| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
In 2010 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 4th. Nechako River Chinook carcasses recovered in 2010 exhibited biological characteristics variable to those collected from 1988 to 2009. The female to male ratio of the sample was the highest on record while the mean post-orbital hypural lengths for both males and females were among the lowest observed since 1988. In addition, mean egg retention for partially and completely spawned females was the 2nd lowest on record. 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. |
