Fraser Sockeye Run In Trouble - Maybe 50% Of Historic Average Will Return This Year - Closure Mulled

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ICTORIA - Commercial and recreational fishermen may be shut out of this year's Fraser River sockeye salmon run because projections point to plummeting numbers. Well-below-average numbers are predicted for sockeye salmon returning to the Fraser River, Jeff Grout, Fisheries and Oceans Canada's region resource manager for salmon, said Friday.

Grout is expecting 1.9 million to 2.9 million sockeye to return to spawn, considerably lower than the historical average of 4.4 million for the low year in the sockeye run's four-year cycle. "There is certainly the possibility there won't be an opportunity there for a sockeye fishery for the commercial and recreational harvesters," he said.

Low numbers last year also prompted fisheries officials to prohibit commercial and recreational fishing for Fraser sockeye.

Concerns over these salmon come as a total closure of commercial and sport chinook salmon fisheries off California and most of Oregon was announced Thursday by the Seattle-based Pacific Fishery Management Council. "This is a disaster for West Coast salmon fisheries, under any standard," council chairman Don Hansen said.

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http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=19a75e20-150c-43e5-9d2b-f8a19e78ead5&k=5872