Recent Trends in the Catchability of Sockeye Salmon in the Skeena River Gillnet Test Fishery and Impacts on Escapement Estimation

The Skeena River Salmon Management Committee established the Skeena River gillnet test fishery in 1955. The test fishery is used to monitor sockeye and pink salmon escapement during the management season (June-September). As a secondary function, the test fishery is also used to monitor the relative abundance of chinook, coho, chum, and steelhead passing into the Skeena River. Large negative bias (under-estimates) in test fishery estimates of sockeye escapement has occurred in recent years. This has raised concern about the reliability and accuracy of the test fishery as an index of abundance for all species.