| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
In 2008 adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) carcasses were recovered from the Nechako River in order to collect biological data on sex, size, fecundity, egg retention, life history and age. This information contributes to the database being compiled under the auspices of the Nechako Fisheries Conservation Program to monitor the Nechako Chinook population. A total of 200 carcasses were collected on the Nechako River between September 16th and October 2nd. Nechako River Chinook carcasses recovered in 2008 exhibited mostly similar biological characteristics to those collected from 1988 to 2007. Values for the female to male ratio of the sample and the mean post-orbital hypural length for both males and females fell within the ranges observed in previous years. The spawning population was almost exclusively comprised of individuals with a stream-type life history and dominated by the 42 age-class, whereas in most years the 52 age-class is dominant. |
