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Division: Sport Fish
Title: Assessment of the 1992 return of steelhead to the Karluk River, Alaska
Author: Begich, R. N.
Year: 1993
Report ID: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Data Series No. 93-56, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Abstract: Beginning August 15, 1992, commercial set gillnet and purse seine catches from selected waters along the southwest side of Kodiak Island were sampled for the incidental harvest of steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss. One hundred thirty-eight steelhead were observed in a sample of 123,412 harvested Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus. Combined set gillnet and purse seine fisheries harvested and sold an estimated 331 steelhead. In addition, 86 steelhead were harvested for personal use and 79 released from the set gillnet fishery. The total estimated incidental commercial catch of steelhead from waters included in the Karluk study area between August 15 and September 30 was 496 fish. Sport and subsistence fisheries harvested an estimated 40 and 804 steelhead, respectively, from the 1992 return year. The estimated abundance of spawning steelhead for the entire Karluk River drainage in the spring of 1993 was 7,026 fish (standard error = 308). Most of the spawning population was composed of initial spawners (87%), followed by repeat (12%) and multi-repeat (1%) spawners. Mean length for female initial and repeat spawners was larger (635 millimeters and 702 millimeters, respectively) than for males (618 millimeters and 600 millimeters, respectively). Multi-repeat spawners were observed only in females (774 millimeters). Spawning survival of steelhead was estimated at 58%. Spawning survival was similar between sexes (females 55% and males 50%). Survival of male initial (49%) and repeat (57%) spawners was also similar. Survival of females was not different among spawning histories (initial 56%, repeat 44%, and multi-repeat 50%).
Keywords: STEELHEAD;ONCOHYNCHUS MYKISS;PURSE SEINE;SET GILLNET;KELTS;STATISTICAL AREA;KODIAK ISLAND;KARLUK RIVER;PORTAGE AREA;HARVEST;ABUNDANCE ESTIMATE;SURVIVAL;INITIAL SPAWNERS;MULTI REPEAT SPAWNERS