Stock assessment of the return of early-run chinook salmon to the Kenai River, 1993

Description

The total inriver return of early-run chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha as estimated through hydroacoustic techniques was 19,921. The estimated angler effort and harvest as measured from a creel survey during the early (May and June) chinook salmon run were 153,899 angler-hours and 7,727 chinook salmon, respectively, approximately 25% greater than the 1974-1992 mean. Release mortality was estimated at 219 fish. Spawning escapement, which was estimated by subtracting total fishing mortality from total inriver return, was 11,975. This escapement was 2,975 (33%) 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 1.4 fish. Migratory timing models were used to project spawning escapement during the 1993 fishery. No restrictions of the recreational fishery were required to achieve the escapement. A model based on sibling ratios was used to forecast the 1994 return at 20,089 (SE = 7,149) fish.

Subjects

Genres

• Statistics

Series Statement

• Fishery data series -- no. 94-10.

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