A Brief Status Review and Management Update of

BC Steelhead

BC Ministry of EnvironmentFish & Wildlife Branch

Prepared for West Coast Steelhead Management MeetingMarch 4-5, 2008

Boise, Idaho.

Outline

• Stocks and CU’s

• Reference Points and “Management Zones”

• Status

• Abundance Trends

• Trends in Sport Fishery and Stocking

• Policies on Stocking and Interception

• Habitat Management Update

Steelhead Range within BC

North Coast MPG

South Coast MPG

South Interior MPG

Northern Transition

Southern Transition

Alsek

Steelhead Conservation Units (Parkinson et al. 2005)

Alsek SummerTaku SummerTaku Stikine SummerStikine Nass SummerNass Skeena SummerSkeena N. Coast SummerN. Coast Q. Charlotte Is.Transition SummerCent. Coast S. Coast SummerS. Coast E. Van. Is. SummerE. Vancouver Is. W. Van. Is. SummerW. Vancouver Is. Boundary Bay L. Fraser SummerL. Fraser Fraser Can. SummerMid Fraser SummerThompson SummerMid Columbia Summer

Reference points and “management zones”

LRPExtreme Conservation Concern Zone

PT (CCT)Conservation Concern Zone

Carrying Capacity

Routine Management ZoneTRP

0 1 2 3 4 5Stock Productivity (recruits . spawner-1 )

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Re

lativ

e A

bu

nd

an

c e Unfished Equilibrium

(Johnston et al. 2000)

Taku

Taku

Taku

Taku

Taku

Taku

Taku

North Coast

Bella Coola Dean

South Coast Summer

Middle Fraser River Summer

South Coast Summer

South Coast Summer

Lower Fraser RiverSouth Coast Summer

South Coast Summer

South Coast Summer

N o rth C o a st Isla n d s

West Vancouver Island Summer

West Vancouver Island

Fraser River Canyon

(Ahrens 2004)

Steelhead Status for 21 Conservation UnitsRoutine ManagementConservation ConcernExtreme Conservation Concern

Abundance and Trends

Some Specific Examples

Keogh River

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Year

# w

ild a

dult

stee

lhea

d

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

Year

0.00

4.00

8.00

12.00

16.00

20.00

24.00

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

Smolt year

surv

ival

(%

) Smolt AbundanceWild Adult AbundanceSmolt to Adult Survival

Heber River Summers

Tsitika River SummersEnglishman Winters

0

10

20

30

40

50

19

82

19

83

19

84

19

85

19

86

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

Ob

se

rve

d A

du

lts

/Km

Englishman Peak Count

South Mainland Coast Winters

0

10

20

30

40

50

19

92

19

94

19

96

19

98

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

Ob

se

rve

d F

ish

/Km

Glendale

Ahnuhati

Kakweiken

Atwaykellesse

Wahpeeto

Trend

Little Campbell Winters

0

100

200

300

400

500

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Year

# o

f S

teel

he

ad

Hatchery

Wild

No data

Little Campbell

Coquihalla Summers

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Ob

se

rve

d s

tee

lhe

ad

/km

Coquihalla

Thompson

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Spawning Year

Ab

un

dan

ce

Pre-fishery Abundance

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Spawning Year

Rel

ativ

e F

ish

ing

Mo

rtal

ity

Best Estimate of Exploitation Rate

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Sp

awn

ing

Ab

un

dan

ce

Thompson EscapementLower Fraser Area

0

10000

20000

30000

1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980

Year

Co

mm

erc

ial C

atc

h

Chilko

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Pea

k S

paw

ner

Co

un

t

Chilko Peak Count

Dean River Summers

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

CPUE

97-06 average

Dean CPUE

0500

100015002000250030003500400045005000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Year

Steelhead

97-06 averageDean Catch

Skeena Summers

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

1956

1959

1962

1965

1968

1971

1974

1977

1980

1983

1986

1989

1992

1995

1998

2001

2004

2007

Es

ca

pe

me

nt

Skeena EscapementCoho Smolt to Adult Survival

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

0.14

0.16

0.18

0.2

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Su

rviv

al

Toboggan

Slamgeesh

Babine

Lachmach

Zolzap

W.Arm

Nass Summers

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007

Nu

mb

er

of s

tee

lhe

ad

Nisga'a Catch

Escapement

No Data

Summary of Recent Trends

• Evidence of a recent decline or downward shift in abundance in northern stocks

• The major Interior Fraser stocks have recently declined to among the lowest levels recorded.

