By Ian Holmes

Gloomy outlook for future salmon returns: DFO scientist

Dec 5, 2016 | 5:49 PM

NANAIMO — A strong year for mature salmon returns will likely give way to a couple of rough seasons, according to a Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientist.

Wilf Luedke, Nanaimo based chief biologist of south coast area stock assessment, says unfavourable climate conditions, including recent summer droughts, will likely have a negative impact moving forward.

“We’re seeing a lot of variability…we’re expecting the next couple of years will be a lot poorer,” said Luedke.

He says fishing bans on many rivers on the east island in the summer were a sign of the less than ideal conditions salmon have been faced with.

“When river temperatures are over 18 or 19 degrees, the fish are stressed, it starts creating mortalities, and that gets exasperated when there’s low water.”

Making an impact

Nanaimo woman publishes books to open awareness of neurodiverse children

8h ago

iconic voice

Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole, a welcome voice for a half-century, dead at 90

15h ago

first response

New staffing model on Gabriola Island hires local paramedics for enhanced patient care

20h ago

On the plus side, Luedke says it was a good year for salmon returns, pointing to a massive Chum salmon run of about five-million making it back to spawn.

He notes Chinooks also had a good year, followed by “okay” years for Coho and Sockeye, while he says it was a bad year for Pink salmon making it back to lay eggs.

Luedke points to a massive comeback on the Cowichan River as a notable success story. He says just a few hundred Chinooks returned to the river in 2009, while an estimated 10,000 made it back to the Cowichan this year.

“We’re seeing the production of the Cowichan River go up a great deal since the work that was done in 2005-2006 and is still continuing.”