| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The Quesnel River is a major producer of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Fraser River watershed, particularly on its dominant and sub-dominant cycle years. The Quesnel Lake sockeye population is now classified as the Quesnel Lake sockeye Conservation Unit (CU) via implementation of Canada’s Policy for Conservation of Wild Pacific Salmon (DFO, 2005), more commonly called the Wild Salmon Policy (WSP). Under the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the Quesnel River sockeye population is managed as part of the Mid-Summer sockeye aggregate, due to its return migration timing in marine approach areas and the Fraser River. Successful implementation of the Quesnel River Dual-frequency Identification SONAR (DIDSON) project addresses the need for a total escapement estimate for the Quesnel Lake sockeye CU, and is one of the key Objectives for this project. The DIDSON system is able to produce a video image intuitively similar to an underwater camera, but has the benefit of being able to record fish movement and behaviour in turbid and dark water. The DIDSON system has been successfully deployed in the Fraser River and major tributaries for the purpose of sockeye stock assessment (enumeration) since 2005. QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. Project Objectives as outlined in the proposal, and used to guide the completion of the project were as follows: 1. DIDSON site selection: Identification and utilization of the best possible DIDSON field site for producing a total Quesnel Lake system sockeye salmon escapement estimate in 2009. 2. Installation and operation of 2 DIDSON systems (one on each river bank, directly opposite) for the entire sockeye salmon migration period, including on-site visual counts. 3. Generation of a total 2009 Quesnel Lake system (Quesnel Lake sockeye Conservation Unit) sockeye salmon escapement estimate, and comparison to the upstream estimates of spawning escapement. 4. Establishment of a capacity-sharing relationship between the UFFCA, NSTC and DFO for providing experience to First Nations fisheries technicians on all aspects of a DIDSON project - from concept to completion phases. The Quesnel River DIDSON project was located in the Quesnel River watershed in the BC Interior and the upper portion of the Fraser watershed (Fig 1). As a feasibility study, the Quesnel River DIDSON project met all Project Objectives, and was a successful collaborative partnership between the UFFCA, NSTC and DFO from an administrative and operational perspective. Sockeye salmon migration past the Quesnel River DIDSON project site was observed to have begun on August 8 and continued through September 28. The 2009 Quesnel River DIDSON sockeye salmon escapement estimate into the Quesnel System was 157,541 Ī 14,477 (Ī 9.5%). This result is comparable to DFO’s Near Final Estimate of sockeye escapement to the Quesnel Lake area of 149,467 (DFO website, 2010). All project partners indicated the experience resulting from the implementation and completion of this project has provided an excellent foundation from which to base future technical project partnerships. Due to the non-technical nature of the fourth objective of this project (establishment of a collaborative relationship between Project Partners), the body of the report was formatted as a description of the project, project objectives, background information, and a summary of the methods, results and discussion. The comprehensive technical methods, results and discussion summarized in the body of this report are supported by a stand-alone technical report included as Appendix 1 of this report. |
