Research Document - 2000/162

Assessment of Rivers and Smith Inlet Sockeye Salmon, with Commentary on Small Sockeye Salmon Stocks in Statistical Area 8

By Rutherford, D., Wood, C.

Abstract

Rivers Inlet (Owikeno Lake) and Smith Inlet (Long Lake) sockeye salmon stocks have shown recent dramatic declines in total abundance. Similar declines in total abundance of sockeye originating from Statistical Area 8 are also documented. All available data indicate that the critically low sockeye returns to both Rivers and Smith Inlet in 1999 and 2000 resulted from very poor marine survival for three consecutive brood years (1994-1996), not a failure in freshwater productivity. Marine survival indices for Owikeno and Long Lake indicate that marine survival has generally been poor for all brood years entering the ocean in 1992-1998. The critically low escapements in 1999 and 2000 are a result of the compounding effect of poor marine survival and low brood year escapements. If marine survival continues to be poor for Rivers and Smith Inlet sockeye, drastic measures may be required to prevent a downward spiral to extirpation. On the other hand, if marine survival returned to normal for sea-entry year 1999, returns to Rivers Inlet will exceed the escapement target in 2001 as a result of the above target escapement in 1997. This is not the case for Smith Inlet where escapements have been well below target since 1995.

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