• South coast stocks tributary to Georgia Basin have remained at relatively low abundance, many since the early 1990’s

• West coast Vancouver Island stocks have remained at relatively modest levels since early 1990s’.

Sport Fishery Update

BC Steelhead Sport Fishing Effort

0

50

100

150

200

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

An

gle

rs o

r A

ng

lerd

ay

s (

tho

us

an

ds

)

Anglerdays

Anglers

Catch Per Anglerday

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

CP

UE

*

*kept and released

Recent Catch History

0

20

40

60

80

100

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Ca

tch

(th

ou

sa

nd

s)

Catch

Wild

Hatchery

0

10000

20000

30000

CH

ILL

IWA

CK

GO

LD

RIV

ER

LA

KE

LS

E

SE

YM

OU

R

KIT

SU

MK

AL

U

DE

AN

RIV

ER

CO

QU

IHA

LL

A

CH

EM

AIN

US

BR

IDG

E

KA

NA

KA

CL

UX

EW

E

SA

N J

OS

EF

BL

AC

K

NA

HA

TL

AT

CH

WH

ON

OC

K

TS

EA

X R

IVE

R

TO

QU

AR

T

MU

CH

AL

AT

DE

MA

MIE

L

TS

OW

WIN

CH

AP

MA

N

ST

RA

NB

Y

DE

BO

VIL

LE

RO

SE

WA

LL

JOR

DA

N

EX

ST

EW

PH

ILL

IPS

EC

ST

AL

L

OR

FO

RD

TA

LC

HA

KO

SA

NG

AN

CA

NO

ON

A

0

10000

20000

30000

CH

ILL

IWA

CK

KIT

IMA

T

KIT

SU

MK

AL

U

LA

KE

LS

E

CO

QU

ITL

AM

QU

AT

SE

HA

RR

IS

SU

SK

WA

CO

NU

MA

CR

AN

BE

RR

Y

AS

H R

IVE

R

TS

EA

X R

IVE

R

TA

HL

TA

N

NA

HW

ITT

I

TA

YL

OR

NO

RR

ISH

KIT

LO

PE

DE

EN

A

ME

GIN

RIV

ER

CH

ILK

O

PA

LL

AN

T

SO

OK

E

DR

INK

WA

TE

MA

TH

ER

S

KIT

EE

N

EX

CH

AM

SIK

S

BE

RT

RA

M

WID

GE

ON

The distribution of anglerdays in 1968 and 2006

1968 – 222 streams

2006 – 169 streams

Ang

lerd

ays

0

10000

20000

30000

CHILLIW

ACK RIV

ER

THOMPSON R

IVER

COWIC

HAN RIV

ER

CAMPBELL R

IVER

FRASER RIV

ER

ALOUETTE RIV

ER

CHEAKAMUS R

IVER

GOLD RIV

ER

SQUAMIS

H RIV

ER

BULKLEY RIV

ER

0

10000

20000

30000

CHILLIW

ACK RIV

ER

BULKLEY RIV

ER

STAMP R

IVER

SKEENA RIV

ER

COWIC

HAN RIV

ER

THOMPSON R

IVER

KITIM

AT RIV

ER

DEAN RIV

ER

BABINE R

IVER

KISPIO

X RIV

ER

Ang

lerd

ays

1968

2006

A comparison of the top-ten utilized streams, 1968 vs 2006

Spatial adjustment toward northern streams

0

10000

20000

30000

CHILLIW

ACK RIV

ER

THOMPSON R

IVER

COWIC

HAN RIV

ER

CAMPBELL R

IVER

FRASER RIV

ER

ALOUETTE RIV

ER

CHEAKAMUS R

IVER

GOLD RIV

ER

SQUAMIS

H RIV

ER

BULKLEY RIV

ER

0

10000

20000

30000

CHILLIW

ACK RIV

ER

BULKLEY RIV

ER

STAMP R

IVER

SKEENA RIV

ER

COWIC

HAN RIV

ER

THOMPSON R

IVER

KITIM

AT RIV

ER

DEAN RIV

ER

BABINE R

IVER

KISPIO

X RIV

ER

Ang

lerd

ays

1968

2006

A comparison of the top-ten utilized streams, 1968 vs 2006

…and increased focus on hatchery supported fisheries.

By and large, the advent of steelhead hatchery streams in BC….

• Came about as a response to federal plans to enhance pacific salmon

