Chilkat River chinook salmon studies, 1992
By: by Robert E. Johnson, Robert P. Marshall, and Steven T. Elliott.
Contributors: Marshall, Robert P.; Elliott, Steven T.; Alaska. Division of Sport Fish.
Series: Fishery data series -- no. 93-50.
Publisher: Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish
Published: 1993
Place of publication: Anchorage, Alaska
Language: eng
Number of pages: 42
Subjects: Chinook salmon -- Alaska -- Chilkat River.; Salmon fisheries -- Alaska -- Chilkat River.
Description: Radio telemetry and a mark-recapture experiment were used to estimate spawning distribution and number of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) age 1.3 and older immigrating to the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska, in 1992. One hundred forty-eight large (age 1.3 and older) chinook salmon were captured with gill nets between Chilkat River miles 7 and 8 between June 1 and July 22, 1992. Seventy-four of these fish were implanted with radio transmitters, and 73 were tagged with solid-core spaghetti tags; 66 of the fish with transmitters were tracked to areas of the drainage where it was assumed they spawned. The mean date of the immigration of large chinook salmon sampled was July 6. An estimated 72.7% (SE = 5.5%) of the immigration spawned in the Kelsall River system, 19.7% (SE = 4.9%) in the Tahini River, 4.6% (SE = 2.6%) in the Klehini River system, 1.5% (SE = 1.5%) in the mainstem Chilkat River, and 1.5% (SE = 1.5%) in Assignation Creek. Between July 29 and September 4, 1992, 905 large chinook salmon spawning in the Chilkat River drainage, mostly on the Kelsall and Tahini rivers, were inspected for tags in order to estimate abundance. A modified Petersen model (n1 = 139, n2 = 905, m2 = 23) was used to estimate that 5,284 (SE = 949) chinook salmon age 1.3 and older immigrated to the Chilkat River. These results are similar to those in 1991. The estimated immigration to the Chilkat River system was much greater than the historical expansion estimator would have indicated, and the historic index areas, Big Boulder and Stonehouse Creeks, again were not major spawning locations. A complete analysis of the coded wire tag recovery database for the 1984 and 1985 brood year releases into the Tahini River is also presented. The contribution to sport and commercial fisheries from Tahini River fish was estimated at 310 fish (1984 brood year) and 530 fish (1985 brood year). Estimated harvests were 372 fish (commercial troll), 264 fish (commercial drift gill net), and 204 fish (sport fishery).
Notes: "Partially financed by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act ... under project F-10-7 and F-10-8, job no. S-1-5."

"December 1993."

Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-33).

Also issued online.