient salmon. However, large-scale patterns of environmental change and increased environmental variability have resulted in broad declines in productivity of Chinook Salmon across their range in recent decades.  Potential effects of recent events, such as the persistence of the warm ocean water ‘blob’ which formed in the North Pacific in 2014 and moved onshore in 2015, and El Niño conditions in early 2016, have lowered expectations for returns of Chinook Salmon in 2018 (PFMC 2018). The 2018 draft Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMP) for Pacific Salmon include a number of proposed fisheries management measures for Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in 2018.  DFO Fisheries Management has requested that DFO Science provide information (trends in abundance, productivity and current exploitation) for key Chinook Salmon management units.

The assessment, and advice arising from this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Science Response (SR), will be used to support consultations on potential additional BC Chinook Salmon fishery management measures in 2018.

Objective

The specific objectives for this Science Response are to:

1. Provide information to determine which Chinook Salmon stocks may require further management measures.
2. Identify tools and information that can be provided to inform trade-offs associated with a range of potential reductions in fishery exploitation rates.
3. Identify information that can be provided to inform development of management measures if it is determined that reductions in exploitation rate of Chinook Salmon are required.
4. Identify potential metrics / indicators that could be used to assess whether or not objectives have been met. Provide commentary on strengths / weaknesses of proposed assessment methods.

Expected Publications

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science and Fisheries Management