Sockeye Creel Study Skeena River 2011

The Skeena Watershed is the second largest sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) producing watershed in British Columbia. Sockeye recreational fishing on the Skeena River and the Babine system has become increasingly popular since the fishery was opened in the mid1990, but sockeye harvest during this recreational fishery remains largely unknown. This report compiles, analyzes, and interprets the results from creel surveys conducted independently by three different organizations at the most significant sockeye recreational fishing locations on the Skeena River watershed during the summer of 2011. We estimate the total number of sockeye harvested during the 2011 sockeye recreational fishing season.