MINUTES PROJECT GROUP MEETING - 15 th February 2012 Venue and Time: PINRO, Murmansk Russia, 10:00-18:30

Transcription

1 MINUTES PROJECT GROUP MEETING - 15 th February 2012 Venue and Time: PINRO, Murmansk Russia, 10:00-18: Open and welcome The chair Bente Christiansen opened the meeting and Sergey Prusov welcomed the group to PINRO. Practical information was given. Participants are listed in Annex Adoption of the agenda and consensus of the last meeting minutes from December 2011 Agenda was adopted without any changes. The last project group meeting minutes from, Kevo was gone through and corrected. The minutes were adopted. 3. Follow up since December 2011 short report on implemented actions according to agreement in Kevo 3.1 Ecology: Scales figures and results annual report draft Ecology and scales results - Norway Eero Niemelä highlights the results from the sampling in the coast and fjord salmon fishery in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark in 2011: timing, wild and escaped salmon, sea- ages and some other biological parameters and some preliminary recommendations for sampling in Number of sampling sites (fishermen) in 2011: Nordland 3, Troms 6 and Finnmark 29. Fairly good spatial and temporal distribution of fishermen. Number of salmon scales samples: Nordland 276, Troms 2410, Finnmark Altogether Activity of the sampling: Log books are important, to be able to estimate the fishing effort. Sea age distribution in the catches/fishermen: general trend in the proportion of escaped salmon is that it decreased towards north-east (from Nordland to the Russian border), very small number of 4SW salmon, low number of previous spawners, 2SW salmon (median size) was important Catch in 2011 was from the spawnings of and regarding the repeat spawners. In the catch of wild salmon, the main catch components are from the spawnings of 2004 and 2005 Catch timing in the entire research period in Kolarctic area, first step towards to the migratory model in Kolarctic area, sea-ages in weeks and different sea-ages between areas: proportion of 1SW increased towards north in males, proportion of escaped salmon decreased towards north and east, in Troms higher proportion of 3SW females than in Finnmark, high proportion of 2SW in females in Finnmark and Nordland was the year of 2SW salmon. Generally also before midsummer the large 2-4SW fish+ repeat spawners arrive (from which rivers are these originated?). Then in early July the 1SW fish arrive. Size categories cannot be used in migratory models because of many sea ages in each size group, growth of salmon has declined and therefore some 2SW salmon are in the size group <3 kg and escaped salmon is in all size groups SSB (Statistics Norway, catch reporting do not note escaped salmon fairly large proportions of escapes in the material! Important to get information on possible smolt releases and escape episodes - there is observed strange river ages in the catch from Nordland and Troms areas. Selective fishery. Pattern is clear in 1SW fish. The different methods catch different size fish. Bendnet fishery selects bigger and older fish due to larger mesh size, and the bagnet catches all sea ages fish, due to the smaller mesh size.

