Research Document 1998/107

Status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) stocks of insular Newfoundland (SFAs 3-14A), 1997

By O'Connell, M. F. J. B. Dempson, C. C. Mullins, D. G. Reddin, N. M. Cochrane, and D. Caines

Abstract

The commercial Atlantic salmon fishery moratorium implemented in 1992 entered its sixth year in 1997. The moratorium placed on the Northern Cod Fishery in 1992, which should have eliminated by-catch of Atlantic salmon in cod fishing gear in SFAs 1-9, continued in 1997. A moratorium was placed on cod fishing in SFAs 10-14A in August 1993, which remained in effect in 1997 with the exception of a limited fishery in SFA 11. Several indicators pointed to increased returns of small salmon in 1997 for many rivers, particularly those on the western side of the Northern Peninsula and on the northeast and east coasts: substantially increased spawning escapements in 1992 which were anticipated to result in increased returns of adults with a modal smolt age of 3+ years in 1997; indications of record high (or nearly so) smolt production in 1996; increasing trends in smolt survival and good condition of smolts; record early smolt run timing, associated with good adult returns in the past; marine thermal habitat conditions in early 1997 were among the best up to that point. However, with the exception of Bay St. George (SFA 13), overall returns of small salmon in 1997 decreased from 1996. Total population sizes of small salmon in 1997 were as low or lower than those estimated for several years immediately preceding the salmon moratorium. Sea survival decreased at all smolt-counting facilities except Highland's River (Bay St. George). Most evidence points to increased mortality at sea as being responsible for the lower than expected returns of small salmon. Returns of large salmon (mainly repeat spawning grilse) in 1997 increased at most counting facilities and in some cases were the highest on record. Smolt production in 1997 was the highest on record for four out of six rivers and among the highest in one. However, smolt run timing was late and this has been associated with decreased returns in the past in some rivers. Given there was record or near record smolt production in 1997, even a modest improvement in sea survival could result in increased returns in 1998.

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