Stock Assessment

1
Stock Assessment

• Objectives
• Cooperative and integrated stock assessment
  programs
• Improved capacity and opportunity for First
  Nations
• Approach
• Develop Assessment Frameworks to facilitate
  mutual understanding and joint planning, and as a
  tool for prioritizing activities
• Joint planning and early sharing of information
  on planned activities
• Pursue capacity-building opportunities

2
Stock Assessment Framework

• Salmon Stock Assessment Framework
• Populations and their characteristics
• e.g. assessment aggregates life history
• Resource management goals
• e.g. sustainable fisheries viable populations
• Management framework
• e.g. TAC in-season forecasts
• Information needs for stock and fisheries
  management, and methods used to acquire data
• Sockeye example follows

3
2004 Sockeye forecast

• 29 stocks and aggregates
• Generally strong returns are forecast in the
  major stock groups (Trans-boundary, Nass, Skeena,
  Fraser, Barkley Sound).
• Stocks of concern are widespread but centered in
  coastal lakes especially the Georgia Str,
  Johnstone Str and CC, wild Skeena stocks and QCI.

4
Framework summary Sockeye information
requirements

• Escapement estimates quantitative in PST areas
  qualitative in others.
• Catch estimates stock specific in PST fisheries
  approximate/estimated in other.
• Age composition of return is often useful for
  forecasting large changes in survival.
• Survival/ER indicators are not generally used but
  should be present in major ocean survival domains
  (NC southern CC- sBC inside Barkley Sound
  Fraser).
• Data for effort/time/space models for significant
  fisheries.

5
AF summary sockeye Table 1
Significance
6
Sockeye project summary
7
Sockeye projects AF summary

• Escapement programs are adequate except QCI,
  coastal 3/6, northern CC, WCVI and sInside
• Catch monitoring ocean fisheries adequate for
  major stocks
• Relatively high assessment effort in YTB Fraser
  
• Juvenile programs in many areas, especially
  Fraser and YTB, may not be supportable
• Most significant production issues are a)
  management of mixed-stock fisheries in all major
  stock areas b) determining status (often
  carrying capacity in Fraser)
• Most significant conservation issues are a)
  Skeena wild sBC inside WCVI wild Fraser lates,
  RISI. Except for Skeena, there are factors
  other than fisheries

8
Conclusions

• Assessment frameworks are a useful tool for
  documenting salmon assessment information
  requirements and prioritizing activities to
  provide that information
• Need input from First Nations and others on the
  framework and the prioritization system
• AFS activities are a significant component of the
  total salmon assessment effort. Further
  discussion between DFO and First Nations at the
  regional and local levels is required for
  effective and joint project planning.