[env-trinity] King Count Remains Low on the Klamath BY KENNY PRIEST

[Tom Stokely]

https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/king-count-remains-low-on-the-klamath/Content?oid=22867060
King Count Remains Low on the Klamath 
BY KENNY PRIEST
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALAN'S GUIDE SERVICE

Kaden O'Brian from Trinidad holds a Klamath River Chinook salmon from last fall. Fishing opportunities in 2022 for fall-run salmon on the Klamath will likely be similar to last year.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council released its "Review of 2021 Ocean Salmon Fisheries" report last week and the news wasn't great for salmon anglers, though the numbers are trending upward. In 2021, 53,954 adult Klamath River fall Chinook (KRFC) were estimated to have returned from the ocean compared to the preseason prediction of 62,121. Jack returns to the Klamath basin were 10,334 fish. In 2020, 45,409 adults returned along with 9,077 jacks.

Returns to the Iron Gate and Trinity hatcheries increased in 2021, as well. A total of 12,850 adults returned to the two hatcheries this fall, while in 2020 only 8,331 returned. Spawning escapement to the upper Klamath River tributaries (Salmon, Scott and Shasta rivers), where spawning was only minimally affected by hatchery strays, totaled 9,169 compared to 5,559 in 2020. The escapement in 2021 to the Shasta River was 5,972 adults. Escapement to the Salmon and Scott rivers was 1,890 and 1,307 adults, respectively.

According to the report, an estimated 2,265 fall Chinook adults were harvested in the Klamath Basin recreational fishery, which was well over the 1,221 quota.

"The age composition of this year's in-river run (adults and jacks) will be used to estimate current ocean abundance and will determine the number of fish available for harvest in 2022," said Wade Sinnen, senior environmental scientist on the Klamath and Trinity rivers. "There are a variety of factors that determine available harvest, including current ESA constraints in ocean and in-river fisheries. However, based on this year's age composition, I suspect that fishing opportunity on adult fall Chinook salmon of Klamath origin will be similar to last year. Klamath fall Chinook stocks remain in 'overfished' status per federal guidelines."

Next up is the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's annual Salmon Information Meeting on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The meeting, which will be held via Zoom Webinar, will provide the latest information on California salmon stocks and the outlook for ocean salmon fisheries for the upcoming 2022 season. The public is encouraged to provide comments on potential fishing alternatives for California ocean salmon fisheries in 2022. A panel comprised of fishery managers, scientists and industry representatives will be assembled to address questions and collect public input that will be used in developing a range of season alternatives for California salmon fisheries at the March 8 through March 14 Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting. Final season regulations will be adopted at the April 6 through April 13 PFMC meeting. 

Additional meeting links, agendas and other materials will be posted at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Salmon/preseason as they become available. Contact Katherine Osborn at OceanSalmon at wildlife.ca.gov if you have any questions regarding the meeting.


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