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Interior Fraser River (IFR) Coho Salmon Record of Evidence for meeting the Precautionary Approach

Under amendments to Canada’s Fisheries Act in 2019, Limit Reference Points (LRPs) are required for all fish stocks prescribed under Section IX of the Fishery (General) Regulations. Stocks that are below their LRP require the development of a rebuilding plan within two years of being prescribed. A Record of Evidence (ROE) will be completed for stocks that are above their LRP to describe how they meet the components of the Precautionary Approach. A ROE records the location of all documents that provide evidence of how DFO met the requirements of the Fish Stocks provisions (section 6.1 of the Fisheries Act which states the stock must be managed at levels necessary to promote sustainability) and functions as a high-level overview of the current status with information on where to find more detailed information if desired.

Interior Fraser River (IFR) Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) was initially assessed as endangered by COSEWIC in 2002 but was revised to threatened in 2016 (COSEWIC, 2016). The stock was later prescribed in April 2022 under Schedule IX of the Fishery General Regulations, initiating the commencement of an ROE report. The IFR Coho Stock Management Unit (SMU) consists of five Conservation Units (Figure 1). Operationally, CUs are used for assessment of biological status under the Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) and each represent a fundamental unit of salmon biodiversity. Under the Precautionary Approach (PA) framework, the IFR Coho stock has been assessed as above its anticipated LRP based on both a CU based approach and aggregate abundance approach (Holt et al., 2023a,b. Pestal et al. 2023). A Fisheries Science Advice Report (FSAR) went through the May 2024 Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) peer review process and the final report will be posted on the CSAS page in early 2025. Based on the results of this process, there is high confidence that the stock is above its LRP and a rebuilding plan is not required.

Figure 1, see long description

Figure 1. Map of the Interior Fraser Coho Stock Management Unit (SMU) and associated Conservation Units (CU) that make up the SMU and are represented in colour.

Long description

A partial map of central British Columbia with the top North, East portion of Vancouver Island showing in the bottom left part of the map image and part of the West border of Alberta in the top right part of the map image. Prince George, Kamloops, and Hells Gate are shown and serve as geographic reference points.

The distribution of 5 Interior Fraser River Coho Salmon Conservation Units (North Thompson, South Thompson, Lower Thompson, Fraser Canyon, and Middle Fraser) that make up the Interior Fraser Coho Stock Management Unit (SMU) are represented by different coloured and irregularly shaped polygons. The Middle Fraser polygon is the largest of the five polygons and spans most of central BC. The North, Lower, and South Thompson polygons are similar in size and are clustered together in the bottom right corner of the map image. They are each approximately one quarter the size of the Middle Fraser polygon. The Fraser Canyon polygon is the smallest of the five and sits at the bottom of the map slightly off center.

Through earlier recovery planning processes, various interim objectives and targets have been established for the IFR Coho stock. The Interior Fraser Coho Recovery team (2006) identified a series of long-term recovery objectives for the IFR Coho stock which include the following:

Additionally, through the Recovery Potential Assessment (Arbeider et al., 2020), a quantitative analysis of a dataset including natural-origin escapements from 1998-2016 was used to recommend a recovery target consisting of a 3-year geometric mean abundance of 35,935 natural-origin spawners within a 10-year timeframe for the Designatable Unit (a measurable unit similar to a CU as defined by COSEWIC). Although the recovery target has been met since 2020, ongoing low productivity has hindered the stock from returning to historic levels (Figure 2).

Figure 2, see long description

Figure 2. Interior Fraser Coho prefishery abundance, spawner abundance and exploitation rate from 1984-2023

Long description

Interior Fraser Coho natural-origin spawner abundance (1984-2023) and pre-fishery abundance (1984-2023) uses the left axis and total Canadian and US exploitation rate (1984-2022) uses the right axis. Escapement methodology quality changed starting in 1998, which resulted in an increase in the number of systems being surveyed and a more rigorous methodology. Recent exploitation rate estimates have been made using the Fisheries Regulatory Assessment Model (FRAM 2004-2022), while historic estimates have varied between the Canadian Spreadsheet Model (CSM 2001-2003), Canadian genetic samples and US coded-wire-tag samples (GSI + CWT direct 1998-2000), CWT direct for both countries (CWT direct 1986-1997), and two years of infilled estimates (average of 1986-1987, 1984-1985). Note that 2023 does not have an exploitation rate estimate available at the time the figure was made; the exploitation rate estimate is not 0.

In response to a trend of poor Coho escapements through the 1990s, leading up to widespread fishery closures in 1998, the Minister has continued the conservative management strategy of limiting Canadian IFR Coho fishery exploitation at 3-5% total mortality for most years. Management measures to restrict fishing mortality on IFR Coho are applied to fisheries where bycatch of this stock is possible (i.e. from May to October when these populations are expected to be encountered in Southern B.C. waters). These management actions include non-retention of wild origin Coho, time and area closures, gear restrictions, and handling requirements (e.g. “revival tanks” on commercial vessels). Further details on these area and time closures can be found in the applicable IFMP. As a result, current management measures have maintained the stock above its anticipated LRP, aligning with the IFMP annual fisheries objectives.

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