George River Weir

FYI: Georgetown Tribal Council did not provide any information for the Alaska Dispatch article that references this blog. Our name was used without permission. As stated below, the George River weir is not a GTC project; it is an ADF&G and KNA cooperative project. The numbers in our blog article come from the AYK database provided by ADF&G (found here).

Escapement Numbers as of 7/30/2013

The George River Weir, photo compliments of LaDonn Robbins of KNA

8/1/2013

Located approximately 7 river kilometers up the George River from its confluence with the Kuskokwim River, the George River weir has operated since 1996 through the joint effort of KNA and ADF&G.  The goal of the project is to provide the number and timing for runs of Chinook, sockeye, chum and coho salmon, along with age-sex-length data.

The confluence of the George River and the Kuskokwim River, Georgetown AK

The Kuskokwim Salmon Management Working Group met on July 30, 2013 and ADF&G gave a report on numbers at Bethel Test Fish and Weir projects, including the George.  Numbers were only given for Chinook and Chum at the George River Weir, but sockeye and coho data is available on the AYK database (found here).There's good news and there's bad news.  I usually like to start with bad news first so we can end on a good note so here goes nothin':Pictured below is a graph showing the 2013 primary Chinook run counted at the George River Weir this year, in comparison with years 2004-2012.  As you can see, the 2013 run is the lowest to date since 2004, just under last year.  The run started off pretty slow and kind of on the late side (follow the red dots in graph below), and had a bit of a surge around July 6th until leveling off somewhere around July 17th.

Graph provided by ADF&G for KRSMWG Meeting 7/30/13

This next figure is a graph I created showing you where escapement numbers were for Chinook at the George River Weir as of 7/30 in previous years (2004-2013).  As you may be aware, salmon runs fluctuate over time and this up and down type pattern is typical.  What may NOT be as typical is the downward trend for each of those cycles, leading us to the lowest ever number as of 2013.  Again, numbers were found at the AYK database for George River projects.

The good news?

Well, chum are looking a lot better from ADF&G's weir report.  Again, see their figure below, and follow the red dots for 2013.  As you can see, there is a definite pattern in the curve and 2013 is no exception.  We're right in the middle for 2013, slightly under numbers from 2006 and above 2012.

Graph provided by ADF&G for KRSMWG meeting 7/30/2013

There was no figure given for sockeye or coho.

Looking into this myself on the database, here's what I came up with:

It's still early for coho.  Last year, numbers really only started picking up around mid August, so we still have some time to wait and see what this year's numbers will be like.  As of 7/30, the count was 27, 16 more than this time last year.

And sockeye...the number counted so far this year is at 135, a big increase from last year's 26 at this time.  In fact, looking back at the database, this year is the highest it's been since 1997.  And folks fishing at the fish wheel in Georgetown will attest to this.  Word is that fishing was good this summer - catching around 160 nice looking sockeye in two days, and almost 3 times as many chum.

I can't say the same for myself.  I went fly fishing on the Kenai last weekend and we only caught one fish!  But I was supposed to end on good news, so more about that in another post!

The next working group meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 7th at 10 AM.  The call in number and code, as always is: 1-800-315-6338 (MEET); code: 58756# (KUSKO).

The season is starting to wrap up, so this will likely be the last meeting until an end of season recap and looking forward meeting, date still to be determined.  There is a lot of concern from folks up and down the river about the dismal Chinook numbers, so hopefully we can all come together and address those concerns.  If you have ideas or suggestions on what we can do to help protect the Chinook population, comment here or e-mail me at kate.schaberg@georgetowntc.com and I will bring your ideas forward to the Working Group meeting.