2 2 Proportion of escapees: In Finnmark fishermen succeeded to identify c. 55% of escaped salmon and additional 45% was identified in the scale analysis. The escaped salmon was more accurate identified by the fishermen: the longer and heavier, and the longer life history in cages (erosion on the fins, the shape of salmon, shortening of the gill covers, black spots) Salmon lice: increase towards the end of the season in wild and escaped salmon, sometimes higher numbers in escaped salmon, higher numbers in Nordland For 2012 sampling should have a better spatial and temporal coverage of the outermost coast line of North Nordland, Troms and parts of Finnmark, and also f. ex inner parts of the Neiden fjord and fjords in western Finnmark and Troms area - this to get information on the migratory pattern. A small reduction in the number of fishermen in Varanger area, at least in the early special permission fishery, is also recommended. Sampling should also start in the end of April in some areas if possible, to see which fish are migrating earliest. Ecology and scales results - Russia Sergey Prusov highlights the results on the age structure of White Sea salmon. Coastal samples: In 2011 adult fish sampling was conducted from commercial catches in the Terskiy Bereg of Murmansk oblast and in the Zimniy Bereg of Archangelsk oblast. Samples were also collected from fish taken in the research fishery on the Rybachiy Peninsula. Estuarine samples: In 2011 adult fish sampling was conducted from commercial catches in the Pechora River and Severnaya Dvina River. Samples were also collected from fish taken in the research fishery in the Varzuga River. Number of samples: Terskiy Bereg 500, Zimniy Bereg 60, River estuaries 240, Rybachiy 50, in total: 850 samples. White Sea rivers have mostly autumn run fish and Kola Peninsula mainly summer run fish. Commercial fishery in the Murmansk region occurs only in the White Sea. No commercial coastal fishing in the Barents Sea area. Only one user on the south coast of the Kola Peninsula - mainly pink salmon catch but also obligated to report on any by catch of Atlantic salmon. Most of the catches in commercial fishery in the Murmansk region are taken in October- November (quota regulation approx. 20 tonnes in total). Only traditional users with traditional gear in the White Sea area. Over 60% of the fish from the commercial catches have 3+ river ages. Over 75% of fish from commercial catches are 1SW fish. Archangelsk region and Pechora have more multi sea winter fish. 1-3SW fish come first, grills come later with the repeat spawners. New Russian legislation prioritizes to give fishing rights to Sami people. Quotas (5 tons) were given in 2011 to fish on the Kola Peninsula side of the White Sea. Discussion and questions Annual report on the scale data from 2011 will be available in the end of March The purpose and the aim of the annual report are to document the work in 2011 and to report on the basic data that has been gathered and analysed. Sergey will send the Russian scale data to Eero before 23.2., to be included in the annual report. Eero circulates the draft report (Norwegian part) 1.3., Russian data and text to be included the second week of March. Escaped salmon 2011 publish this part of the data ASAP. Recalling the decision from the Kevo meeting, the group agreed on publishing numbers and other information on the escaped salmon in the catches of After some discussion on how to make the numbers available (ICES working paper/ press release/ fact sheet/ short note or full scientific article), the group concluded to publish data on the escaped salmon in 2011 as a fact sheet: Martin Svenning still has the main responsibility/ the lead to prepare the fact sheet on escaped salmon - ASAP. The fact sheet will be an annex to the annual report preliminary aim and outreach is for management purposes. The fact

