NAVIGATION

Skeena Watershed Initiative

Small Lake Sockeye Hydroacoustic Surveys, 2010

Small lake sockeye populations in the Skeena watershed have been severely depressed for decades. In the past, monitoring the status of small lake sockeye has proven difficult because of remote locations and the poor visibility of glacially fed lakes. These studies employ a novel, cost-effective method for enumerating sockeye populations in small, turbid lakes – a dual-beam data-recording echosounder with concurrent trawl and gillnet sampling. The Skeena Fisheries Commission surveyed fall sockeye fry in eight lakes in 2010 (Johanson, Stephens, Minerva, McDonell, Sustut, Swan, Lakelse, and Bulkley).

project objectives
Estimate sockeye abundance in eight small rearing lakes using a novel hydroacoustic survey technique.
related documents

report: Skeena Sockeye Lakes Hydroacoustic Surveys 2010

project timeline
June 1, 2010
to April 30, 2011
project lead
Skeena Fisheries Commission
partners
Pacific Salmon Commission
subjects
stock assessment
location
Buckley Lake, Johanson Lake, Lakelse Lake, McDonell Lake, Minerva Lake, Stephens Lake, Sustut Lake, Swan Lake
related species
sockeye