It’s looking like a rough year for salmon in the Skeena region.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says early indications for sockeye returns are at the lower end of the pre-season forecast.
Officials say escapement numbers are looking like they will be below the 800,000 threshold needed to continue a recreational fishery.
DFO has announced that there will be no fishing for sockeye throughout the Skeena River watershed as of July 11, 2019.
The following waters will be closed to sockeye fishing until further notice:
-Babine Lake (including tributaries)
-Fulton River Pinkut Creek, downstream of fishing boundary signs located approximately 25 m downstream of fish counting fence.
-Babine River
-Skeena River mainstem waters only, upstream of CNR bridge at Terrace, BC to the confluence with the Babine River.
-Skeena River mainstem waters, downstream of CNR Railway bridge at Terrace.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has also closed recreational sockeye fishing in North Coast Areas 4 and 5.
