Pacific Salmon Foundation: Salmon Watersheds Program

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The 2012 Kitwanga River Salmon Smolt Assessment

author Kingston, D.
published year 2013
document type report
species coho, sockeye
location Kitwanga River
subjects smolt enumeration, stock assessment
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In 2012, the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority (GFA) operated the Kitwanga River Smolt Enumeration Facility (KsF) for the 5th consecutive year to enumerate sockeye salmon smolts, coho salmon smolts and other resident trout and char species. The KsF was operated from April 13th to June 9th, 2012. The 2012 sockeye smolt population estimate was 400,907 and was comprised mostly of 1-Yr old smolts (96.0%). The timing of the sockeye smolt run was quite compressed with over 98% of the run migrating past the KsF in a two week period from May 2nd to May 16th. Freshwater production estimates for Gitanyow Lake in 2012 were estimated at 41 sockeye smolts per female spawner, the lowest production recorded since the GFA started enumerating smolts at the KsF in 2008.