Annual Eel River Recovery Project
The 14,900 to 25,000 fall Chinook estimated by the Eel River Recovery Project (ERRP) in the 2013-2014 season is down somewhat from the previous year’s estimate of 20,000 to 50,000 fish. These recent returns are comparable to those of 1955 to 1958 when the last previous basin wide surveys were conducted.
The percentage of jack salmon, which are smaller male salmon that feed for only one year in the ocean, was low in 2013-2014 compared to some recent years. This indicates lower juvenile Chinook survival and suggests the ocean and future spawning populations may also taper down.
Funding for this project was made possible by the Patagonia World Trout Fund, the Salmon Restoration Association, Pacific Watershed Associates, Mercer Fraser, and citizens contributing to the ERRP “Penny for a Salmon” project.
Go the www.eelriverrecovery.org to get copies of the report and/or to support this annual project.