• Intended to mitigate against increased interspecific juvenile competition and increased adult interceptions

Update - Streams Stocked with Hatchery Steelhead

0

20

40

60

80

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020

Nu

mb

er

of

str

ea

ms There are 423 stocks in 391

watersheds. We’ve stocked as much as 18% of BC’s steelhead streams, but for a brief time.

BC Steelhead Stream Classification Policy

• strong emphasis on wild stock conservation

• catch and release sport fishing on wild stocks, province wide

• procedures and conditions regarding the designation of “hatchery-augmented” streams

• framework for assessment (abundance based)

Other Policies - Interception Update

• Federal Policy

– Steelhead not part of Federal Wild Salmon Policy

– mandatory release from salmon gillnet and seine fisheries, but many fisheries remain unselective

• Skeena seine and gillnet fisheries – F based steelhead policies• Fraser seine and gillnet fisheries – was recently an F based policy; moving

toward protecting a proportion of the run in only some gillnet fisheries??• Dean channel fisheries – mandatory weedline

• International – Article IX: Steelhead

– “In fulfilling their functions, the Panels and Commission shall take into account the conservation of steelhead.”

• In general, mortality rates due to bycatch in salmon fisheries have been increasing since the late 1990’s.

Water Mgmt Update• Water supply issues in southern third of BC

• Licencing limited to surface waters– Ground water remains unlicenced commodity (exception for mega-

projects; EA’s)

• Water Act does not explicitly deal with values other than was is termed “benefitial use” (i.e. direct use).

• Water shortage and flows for values other than for domestic, agriculture or industrial use are being addressed in an increasing number of places through WUP processes (BC Hydro) and localized watershed planning initiatives.

• Proposals for IPP’s everywhere

Update - Land Mgmt and Issues• Private Lands

– RAR – new regulation applicable to new development in or about riparian areas. • Very limited in scope• No broad scale riparian restoration initiatives or incentives on private lands, only

project scale.– Access issues

• Forest Lands– Pine Beetle – hydrologic change; cattle access to rivers – Riparian protection (S1-S6, LRMP’s)– Community Watershed designation where ECA is limited.

• Oil, gas and mining exploration (e.g. Sacred Headwaters Coal Bed Methane)

• Carbon Credits

Mountain Pine Beetle in BC

Fish Habitat Projects

• LWD

• Fertilization

• Substrate placement

• Channel construction or modification

• $3.5 million/year

Train Wrecks

Cheakamus August 5, 2005

Thompson August 1, 2006

Acknowledgements• Robert Ahrens• Dana Atagi• Mark Beere• Robert Bison• Michael Burwash• Alan Caverly• James Craig• Josh Korman• Don McCubbing• Mike McCulloch• Dean Peard• Ron Ptolemy• Bruce Ward• Craig Wightman• Lee Williston• Greg Wilson

• Parkinson et al. 2005• Johnston et al. 2000• Ahrens 2004• McKusker et al. 2000

Thank You.