Post by Dave on Dec 8, 2018 11:20:31 GMT -5
Dear FMZ20 Council,
Re: Lake Ontario - Chinook Salmon Stocking Targets for 2019
This is a follow-up memo to finalize the stocking targets for Chinook Salmon in 2019 and outline next steps. Please share this information as needed.
Based on the advice from Council, the 2019 OMNRF Lake Ontario Chinook Salmon stocking target will be 393,000 fish, a 35% reduction from the base target of 600,000 fish. Given the projected stocking of 1.004 million Chinook Salmon by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the 2019 lake wide target will be 1.397 million Chinook Salmon.
As you know, starting in 2017, Chinook Salmon and Lake Trout stocking were reduced by 20% in response to predicted declines in Alewife abundance. Stocking levels remained at the reduced levels in 2018. In the fall of 2018, in response to ongoing prey fish concerns, NYSDEC announced an additional 20% stocking reduction for Chinook Salmon starting in 2019, while maintaining the original 20% reduction for Lake Trout. At the time of the NYSDEC announcement, Ontario required more time to consider the issue and develop a plan of action.
The Lake Ontario FMZ20 West Council met twice in the fall of 2018 to review the most recent information on the status of prey fish and Chinook Salmon. The Council had an opportunity to engage the Lake Ontario Prey Fish Science Team from OMNRF, NYSDEC and U.S. Geological Survey. The following is a summary of key predator/prey concerns:
1. Strong Alewife reproduction was observed in 2016; however, survival of those fish to age 2 in 2018 appears to be lower than expected.
2. Results from the 2018 Alewife assessment show that the adult Alewife population in 2019 will consist of mainly age 2, 3 and 4 with a few age 7 fish.
3. In recent years, estimates of available Alewife biomass (i.e. total kilograms of Alewife available for predators) are getting closer to the estimates of total predator demand on Alewife (i.e. total amount of Alewife eaten by Chinook Salmon).
4. Chinook Salmon were smaller in 2018 and the reduced size is not fully explained by environmental factors such as water temperatures during the growing season. The 2018 Credit River fall spawning condition of Chinook Salmon (a fish length – weight relationship) was the lowest recorded since 1989.
The FMZ20 West Council reached consensus (with one abstention) in support of reduced stocking targets that were in line with the NYSDEC stocking reduction. The Council provided advice on where the reductions should occur around the lake, addressing both net pen and stream stocking locations.
Ontario’s 2019 Chinook Salmon stocking target of 393,000 reflects an effective reduction of 20% from 2018. The effective reduction takes into account that survival is higher in net pen fish, therefore the 39,000 fish reduced from various net pens are counted at 2:1 for an effective stocking reduction of 78,000 fish.
The 393,000 Chinook Salmon stocked in 2019 will be divided equally between Chinook net pens and direct stream stocking. A detailed stocking plan has not been established and will be developed in the next few months with the advice of the Council.
A conservative approach to stocking has served Lake Ontario anglers well and we are optimistic about the future of this world class fishery. The decision to reduce stocking is consistent with the Lake Ontario Fish Community Objective to maintain Chinook Salmon as the top predator to support a trophy fishery.
More detailed information on the status of Alewife is available in the NYSDEC Background Report: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/111196.html#_blank and in the Lake Ontario Management Unit 2018 Annual Report available March 27, 2019 at www.glfc.org/loc_mgmt_unit/
The Lake Ontario Management Unit would like to sincerely thank the FMZ20 Council for their ongoing service and commitment to the Lake Ontario Fishery.
Sincerely
Andy Todd
Manager, Lake Ontario Management Unit
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Andy.Todd@Ontario.ca
Re: Lake Ontario - Chinook Salmon Stocking Targets for 2019
This is a follow-up memo to finalize the stocking targets for Chinook Salmon in 2019 and outline next steps. Please share this information as needed.
Based on the advice from Council, the 2019 OMNRF Lake Ontario Chinook Salmon stocking target will be 393,000 fish, a 35% reduction from the base target of 600,000 fish. Given the projected stocking of 1.004 million Chinook Salmon by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the 2019 lake wide target will be 1.397 million Chinook Salmon.
As you know, starting in 2017, Chinook Salmon and Lake Trout stocking were reduced by 20% in response to predicted declines in Alewife abundance. Stocking levels remained at the reduced levels in 2018. In the fall of 2018, in response to ongoing prey fish concerns, NYSDEC announced an additional 20% stocking reduction for Chinook Salmon starting in 2019, while maintaining the original 20% reduction for Lake Trout. At the time of the NYSDEC announcement, Ontario required more time to consider the issue and develop a plan of action.
The Lake Ontario FMZ20 West Council met twice in the fall of 2018 to review the most recent information on the status of prey fish and Chinook Salmon. The Council had an opportunity to engage the Lake Ontario Prey Fish Science Team from OMNRF, NYSDEC and U.S. Geological Survey. The following is a summary of key predator/prey concerns:
1. Strong Alewife reproduction was observed in 2016; however, survival of those fish to age 2 in 2018 appears to be lower than expected.
2. Results from the 2018 Alewife assessment show that the adult Alewife population in 2019 will consist of mainly age 2, 3 and 4 with a few age 7 fish.
3. In recent years, estimates of available Alewife biomass (i.e. total kilograms of Alewife available for predators) are getting closer to the estimates of total predator demand on Alewife (i.e. total amount of Alewife eaten by Chinook Salmon).
4. Chinook Salmon were smaller in 2018 and the reduced size is not fully explained by environmental factors such as water temperatures during the growing season. The 2018 Credit River fall spawning condition of Chinook Salmon (a fish length – weight relationship) was the lowest recorded since 1989.
The FMZ20 West Council reached consensus (with one abstention) in support of reduced stocking targets that were in line with the NYSDEC stocking reduction. The Council provided advice on where the reductions should occur around the lake, addressing both net pen and stream stocking locations.
Ontario’s 2019 Chinook Salmon stocking target of 393,000 reflects an effective reduction of 20% from 2018. The effective reduction takes into account that survival is higher in net pen fish, therefore the 39,000 fish reduced from various net pens are counted at 2:1 for an effective stocking reduction of 78,000 fish.
The 393,000 Chinook Salmon stocked in 2019 will be divided equally between Chinook net pens and direct stream stocking. A detailed stocking plan has not been established and will be developed in the next few months with the advice of the Council.
A conservative approach to stocking has served Lake Ontario anglers well and we are optimistic about the future of this world class fishery. The decision to reduce stocking is consistent with the Lake Ontario Fish Community Objective to maintain Chinook Salmon as the top predator to support a trophy fishery.
More detailed information on the status of Alewife is available in the NYSDEC Background Report: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/111196.html#_blank and in the Lake Ontario Management Unit 2018 Annual Report available March 27, 2019 at www.glfc.org/loc_mgmt_unit/
The Lake Ontario Management Unit would like to sincerely thank the FMZ20 Council for their ongoing service and commitment to the Lake Ontario Fishery.
Sincerely
Andy Todd
Manager, Lake Ontario Management Unit
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
Andy.Todd@Ontario.ca