The Application of Rapid Microsatellite-Based Stock Identification to Management of a Chinook Salmon Troll Fishery off the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia

Abstract

Abstract Since 1995, the Northern British Columbia (NBC) troll fishery has been managed to reduce exploitation on stocks of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the West Coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI). Before 2002, management actions in the NBC troll fishery were generally large-scale quota reductions and area closures that resulted in substantially reduced catches of Chinook salmon relative to the existing quota. Since 2002, in-season microsatellite-based stock identification has been used to address WCVI Chinook salmon management in the NBC troll fishery. The change in management strategy has resulted in increased quota utilization and increased catches of approximately 390,000 fish during 2002–2005. The increased catch in the fishery was concurrent with average fishing mortality on the main WCVI hatchery indicator stock declining from an average 3.3% during the era of reduced catches (1995–2001) to 2.3% since 2002, when in-season, microsatellite-based stock identification was applied to guide the locations and timing of NBC troll fishery openings.