Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/0134
Status of Atlantic salmon in Salmon Fishing Areas 22 and 23 for 1995, with emphasis on inner Bay of Fundy stocks
By P.G. Amiro; E.M. Jefferson
Abstract
Assessment of the status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stocks of Salmon Fishing Area (SFA) 22, the Bay of Fundy area of Nova Scotia and those of SFA 23 east of the Saint John River, known as inner Bay of Fundy, indicated that escapements of salmon to five assessed rivers were less than conservation requirements. All harvest and hook-and-release fisheries have been closed since 1991. Aquaculture origin salmon were recorded at a monitoring fence in the Stewiacke River and because the native salmon population remained low in 1995, aquaculture escapees may have contributed 49.1% of the egg deposition in 1995. Stewiacke River parr densities remain low at 3.90 age-0+, 6.49 age-1+, and 1.67 age-2+ parr 102 m2. Escapements to the Petitcodiac River remained low in 1995 and although use of the fishway by salmon remains uncertain, wild parr were not detected in five spot check electrofishing sites. Observations and counts of salmon in Point Wolfe and Alma rivers were again low in 1995. Escapements to the Big Salmon River (BSR) were augmented by the second year with BSR-origin salmon grown in sea-cages and released into the river as mature adults. Mean density of age-0+ parr (fry) parr of five sites elecrofished in 1995 in the BSR was 21.8 fry 102 m2 and 6.44 age-1+ parr 102 m2. Densities of 42.78 and 31.58 fry 102 m2 at two sites in the BSR, proximate to 1994 releases of cage-reared adult salmon, were higher than the three other index sites. Gaspereau River, a river containing two-sea-winter salmon atypical of inner Bay of Fundy and highly impacted by hydroelectric development, was assessed in 1995. Only 39% of the egg deposition requirement for the area below Lanes' Mills not including Trout River was attained in 1995. Periodic episodic incidence of low marine survival is suggested as the reason for low returns to inner Bay of Fundy rivers in 1995 and since 1990.
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