Here is an update on the Fraser River blockage. Not sure how much time they'll have for studies.....The river is warm and the water velocity is high.


Tuesday, July 09, 2019

The Fraser River Panel met Tuesday, July 9th to receive an update on the migration ofFraser River Sockeye and Pink salmon and review the status of migration conditions in the FraserRiver watershed, including an update of the rock slide at Big Bar. This rock slide occurred June 23, 2019 in a narrow portion of the Fraser River, and created a blockage and five-meter waterfall in this section of the river.

Options to remove or remediate the rock obstruction are being explored.
Meanwhile daily acoustic fish counting reports are being collected both above and below the rockslide. Mark-recapture methods are also being used to estimate the quantity of fish travelling throughthe site. Potential options to physically move fish upstream from the obstruction are also being explored.

Very few Sockeye salmon have been caught to-date in Fraser River Sockeye test fisheries. The Whonnock gillnet test fishery began June 24, and the Qualark gillnet test fishery began July 2. The Qualark and Mission hydroacoustics programs began July 1 and July 4, respectively.
Assessments will improve later this week with the addition of Cottonwood, Area 20 and Area 12 gill net test fisheries.

On July 8 the discharge of the Fraser River at Hope was 4,473 cms, which is approximately23% below average for this date. The temperature of the Fraser River at Qualark Creek on July 8was 16.20C, which is 0.70C higher than average for this date. Fraser River discharge levels and
water temperatures will be monitored closely to determine if specific management actions arerequired during the in-river migratory period to help achieve Sockeye escapement goals.

All Panel Area Waters remain closed to commercial salmon fishing.

The next in-season meeting of the Panel is scheduled to occur on Friday, July 12th, 2019.