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The
department uses several Island streams, plus two on the Lower Mainland,
as indicators to evaluate the state of the late-run spawning runs.
"We
have met or exceeded escapement targets," on all these rivers
for chum stocks, Lochbaum said from Nanaimo on Thursday. Escapement
is the number of fish that reach their home river to spawn.
Early
estimates put the number of chum returning at 30,000 on the Big
Qualicum River. Now it looks as though 140,000 made it back.
It's still a little early for the coho tallies but
those are looking good as well, Lochbaum said.
Salmon were backed up in the Strait of Georgia early
this month, waiting for rain that would send them back into fresh
water to spawn.
Those that made it into rivers battled for the little
space available to make their nests in the gravel. Lower Vancouver
Island went through the driest April through October period in many
decades.
Then the rain starting falling, just what fisheries
managers and hatchery workers had been rooting for.
In October, just 18 mm of rain fell at the Sooke
reservoir, which is 11 per cent of normal precipitation. So far
this month, 199 mm has fallen, representing 78 per cent of the normal
rainfall.
Areas of exposed gravel in the region's rivers are
covered now, and will become nesting sites.
"We did have a bit of pre-spawning mortality
in a couple of streams but to a very small degree," Lochbaum
said.
Fisheries managers had been particularly worried
about salmon runs in the Interior, but the rain saved those runs
too.
A visit to Goldstream River two weeks ago showed
low water and exposed gravel that would normally be under water
and used as prime nesting spots. Chum were packed three deep in
one area.
The scene was far different on Wednesday where fast-moving
higher water provided far more room for the spawners. Gravel is
under water and fish were spawning in areas that had been high-and-dry
a few weeks ago.
At one time it appeared that the Goldstream chum
escapement would be about 15,000 to 20,000. Now those numbers are
likely to double, Lochbaum said.
Despite the break in the rain Wednesday, there's
a 60 per cent chance of rain today. Sunny periods are forecast through
to Sunday.
© Copyright 2002 Times
Colonist (Victoria)
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