3 sheet (if ready by then!) should also be made available in some way to the upcoming ICES meeting: the ICES meeting will be held in the end of March, and the Norwegian preparatory meeting is After this a full scientific article will be written on the numbers of escaped salmon 2011 responsibility for drafting Martin Svenning (recalling Kevo minutes) - preliminary status dead line May meeting in Turku. ICES and the Norwegian Scientific Council for salmon management (Vitenskapelig råd for lakseforvaltning): It was also shortly discussed if some of the numbers concerning the escaped salmon from Kolarctic 2011 sampling possibly could be made available for the Norwegian Scientific Council for salmon management work and its annual calculations to the ICES. This is not yet possible no data from Kolarctic will be included in this year s calculations to the ICES. Vidar Wennevik also asked if he could shortly highlight some of the presented results so far from the coastal catches in 2011, to the Norwegian Scientific Council for salmon management , the group agreed to this and Eero will provide Vidar with some slides from the catches in Genetics: Baseline and adult salmon scales status, analysed samples and assignment Juvenile baseline Vidar Wennevik presents the current status for the baseline analyses and the development of the genetic baseline for the northern salmon populations. Current status is that 140 rivers are sampled; Finnmark is complete, major rivers in Troms are ready. Mesen River will be sampled in 2012 and more samples from Pechora in 2012 (Annex 2 map). The work with expanding the 18 marker baseline to 31 continues. Baseline and the precision of the assignment is depending on: coverage of baseline, the genetic differences between the regions and rivers, the sampling, the number of genetic markers and their variability among the baseline rivers, temporal instability in small populations may be a possible problem. Interesting genetic structures in the small rivers of Nordkyn, common features with other rivers on the outermost coast line on the Rybachiy Peninsula. Important to discuss the temporal stability of populations in the smallest rivers reliable assignment can be difficult due to this. Adult scales and preliminary assignment Juha-Pekka Vähä presents the current status for the adult analyses (2011 material) and preliminary results on assignment. Over 3700 salmon samples are analysed (60%) from the 2011 material, approximately 90% success rate (good quality DNA), 3357 fish (~50%) is included in the presentation (May, June and August samples best represented, few July samples). Approx. 5% of the samples are contaminated. 88 populations up to now, with a good geographical coverage (grouped into 9 different reporting groups). Assignment works and some interesting patterns already appearing. Further family structure analysis has to be done (to filter the data). The assignment results are very preliminary but already results so far are unique in scale and amount of data, stock proportions vary depending on time and space. Questions and discussion There was a short discussion on hybrids and the frequencies of these in the material. Baseline analysis help from UTU Recalling the amount of sampled rivers will be approximately 180 and 150 was budgeted for in IMR. Finland has engaged two (2) more laboratory technicians to work in UTU to help out in the baseline analysis for 6 months ( ), approximately 200 baseline samples/ week can now additionally be analysed, with the full set of 31 markers (~4000 samples before the end of August). Some additional funding is needed for the chemicals and laboratory bench fees. In the end of August the full set of 31 marker rivers are finished for all sampled Norwegian rivers and the assignments and model work can proceed. The baseline database is at IMR and it will be put on the share point. UTU and IMR 3

4 discussed the division of rivers; it was decided that UTU does the samples they have IMR concentrates on the material they have and still will receive. IMR is in charge of the baseline map and the database, UTU will help out and analyse the rivers they have and complete the baseline database in cooperation with IMR. 3.3 Statistics, databases and data exchange current issues Share point at IMR is available now databases and other documents will be put in here. Vidar circulates guide lines for the use - ASAP. SalSea data base: storage will be in ICES, but ICES will not be responsible for data entry. No decision yet regarding who will be responsible for maintenance and data entry, this will be discussed in April at SalSea meeting in Scotland. 3.4 Additional and background data (temperatures, environmental parameters, SSB catch statistics and Russian catch statistics, development in the fishing exploitation like the numbers of fishermen, the numbers of different fishing gears and their spatial distribution) current issues Discussion and questions SSB catch data is in place for Finnmark since , data from Troms and Nordland is also needed (NINAs task - see the work plan). Sea temperatures from the Kola section are on the PINRO web site, data for 2011 probably not yet. Surface to 50 m depth and surface to 200 m depth: to see possible correlation on ascending in the different sea ages to the surface temperatures along the coast line. IMR web site present data on sea temperatures, salinity etc. Fish farms are also required to measure daily temperatures how to get access to these temperature data measurements? IMR is currently preparing a catalogue of currents in fjords link this information to migratory patterns. Russian catches from ICES reports, sea age distribution over the last 12 years is available in these reports. List the sources (in Norway, Finland and Russia) where to find data on temperatures, salinity and currents Vidar makes a template (Excel) for circulation dead line for the template is The list is finalised in all countries before Development in the fishing exploitation: the numbers of fishermen, the numbers of different fishing gears and their spatial distribution important to know the exploitation. How many fishermen are really fishing? What is the real number of bag nets, pound nets and number of fishermen actually fishing? To show and describe the historical developments. Write this paper/ report together with the fishermen. See also point 3.5. Is the level of poaching assessed? The Norwegian Scientific Council for salmon management has calculations on this, on the base of conducted surveys (poll questionnaire). 3.5 Collection of the data from management measures (report) division of tasks Regarding collection of required data for the paper/ report on management measures and their development in the project area - division of tasks is following; FMFi collects the Norwegian part (game and fisheries section), Eero collects the Finnish part (Tana and Neiden), Sergey provides the information from Russia. Dead line for data delivery to Eero is , and responsible author for the report is Eero Niemelä. 3.6 Plan for coastal sampling coastal manual finalisation

