Drought & Fishery Conditions

• July 22, 2021
• • Member News

Above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation for this period have created drought conditions in and around the South Thompson Region.

• Salmon River: Drought Level 4 (Conservation and local water restrictions. Regulatory action possible)
• Bessette Creek and tributaries: Drought Level 4 (Conservation and local water restrictions. Regulatory action possible)
• South Thompson: Drought Level 3 (Conservation and local water restrictions likely)

Water users in the Salmon River and other watersheds in our region need to start preparing for water restrictions.

High water temperatures and low water conditions also add stress to the returning salmon. Salmon stocks migrating through Shuswap and Mara Lakes are of conservation concern and are forecast to be returning in low numbers this year. As such, early-timed chinook, coho and sockeye are being managed to try and allow as many as possible to return to their spawning grounds. This includes commercial marine fisheries closures. Freshwater fish angling closures are recommended for all fishers from now until September 15 in an effort to prevent unintentional harm to migrating salmon stocks of concern in:

• Shuswap Lake between Murdoch Point and Sephamore Point to the Bruhn Bridge
• Mara Lake Point to the south of the Bruhn Bridge

Target salmon fisheries for the Splatsin community are for the later-timed chinook which is currently not considered at-risk, using traditional fishing gear (e.g., angling with single hooks, dip net, harpoon, seine net, spear, live capture trap).

Gear and method restrictions include:

• Snagging can be harmful to fish and is not permitted.
• Gill nets must not impede river navigation and should not reach beyond 1/3 of the river. They must have a minimum mesh size of 8 inches and a 3:1 hang ratio, as well as a floating buoy attached to the beach end of the net with the fisher’s band number, name and phone number.

Reporting of your catch is important to demonstrate contemporary use and presence on the land as well as the importance of salmon as food source for people. If you have caught any salmon that have their adipose fins clipped, please retain their frozen heads to be returned to the catch monitor as they should contain coded wire tags. Catch data from these tags is used to guide sustainable fisheries management.

Fisheries Permitting Contact

Sheila Kinbasket
Phone: 250) 838-0775 ext.122
Email: [email protected]
300 George Street, Enderby