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adoption of abundance-based TACs for the WCVI fishery, with or without 

 stepped harvest management, once abundance projections are available. Bans on 

 directed harvest of weak stocks (or the restriction of harvest to low levels of 

 incidental take) should be implemented when higher levels of harvest risk 

 irreparable harm to those stocks. 



TVansboundarv River Stocks 



The Chapter covering transboundary rivers stocks (which expired after 1992) provided 

 a framework for proportional allocation of sockeye salmon from the Taku and Stikinc 

 Rivers. For the Taku River run, Canada was entitled to harvest up to 18 percent of the 

 total allowable catch (TAC) of sockeye originating in the Canadian portion of the Taku 

 River. The allocation of Stikine River sockeye run was variable, based on the size of 

 the TAC. In years of low runs, Canada was entitled to a higher portion of the TAC, 

 while in years of large runs, the U.S. was entitled to a higher portion of the TAC. In 

 both rivers, Canadian allocations of coho were fixed to an annual harvest ceiling. 

 Little controversy exists concerning the management of these stocks. 



Transboundary river stock management offers a precedent for the implementation of 

 abundance-based TAC limits for all salmon stocks covered under the PST. The TACs 

 currently in place for transboundary river stocks are calculated as the difference 

 between salmon abundance and the number needed for adequate spawning escapement 

 (the number of fish that should escape harvest in order to sustain the fishery). Thus, 

 these TACs vary with abundance -- in years of high abundance, the TAC increases 

 because the spawning escapement goal remains fixed. 



♦Transfers of percentage shares of the TAC could be used to adjust for changes 

 in fishing capacity or in the distribution of transboundary river stocks. 



Snake River Stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act {the following section 

 draws heavily from NMFS, 1993b) 



Harvests of the endangered Snake River sockeye in PST fisheries (i.e. SEAK and 

 Canadian) appears to be unlikely. Snake River sockeye migrate into the Columbia 

 River during June and July, while sockeye harvest in SEAK does not begin until late 

 June and early July. Similarly, the bulk of the Canadian sockeye catch occurs from 

 mid-July through August. 



Snake River Spring/Summer chinook also do not appear to be significantly impacted 

 by PST fisheries. In SEAK, the majority of catch lakes place during June and July, 

 when maturing Snake River Spring/Summer chinook would have exited Alaskan 



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