Research Document 1998/31

Status of Atlantic salmon stocks in selected rivers of Cape Breton Island

By T.L. Marshall, P. LeBlanc, K. Rutherford, and R. Jones

Abstract

Assessments of the stock status of Atlantic salmon were conducted on the Margaree, Middle, Baddeck, North, and Grand rivers of SFAs 18 and 19, Cape Breton Island. These rivers account for 90+% of the total recreational fishing effort exerted on the Island's 21 rivers reportedly fished for salmon in 1997. Juvenile salmon abundance was assessed on the Sydney, Tillard, Skye and Mabou rivers.

Returning salmon were either counted at fishways or estimated by mark-and-recapture techniques. Estimated returns of 4,938 large and 756 small salmon to the Margaree, and 636 large and 122 small salmon to the North contributed to the attainment, in total, of 320% and 330% of respective conservation requirements. Returns of 346 large and 68 small fish to the Middle River, 189 large and 62 small fish to Baddeck River, and a total of 152 fish to the Grand River contributed to the attainment of 72, 44 and 65% of their respective conservation requirements. Evidence of lateness of salmon returning to some rivers raised uncertainty about completeness of estimates to the Middle, Baddeck and perhaps, North rivers.

Prognoses for 1998, based on forecast models, juvenile salmon densities, recent estimates of an index of overwinter habitat in the North Atlantic and numbers of hatchery smolts stocked in 1997 are uncertain. However, large salmon of the Margaree and North rivers have achieved conservation requirements for over a decade and should continue to do so in 1998, the abundance of small salmon relative to conservation is less certain. Returns to the Grand River should approach conservation requirements, those of the Middle, and Baddeck rivers are unlikely to achieve conservation requirements in 1998.

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