Catch and effort statistics for the sockeye salmon sport fishery during the late run to the Russian River with estimates of escapement, 1994
By: by Larry E. Marsh.
Contributors: Alaska. Division of Sport Fish.
Series: Fishery data series -- no. 95-10.
Publisher: Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish
Published: 1995
Place of publication: Anchorage
Language: eng
Number of pages: 50
Subjects: Sockeye salmon -- Alaska -- Russian River -- Statistics.; Salmon fisheries -- Alaska -- Russian River -- Statistics.; Fishery resources -- Alaska -- Russian River -- Statistics.
Genres: Statistics.
Description: A direct expansion creel survey of the late-run Russian River recreational fishery was conducted in 1994 to determine angler effort for and harvest of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka. Anglers expended 91,192 angler-hours to harvest 26,375 sockeye salmon from the late run (20 July-20 August). The harvest rate for the late run was 0.289 sockeye salmon per hour of angler effort. Approximately 74% of the total fish harvested during the late run were taken from the confluence area of the fishery. A total of 122,277 sockeye salmon bound for spawning areas were counted through the weir at the outlet of Lower Russian Lake during the late run. This total exceeds the escapement goal of 30,000 that has been established for the late run. Predominant age groups of the harvest and the escapement for the late run were 2.2 and 2.3 aged fish. The majority of the fish harvested from the confluence area were age 2.2 (89.4%) and 2.3 (7.3%). The majority of fish harvested in the river area of the sport fishery were also age 2.2 (80.1%) and 2.3 (10.2%). The sockeye salmon that escaped through the weir at the outlet of Lower Russian Lake were mainly age 2.2 (81.7%) and 2.3 (11.6%). The age composition of the confluence area harvest, the river area harvest, and the weir escapement differed among locations during the late run in 1994. In addition, the age composition changed significantly over time at each location. Estimates of the age composition of the total late return (harvest plus escapement) indicated that the late run was predominantly comprised of age-2.2 and age-2.3 sockeye salmon (82.7% and 11.0%, respectively). A stream survey indicated that a minimum of 15,211 sockeye salmon spawned in the Russian River downstream from the Russian River falls. Carcass sampling indicated that the most abundant age group (1.3) comprised 95.7% of the population that spawned downstream from the falls.
Notes: "July 1995".

"Literature cited": p. 39-43.

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