Stock assessment of the return of early-run chinook salmon to the Kenai River, 1995

Description

The total inriver return of early-run chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha as estimated through hydroacoustic techniques was 21,884 fish. Angler effort and harvest as estimated by a creel survey during the early (May and June) chinook salmon run in the downstream section (Cook Inlet to the Soldotna Bridge) were 165,990 angler-hours and 7,733 chinook salmon, respectively. When expanded to account for the unsurveyed portion of the fishery, total estimated effort and harvest were 188,161 angler-hours and 10,327 fish, respectively, approximately 50% greater than the 1974-1994 mean. Release mortality was estimated to be 401 fish. Spawning escapement, estimated by subtracting total fishing mortality from total inriver return, was 11,156 chinook salmon. This escapement was 2,156 (24%) greater than stipulated by the Kenai River Early King Salmon Management Plan. The predominant age class of both the inriver return and the recreational harvest of early-run chinook salmon was age-1.4 fish. Migratory timing models were used to project spawning escapement during the 1995 fishery. No restrictions of the recreational fishery were required to achieve the escapement. A model based on sibling ratios was used to forecast a 1996 return of 23,138 (SE = 7,316) chinook salmon.

Subjects

Series Statement

• Fishery data series -- no. 96-11.

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