Harvest Evaluation Project 2022

The Tribes completed the 2023 Chinook Salmon Harvest Management Program – data collection and data analysis. As in many previous years, Tribal staff observed a similar level of Tribal membership participation in the fishery, although proportionately lower due to significantly fewer returning adult salmon to Idaho. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) obtained through roving creel surveys throughout multiple FMAs provided highly accurate and precise estimates of Tribal Chinook salmon harvest in productive areas in the basin. Other fishery management areas were allocated less monitoring effort due to inaccessibility, limited pressure, and/or low numbers of returning adults. The Tribes preliminary harvest estimate is for 891 Chinook salmon adults. Highest observed effort occurred in Bear Valley Creek, South Fork Salmon River, and the Upper Salmon River Mainstem.

The Tribes will report their harvest estimates to NOAA-Fisheries and relevant co-managers on a weekly basis through the Snake Basin Adult Coordination Meetings. Once fishery guidelines or total impacts are achieved for an individual fishery, such fishery will be curtailed unless information suggests forecasts under-predicted escapement or an adjusted in-season forecast is made by TAC. Conversely, should information suggest pre-season forecasts over-estimate escapement, harvest guidelines will be reduced.