Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/127

Status of Atlantic salmon in Northumberland Strait, Nova Scotia rivers in 1995

By S. O'Neil; D.A. Longard; C.J. Harvie

Abstract

Fifteen separate rivers on the Northumberland Strait shore of Nova Scotia support Atlantic salmon stocks. Stock status information is provided for eight of those stocks based on estimated targets and escapements calculated from exploitation rates in the angling fishery. Additional information is included for the three principal rivers in the area, East River, Pictou; River Philip and West River, Antigonish. Anglers reported harvesting or releasing 234 small salmon (grilse) and 530 large salmon on the rivers within the area. First Peoples reported harvesting 54 small and 124 large salmon in the two estuarial traps (East River and River Philip) and angling fisheries. Two methods were examined to estimate escapements, one which required adjusting license stub reported catches and a range of exploitation rates and the other which did not adjust the angling data and used the 1995 Margaree River derived exploitation rates. Arguments are presented which favour the second method which provides escapement estimates which are the larger of the two methods. Juvenile salmon numbers were found to be high relative to the numbers found on many rivers in the Maritimes on several of the rivers examined, but particularly on West River, Antigonish where parr numbers were greater than 70 parr per 100 m². Trial counts of fish by snorkel divers confirmed that the conservation requirement was met for Sutherlands River and supported the exploitation rate evidence that River Philip had exceeded the conservation requirement in 1995. Forecasts were only possible using the 5-year estimates for returns. The forecast for 1996 is for surplus numbers of grilse (variable numbers) on the three principal rivers of the area and for the number of large salmon to exceed requirements by approximately 25% on those same rivers.

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