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Chapter 3. Chinook harvest ceilings for West Coast of Vancouver Island, Strait of 

 Georgia, Northern B.C. and Southeast Alaska fisheries 



Chapter 4. Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon allocations 



Chapter 5. Coho salmon in Southern Panel fisheries 



Chapter 6. Chum salmon in Southern Panel fisheries. 



Fraser River Sockeye 



The Fraser River system supports an impressive run of sockeye salmon. In 1993, the 

 run totaled over 24 million fish (although historic runs of 40 million fish have been 

 recorded). Sockeye populations in the Fraser River operate on a four year cycle (i.e. 

 run size is strongly influenced by escapement four years previous to the present), with 

 dominant cycle runs in 1993 and 1994. The Fraser Sockeye run is subdivided into a 

 number of major and minor stock groups. 



For the 1989-1992 period, U.S. allocation of Fraser River sockeye was established at 

 7,000,000. In 1993, U.S. allocation numbered 2,765,000 sockeye, of which 2,692,000 

 was harvested (preliminary data). In addition to agreeing to this harvest limit, the U.S. 

 agreed to curtail its fishery in order to reduce impacts on the depressed early Stuart 

 stock, which is the earliest returning segment of the Fraser run. 



Since a previous round of negotiations covering the 1989-1992 period had capped U.S. 

 catch of Fraser River sockeye at 7,000,000, the U.S. was not able to benefit from the 

 unexpectedly strong returns of recent years. The U.S. has pressed for allocations 

 which would allow U.S. fishermen to benefit from the strength of the rebuilt Fraser 

 run. The Canadians argue that rebuilding of the Fraser River run is the result of 

 Canadian conservation efforts. Rebuilding has been made possible by the maintenance 

 of adequate productive habitats and by fishery regulations which provided for adequate 

 escapement on a system-wide and stock-specific basis. Beginning in 1985, Canada 

 began to increase annual escapement goals (i.e., more fish were allowed to escape the 

 fishery to spawn), in spite of increases in sockeye abundance (FRP, 1994). 

 Accordingly, the Canadians hold that benefits should accrue mainly to Canadian 

 fishermen. The U.S. counters that rebuilding efforts have not been solely unilateral; 

 the U.S. had in the past restricted Washington fisheries in order to reduce impacts on 

 the early Stuart River sockeye run. In addition, Washington fishing interests have 

 argued that under the PST, Canada has an independent conservation obligation to 

 protect and conserve salmon stocks (Doherty, 1994). 



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