5 Sergey Prusov shortly reviews the plans for sampling in Russia. Baseline sampling: Mesen in Archangelsk and Pechora tributaries, five (5) rivers in Eastern Kola Peninsula and one river in Karelia. Adult coastal and estuarine samples: Kola Peninsula (Murmansk oblast); Teriberka Bay, Rybachiy Peninsula, area west of Umba and Terskiy Bereg. White Sea area of Archangelsk oblast: Zimniy Bereg, Letniy Bereg and river estuaries of Severnaya Dvina, Mesen and Pechora. Martin Svenning and Eero Niemelä shortly reviews the Norwegian plans for Priority to the outermost cost line migratory pattern, some of the fishermen in Varanger area can be omitted. Every fisherman and location has to be argued for specifically. Also important to get information on the early May fish and continue to late September vs. another group of fishermen who sample only in the ordinary season. Coastal catches and fjord catches have to be balanced to avoid over estimation of some stocks in the catches. Migratory model data for management purposes - What did 2011 answer what more is needed in Martin Svenning will make the application to DN with input from FMFi and FGFRI. Finalisation of the Coastal manual Dead line was in April Only a short paragraph on sampling procedures and quota regulations in Russia and revised maps are to be added ASAP Martin, with Russian input from Sergey. 3.7 Project administration and management current issues Auditing and 1 st interim report; the Finnish and Russian partners have been asked to carry out the required auditing in the period Norwegian partners will also report on their expenses for the same period, but audits will be carried out later. LP will send out more information and templates concerning the auditing and financial reporting part of the 1 st interim report. LP will also draft and circulate the narrative part of the 1 st interim report implemented activities ROM monitoring mission results were shortly reviewed. All partners have got copies of the report by . Generally we can be very proud of our joint venture the project got good scores (A and B). Recommendations will be highlighted to the Steering committee 16 th. 4. Issues for the Steering group division of tasks (according to agenda) The drafted agenda was looked through and some points where merged. 5. Next meeting: time and place Tentative dates for the next project group meeting , in Turku. Focus of the meeting migratory model; UTU, IMR and NINA (Morten) will draft the agenda. 6. Any other business Share point became available Vidar will circulate user guidelines etc. Paper/ report on the salmon resource: Martin Svenning will see to find the needed Norwegian background data and scale data (from NINA, Directorate of Fisheries and DN salmon register (lakseregisteret - DN) necessary for the paper/ report on the description of the salmon resource in the project area. Martin Svenning also shortly highlights the main conclusions in the winter salmon report. Meeting ended at 18:35 Referent Tiia Kalske 5

6 6 Annex 1. Participants Name Organisation Bente Christiansen (chair) The Office of the Finnmark County Governor steering group member (chair) Eero Niemelä Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute researcher/ project coordinator Vidar Wennevik Institute of Marine Research researcher Martin Svenning Norwegian Institute for Nature Research researcher Juha-Pekka Vähä University of Turku - Kevo research station researcher Mikhail Ozerov University of Turku - Kevo research station researcher Rogelio Diaz Fernandez University of Turku - Kevo research station researcher Sergey Prusov PINRO- Murmansk researcher/ project coordinator Elena Samoylova PINRO- Murmansk international cooperation Artem Tkachenko PINRO- Murmansk researcher Tiia Kalske The Office of the County Governor of Finnmark secretary/ project coordinator Observer Sturla Brørs Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management steering group member Absent Morten Falkegård Norwegian Institute for Nature Research researcher Laila Unneland Institute of Marine Research technician Gennady Ustyuzhinsky PINRO - Archangelsk researcher Annex 2. Baseline current status