Salmon, Chinook

Multiple fisheries on Chinook salmon are [MSC certified], all of them in Alaska. These use a multitude of fishing methods, including the “fishing wheel”, a wheel with fishing nets on it that rotates in the current and that way catches the fish and drops them in a collection basin. The Pacific salmon fishery is well regulated and the fishing methods bring little harm to the environment.

The stock of Chinook salmon in Alaska is in bad condition. A portion of the stock is purposely not being fished, so the salmon can reproduce. The size of this portion for a sustainable salmon stock is determined in so called [“escapement goals”]. These goals are often not reached because there are still more salmon being caught. Some salmon fisheries have been closed in the past years. This seems to have an effect. The salmon stocks are also being monitored intensively, which makes a well-done stock assessment possible.

With trolling and seining there is little bycatch of protected fish species and undersized fish. There also little to no discards. These fishing methods don’t impact the seabed. The effects of releasing young salmon on the ecosystem are still unknown. The salmon fishery along the west coast of the US is one of the best managed and monitored fisheries in the world. Catches are regulated by a permit system, closed areas and seasons. Fisheries are closed when the determined catch limits are reached.

The stock of Chinook salmon in Alaska is in relatively good condition. A portion of the stock is purposely not being fished, so the salmon can reproduce.  Some salmon fisheries have been closed in the past years. The salmon stocks are also being monitored intensively, which makes a well-done stock assessment possible.

Chinook salmon is caught with gillnets, among other methods. It is not clear if gillnets pose a danger to endangered and protected fish species. Discards are low, and gillnets don’t disrupt the seabed. The effects of releasing young salmon on the ecosystem are still unknown.

The salmon fishery along the west coast of the US is one of the best managed and monitored fisheries in the world. Catches are regulated by a permit system, closed areas and seasons. Fisheries are closed when the determined catch limits are reached.

The stock of Chinook salmon in Alaska is in relatively good condition. A portion of the stock is purposely not being fished, so the salmon can reproduce. The size of this portion for a sustainable salmon stock is determined in so called [“escapement goals”]. These goals are often not reached because there are still more salmon being caught. Some salmon fisheries have been closed in the past years. This seems to have an effect. The salmon stocks are also being monitored intensively, which makes a well-done stock assessment possible.

With trolling and seining there is little bycatch of protected fish species and undersized fish. There also little to no discards. These fishing methods don’t impact the seabed. The effects of releasing young salmon on the ecosystem are still unknown. The salmon fishery along the west coast of the US is one of the best managed and monitored fisheries in the world. Catches are regulated by a permit system, closed areas and seasons. Fisheries are closed when the determined catch limits are reached.

The stock of Chinook salmon in British Columbia is in bad condition. A portion of the stock is purposely not being fished, so the salmon can reproduce. There are measures being made to lower the fishing pressure on salmon.

With hooks and lines there is bycatchBycatch:
Species caught next to species targeted for fishery. By-catches can consist of non-commercial species and species that are too small, and can be kept (this part is sometimes called by-product) or thrown back into the sea (discards).  of bottom fish. This bycatch is mostly landed. The effects of repopulating the stock with salmon from aquaculture are still unknown. The disappearing of salmon has large effects on the nutrient supply in freshwater ecosystems.

The management focuses on the most important issues with salmon fishery. There is only no management for the effects of repopulating the stock with salmon from aquaculture.

The catch of Chinook salmon is only a small part of the Russian salmon fishery. Chinook salmon is mostly bycatch from the fisheries on Chum and pink salmon. There are no data available on this fishery, therefore the impact of this fishery on the Chinook salmon stock cannot be assessed.

[Driftnets] are a hazard for vulnerable seabirds, dolphins and whales. It is estimated that there are a lot of bycatch and discards in this fishery, but unfortunately there are no trustworthy data on this.

Illegal, Unreported and Unreported (IUU) fishery is also a big problem. Catches are not or falsely reported to the authorities. The management on this fishery is not effective.