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Division: Sport Fish
Title: Upper Russian River late-run sockeye salmon run reconstructions, 2006–2008
Author: Eskelin, A., A. Antonovich, and A. W. Barclay
Year: 2013
Report ID: Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fishery Data Series No. 13-22, Anchorage
Abstract: A 3-year study (2006–2008) was conducted using mark–recapture and genetic stock identification (GSI) methods to reconstruct the annual runs of Upper Russian River late-run (URRLR) sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka). Prior to this study, total run size, exploitation rates, and timing of URRLR sockeye salmon migrations were unknown. Run reconstructions contained 4 estimated components: harvest in the Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishery, the Kenai River personal use fishery, and the Kenai River sport fishery downstream of river kilometer (RKM) 31.1, and the abundance of URRLR sockeye salmon at RKM 31.1 of the Kenai River. Harvest of URRLR sockeye salmon in the mixed stock fisheries was estimated using GSI methods. Abundance at RKM 31.1 was estimated using passive integrated transponder tags and both mark–recapture and GSI methods. The total run estimate was simply the estimate of total harvest below RKM 31.1 plus abundance at RKM 31.1. The number of URRLR sockeye salmon harvested in the sport fishery upstream of RKM 31.1 was estimated indirectly as the difference between the abundance estimate at RKM 31.1 and the escapement of late-run sockeye salmon counted at the Russian River weir. Estimated total run size of URRLR sockeye salmon that entered Upper Cook Inlet was 157,164 (SE 22,107) in 2006, 204,387 (SE 14,555) in 2007, and 174,680 (SE 10,231) in 2008. The harvest rate of Upper Russian River late-run sockeye salmon was 43% in 2006, 74% in 2007, and 73% in 2008. On average, the sport fishery accounted for 48% of the harvest of URRLR sockeye salmon, the Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishery accounted for 41% of the harvest, and the Kenai River personal use fishery accounted for the remaining 11% of the harvest.
Keywords: sockeye salmon, Russian River, late run, mark–recapture, genetic stock identification, GSI, run reconstruction, Kenai River