Research Document - 2000/08

Assessments of Atlantic salmon stocks in selected rivers of Cape Breton Island, 1999.

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

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 22 rivers reportedly fished for salmon in 1999. Juvenile salmon abundance was also assessed on the Sydney, Tillard, Skye, Cheticamp, Inhabitants, Gaspereaux, and Mabou rivers.

Conservation requirements in 1999 continue to have been met and are expected to be exceeded in 2000 on the Margaree and probably other West Coast Cape Breton rivers. Conservation requirements have generally not been achieved in recent years on the Middle and Baddeck rivers and perhaps other tributaries of Bras d'Or Lakes. Expectations are that returns to rivers of Bras d'Or will not meet requirements in 2000. North River conservation requirements may have been met in 1999, and, based on the five-year mean, there is an 88% probability that returns in 2000 will be sufficient to meet conservation requirements. Returns to the Grand River fishway in 1999 met less than one-half the conservation requirement for the area upriver of the fishway and there is a <1% probability that conservation requirements will be met in 2000.

Densities of fry and parr for most stocks of Gulf Cape Breton and Bras d'Or Lakes rivers (excepting Skye) suggest that these stocks are meeting or exceeding egg conservation requirements. Juvenile densities in Atlantic coast rivers are relatively low.

Comparison of now similarly derived conservation requirements for the Margaree, Middle, Baddeck and North rivers does not adequately resolve the inconsistencies between estimated escapements and resultant juvenile densities.

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