Preliminary Salmon & Kyuquot Outlook Announced
via DFO
Last week DFO released the preliminary Salmon Outlook for Coastal BC. The outlook was only particular to Canadian returning stocks. What we heard is that WCVI is expected to be much like last year which is good news for us.
The outlook included scientific factors beyond returning adult fish. These factors include sea surface temperatures, ocean chlorophyll levels, ocean upwellings and other trends. In the bigger picture we are still in a general cold water regime regionally which is good for salmon growth and survival.
The ocean chlorophyll graphs show some interesting information. We have heard in the media of some problems with Alaska Chinook stocks, and if you look at the part of the chart with the least red, this is the area those Chinook migrate to. Fortunately for our Chinook and the Chinook that pass through our waters, the oceans have been good to them the last 4 years.
Link to heavy duty data
There was documented a warm water pocket that was visible on WV last year and we knew it was here with the presence of the mackeral.This "pocket" is being described as just that, and not a major warm water occurrence. We are probably trending into a small El Nino (warm water) period.
The detailed salmon forecast comes out later next month. This will include the ocean abundance index for all Canadian and US stocks. We will let you know as soon as this information comes out.