AGENDA • Orientation

• Introduction – BCCF, FLNRORD, MOE

• The Issue – history

• Objectives of this session

• Presentation of recent work and historic context

• Opportunity for stakeholders to become informed

• Opportunity to remain connected via email distribution

• Opportunity to participate in some components

• Presentation

• Questions

GOLD RIVER STEELHEAD INVESTIGATIONS INTO CURRENT STOCK STATUS AND POTENTIAL REASONS FOR DECLINE

PRESENTATION FOR PUBLIC AND INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS, HOSTED BY CAMPBELL RIVER FISH

AND WILDLIFE

BY JERAMY DAMBORG (BCCF), MIKE MCCULLOCH AND BRENDAN ANDERSON (FLNRORD),

PAID FOR IN PART BY HABITAT CONSERVATION TRUST FOUNDATION

JAN 23RD, 2019

PROBLEM THE BIG QUESTION

• Winter run steelhead severe stock

decline over last decade (thousands to

dozens)

• Currently at near functional extinction

levels for winter runs

• Heber and upper gold summer run in

Routine Management Zone (RMZ), and

appear relatively stable

• Why this significant differential

between SR and WR stocks?

POSSIBLE REASONS FOR DECLINE

• Habitat

• Degraded rearing or spawning habitat

• Water

• Shifts in flow regime

• Flooding/extreme low flows

• Changes in temperatures due to climate

change or watershed impacts

• Poor Ocean survival

• Ocean conditions (warming)

• Changes in prey abundance

• Aquaculture, log booming or other near

shore influences

• Predators, either nearshore, offshore or

in river

Analysis of hydrologic

record shows some recent

very low flow years. 2015

is a stand out and

represents the drought of

record.

Droughts serve to:

• Reduce rearing area

and capacity to produce

parr/smolts

• Change distribution of

adult summer runs

• Can be warmer years

that produce larger fry

but limit parr habitats

HCTF PROJECT – SOME KEY FINDINGS TO DATE

• Peak WR snorkel count over 3 swims

in 2 years is 3 adults over 8km

• Heber SR in 2018 = 259 fish

• Upper Gold SR = 66 fish (with

suspected poor migration into swim

reach due to extreme low flows)

• Electrofishing Summary (2017 and

2018)

• Upper Gold and Heber 5-10x fry

densities vs Lower Gold

Heber summer steelhead VS Gold summer steelhead

High Heber count correlates to high Gold counts where they

were completed coincidentally

Upper gold has not been as intensively surveyed in the last

decade because there is more uncertainty due to:

Higher or lower water in some years that could shift adult

distribution,

Unable to survey portions of the anadromous section

2017 and 2018

Electrofishing

surveys for steelhead

fry

Predicted capacity based

on an alkalinity model which

estimates how productive a

system is

How fry and adult densities relate.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

Fishery Closure Monitoring

• Weekend and weekday AM

• RAPP line

• Collect info to report (lic #, vehicle

and angler descriptions)

• Posting closure notices

Seal monitoring in lower river

• Time lapse or motion trigger

Camera monitoring

• Active monitoring -Cover known fish

holding pools (i.e. ‘Lake Pool) and

estuary by Nootka Sound Watershed

Society

HCTF – 2019/20

• BCCF applied for Yr-2 - $41,030

• Ramping up predator (pinniped)

monitoring at HCTF request

• Continue Snorkel/EF stock

assessment

• Limiting factors analysis, expand

hydrological analysis,

SPORT FISHERY MANAGEMENT

• Gold River mainstem was varied closed in winter 2019 with closure reflected

in the synopsis in 2019-2021

• Spring / Summer closures are being considered but not currently

implemented based on monitored stock strength

• Current press release is somewhat vague around tributaries which will remain closed

(normal closures) during the winter period

• Duration is estimated at 5 years (one steelhead generation) BUT will be

varied open if positive abundance trends and minimum threshold are met

HELPING IDENTIFY THE ISSUES…. CONTACT INFORMATION

• Mike.McCulloch@gov.bc.ca

• (250) 751-3156

• Ministry of Forests , Lands and

Natural Resource Operations +RD

• Jdamborg@BCCF.com

• (250) 390-2525

• BC Conservation Foundation

Questions