Sockeye Return Numbers Falling Quite Short so Far

By Mark Yuasa, Seattle Times

Aug. 5–The sockeye salmon runs this summer in Lake Washington and British Columbia’s Fraser River system are falling well below the preseason forecasts.

In Lake Washington, co-fisheries managers expected a return of 125,000 sockeye, but through Aug. 2, only 61,152 have returned, plus fish counts at the Ballard Locks continue to plummet each day.

“There is not much coming back right now, and we might get 4,000 or 5,000 more sockeye in August, but we are still well short of the preseason forecast,” said Mike Mahovlich, a Muckleshoot tribal biologist.

In a news release last week, the Pacific Salmon Commission gave an updated assessment on the state of sockeye returns this summer.

Poor marine environmental conditions for juvenile sockeye in 2005 (warm water conditions, low oxygen levels and a lack of feed) might have negatively impacted the juvenile-to-adult survival rates for some Fraser sockeye stocks as well as Washington stocks.

While fisheries managers are pointing the finger at poor ocean survival, Washington’s state and tribal fisheries staff also are looking at dismal lake survival.

“There are a lot of sockeye fry in the lake that don’t go out as smolts, and much of that is related to high predation with a lot of critters eating the little fish,” said Steve Foley, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. “We’d like to see more smolts go out to sea, but when you have cutthroat, pike minnow, sculpins and birds preying on them, it does take its toll.”

Tribal managers agree.

“I wish we could rule out poor survival in Lake Washington, but we really can’t,” Mahovlich said. “There was some issues in the lake and we didn’t see the [2-year-old] sockeye smolt migrating out in 2005.”

Mahovlich said one of the most defining factors was a lack of 3-year-old sockeye last summer, which was the lowest returns seen in 20 years.

The 4-year-old stock of sockeye make up the bulk number of fish returning each year to the lake.

“I had a sense there was going to be a shortfall of 4-year-olds this summer,” Mahovlich said. “Maybe it was a lake problem compounded by marine survival, which makes it a double whammy.”

Despite the poor sockeye run to the lake this summer, anglers had a chance to enjoy back-to-back seasons in 2005 and 2006. Last year, the lake was open for sport fishing for 18 days with a run of 458,005 fish, the longest since 1996 when it was open 25 days.

“We’ve had our fun with Lake Washington the past couple of years, and that is why we do the in-season data to stay on top of things and help us understand it,” Mahovlich said. “It shows these runs fluctuate from year to year, and the more studies we do will help us manage these fish in the long run.”

Up in British Columbia, the total sockeye forecast for the Fraser River system was predicted to be a rosy 6 million fish.

However, the early Stuart River (a tributary of the Fraser) sockeye run was completed with an in-season update of only 13,000 fish compared to a forecast of 45,000.

Back in Seattle, some are saying that because of these dismal returns, the City of Seattle should back away from its support of a new permanent Cedar River sockeye hatchery.

“For the people to suggest that the city pull back … based on a one-year, coast-wide downturn in ocean productivity is not based on good science, which has been developed by the city and all of its partners over the years,” said Bill Robinson, a member of the Seattle Public Utilities Cedar River Anadromous Fish Committee.

“The changes in the ocean are a natural cyclical process,” Robinson said. “The impacts of climate change continue to be the driver in ocean conditions, and are certainly going to be the focus of scientific investigations for decades to come. These changes affect all salmonid fisheries resources. It is not unique to a single species such as sockeye.”

Notes

–The Puget Sound Anglers of Lake Washington meeting is 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mercer Island Fire Station, 3030 78th Ave. S.E. Chapter members will present a seminar on fishing Lakes Washington and Sammamish for various species. Details: 206-232-3019.

–Washington Sea Grant is offering a free seminar titled: “Ups and Downs in Puget Sound: The Saga of Dungeness Crab and Spot Prawn,” 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday at the Alderbrook Resort and Spa, 10 East Alderbrook Dr. in Union. Dr. David Armstrong and Dr. Greg Jensen from the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences will discuss the life history, including diet, habitat and reproduction, and the ups and downs in populations and impacts of human activities. Details: 360-432-3054.

–The Sportsman’s Warehouse, 1405 So. 348th St. in Federal Way, will present “The Fundamentals of Fly Casting Classes,” 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Aug. 19. The classes are designed to teach an introduction to equipment, theory of casting and techniques, leaders and knots. Instructors include Darrel Martin, certified by the Federation of Fly-Fishers and shop staff. Students must bring their own equipment. Cost is $50. Pre-registration is required. Details: 253-835-4100.

–The Renton Puget Sound Anglers Chapter meeting is 6:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Kennydale Memorial Hall, 2424 N.E. 27th St. in Renton. Gary Loomis of Loomis Fishing Rods, Fish First and Coastal Conservation Association is the guest speaker. Details: www.pugetsoundanglers.org.

–The Penn Cove Orca Capture Commemoration is 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Captain Whidbey Inn, 2072 Captain Whidbey Inn Road in Coupeville on Whidbey Island. Cost is $20. The event is in memory of 45 southern resident orcas captured in Washington and the 13 orcas killed during the captures, and in honor of Lolita, the only survivor. Guest speaker is Dr. Terrell Newby, a biologist who was there during the capture operation. Details: 800-ORCANET or www.orcanetwork.org.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com

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