Fisheries, Subsistence, and Habitat
Publications Searchable Database
Search Again| Division: | Multi-Divisional Collaboration |
| Title: | Review of salmon escapement goals in Upper Cook Inlet, Alaska, 2011 |
| Author: | Fair, L. F., T. M. Willette, J. W. Erickson, R. J. Yanusz, and T. R. McKinley |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Report ID: | Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Manuscript Series No. 10-06, Anchorage |
| Abstract: | The Alaska Department of Fish and Game interdivisional escapement goal review committee for the Southcentral Region reviewed Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. escapement goals for the major river systems in Upper Cook Inlet. Escapement goals were evaluated for 21 Chinook salmon, 1 chum salmon, 3 coho salmon, and 10 sockeye salmon stocks. The committee recommended to the Commercial Fisheries and Sport Fish division directors that most escapement goals remain status quo. However, the committee recommended reinstating the previous Fish Creek coho salmon sustainable escapement goal (SEG) of 1,200–4,400 dropped during the 2004–2005 review. A risk-based lower bound SEG of 380 is proposed to replace the existing SEG range of 50–700 for the Campbell Creek Chinook salmon stock. The Kenai River sockeye salmon SEG range of 500,000–800,000 based on Bendix sonar should change to an SEG range of 700,000–1,200,000 based on DIDSON sonar, and the Kasilof sockeye salmon biological escapement goal (BEG) of 150,000–250,000 based on Bendix sonar should change to a BEG range of 160,000–340,000 based on DIDSON sonar. Due to the amount of uncertainty associated with escapement estimates, the committee recommended changing early- and late-run Kenai River Chinook salmon goal type from BEGs to SEGs. Similarly, uncertainty in Deshka River Chinook salmon commercial harvests prompted a change from a BEG to SEG-type goal. Lastly, returns from 2001 to 2003 brood years provided sufficient information to develop a BEG of 22,000–42,000 (previously an SEG of 14,000–37,000) for early-run Russian River sockeye salmon. |
| Keywords: | Upper Cook Inlet, escapement goal, biological escapement goal, BEG, sustainable escapement goal, SEG, sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, Chinook salmon, O. tshawytscha, coho salmon, O. kisutch, chum salmon, O. keta, Alaska Board of Fisheries |