So far, it’s looking to be a surprisingly good year for Chum salmon returns.
The Island Marine Aquatic Working Group reported yesterday on the latest information from Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Overall, south coast Chum salmon abundance appears to be higher than recent years and even higher than the pre-season forecasts in some places.
Of all five species of Pacific salmon, Chum are the last to return to freshwater to spawn in late fall. Their numbers have been declining around the entire Pacific Rim in recent years, according to the Pacific Salmon Foundation, which suggests the decline is linked to broader trends in the North Pacific Ocean.
Closer to home, however, returns this fall are looking abundant enough that DFO may allow commercial fishing in the Johnstone Strait this year.
