Fisheries, Subsistence, and Habitat
Publications Searchable Database
Search Again| Division: | Sport Fish |
| Title: | Age composition and spawning escapement of Chinook salmon in the Karluk, Ayakulik, and Chignik Rivers, Alaska, 1999-2003 |
| Author: | Tracy. D. A., J. S. Schmidt and S. J. Fleischman |
| Year: | 2009 |
| Report ID: | Fishery Data Series No. 09-07, Anchorage |
| Abstract: | In 1993 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish, initiated a project to monitor the status of the Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha stocks of the Karluk, Ayakulik and Chignik rivers. This report presents data collected between 1999 and 2003. During this time period the inriver returns of Chinook salmon to the Karluk and Ayakulik rivers were censused by counting fish passing through weirs on the rivers, while inriver returns to the Chignik River were estimated from sample weir counts taken at hourly intervals. Age and sex compositions of the Karluk and Ayakulik inriver returns were estimated by sampling Chinook salmon at the weirs. Age and sex composition of the Chignik inriver return was estimated by opportunistic sampling of the commercial harvests in Chignik Lagoon and sport harvests in the Chignik River. Total sport fishing effort, and catch and harvest of Chinook salmon, for the Karluk and Ayakulik rivers were annually estimated through the Statewide Harvest Survey. Spawning escapements to the Karluk and Ayakulik rivers were estimated by subtracting sport harvest from inriver return because most harvest at these rivers occurs above the weirs. At the Karluk River from 1999-2003, the inriver return ranged from 4,453 to 13,063 Chinook salmon. Sport harvest ranged from 587 to 2,581 Chinook salmon, and anglers released from 1,872 to 8,165 Chinook salmon. Estimated sport fishing effort for the entire year in the Karluk system ranged from 1,858 to 8,301 angler-days. Estimated spawning escapement ranged from 3,149 to 11,297 Chinook salmon. At the Ayakulik River from 1999-2002, the inriver return ranged from 12,552 to 20,527 Chinook salmon. Estimated sport harvest ranged from 362 to 803 Chinook salmon, and estimates of release ranged from 2,825 to 8,135 Chinook salmon. Estimated sport fishing effort for the entire season ranged from 1,715 to 3,173 angler-days. Estimated spawning escapement ranged from 12,190 to 19,724 Chinook salmon. In 2003, the inriver return to the Ayakulik River was 17,557 Chinook salmon. Census statistics of sport fishery catch, harvest and total effort were 451 Chinook harvested, 4,768 released and 1,725 days of directed Chinook salmon angler effort. Estimated spawning escapement was 17,106 Chinook salmon. From 1999-2003, the estimated inriver return to the Chignik River ranged from 2,992 to 6,412 Chinook salmon. Harvest in the commercial purse seine fishery in Chignik Lagoon ranged from 595 to 2,834 Chinook salmon. The estimated average annual harvest of Chignik River Chinook salmon was 112 fish. |
| Keywords: | Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, escapement, Karluk River, Ayakulik River, Chignik River, age, length, sex composition, sport harvest, sport effort |