GLOSSARY
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section of the glossary. If the term you are looking for starts with a digit or symbol, choose the '#' link.
- A -
Adipose Clip
The adipose fin is the small fleshy nub of a fin which is common to all
salmon that is situated between the dorsal (the fin on the fish's back)
and the caudal (tail) fin. The term adipose clipped refers to a missing
adipose fin, which indicates the fish was produced in a hatchery and contains
a coded-wire-tags (link this to the definition for CWT's).
Albion Test Fishery
This is definition for the Albion Test Fishery
Alevin
A stage of embryonic development of salmon or related fish referring
to fish recently hatched from the egg and before absorption of the
yolk sac and emergence from the spawning gravel.
Anadramous Salmon
Refers to fish in the family salmonidae, which grow to adult size
in the ocean and migrate into fresh water to spawn. Trout (such as
rainbow and cut-throat) and Char (Dolly Varden, bull trout) and whitefish
are in the same family as pacific salmon, but stay in fresh water
their entire life. Steelhead are rainbow trout that behave as pacific
salmon.
Antecedent Year
The year when the fish were spawned.
- B -
By-catch
Refers to a catch on a non-target species of fish during fisheries directed
at other species. A good example of by-catch is the steelhead captured
during fisheries for chum and sockeye salmon. Since these 3 species have
overlapping migration timings, it is difficult to harvest one without taking
some of the other.
- C -
Catch ceiling
A specified limit placed upon the harvest of any particular species of
stock of fish, in other terms a quota.
CPUE
Catch per unit effort. A common method fisheries biologists use to
compare the relative abundance of fish between one area of habitat
and another where the only common link is the method you used to
catch the fish. Catch per unit effort can be applied to a number
situations, including the number fish captured divided by the amount
of time it took to catch the fish (fish per hour), or by the number
of seine sets made to catch fish (fish per seine set), or even the
number of fish captured per square meter of net over a specific time
period (fish per meter per hour).
Crustaceans
Large class of animals, mostly aquatic, with hard shells such as crabs,
lobsters, shrimps. Includes many microscopic organisms.
Cyclic Dominance
Definition for Cyclic Dominance.
CWT
Coded Wire Tag. Small thin wire pins about 2 mm long placed in the
nose of hatchery raised Chinook juveniles. Each tag provides reference
to where the Chinook was raised, the year it was released, how it was
grown and other biological information.
- D -
DFO Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Canada's federal agency which
oversees all aspects of management of anadramous species of salmon except
for Steelhead. Steelhead and non-anadramous species of salmon (Steelhead,
trout, char etc.) are under the jurisdiction of provincial government agencies,
such as the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MELP).
- E -
Emergence
When larval Chinook (also called alevin) leave the gravel they hatched
in to become fry.
Escapement
Fish that avoid or escape all fisheries and return to spawn at their
home stream
Estuary
A mouth of a river where its fresh water meets salt water and is influenced
by the tides
Exploited/Exploitation
Another term for fishing.
- F -
Fishway
An arrangement of successive pools enabling a fish to ascend falls or
a dam
Freshets
A sudden, rapid increase in water levels in a stream, caused by heavy
rains and/or melting snow. Freshets are usually associated with spring-time
conditions, although it in coastal areas, they may also occur in
the fall.
Fry
The young stage of fishes, particularly after the yolk sac has been
absorbed.
- G -
(empty)
- H -
Habitat
The native environment of animal or plant; the kind of place that is natural
for the life and growth of an animal or plant; e.g. a tropical habitat.
- I -
Indexing
This is the definition for indexing.
IPSFC
International Pacific Salmon Commission Fisheries Commission. A joint
U.S.-Canada Commission that was responsible for the management of Fraser
River sockeye and pink salmon prior to the signing of the Pacific Salmon
Treaty in 1985.
- J -
Jacks
Male salmon that return to the spawning grounds prior to reaching maturity.
- K -
(empty)
- L -
(empty)
- M -
Migration Timings
When sockeye enter the Fraser River.
Migration-abundance Curve
Definition for migration-abundance curve
Milt
The sperm cells of male fish with the fluid containing them. During
spawning, the male releases milt as the female deposits her eggs.
Mission
Sounding Station
Definition for Mission Sounding Station.
- N -
natal streams
Definition for natal streams.
- O -
(empty)
- P -
Pacific Salmon Commission
Definition for PSC.
Pacific Salmon Treaty
Description of the Pacific Salmon Treaty
Preseason forecasts
An annual "best guess" at the expected size of returns of sockeye salmon,
released by the Pacific Salmon Commission.
- Q -
(empty)
- R -
Rear
Another term for grow.
Redd
The depression in which salmon deposit their eggs
Run
A group of animals/fish born and reared together and, in the case of
salmon, that return to the same stream to spawn.
- S -
Smolt
A juvenile, silvery salmon up to 15cm long, which has lost its parr marks
and has attained the silverly coloration of the adult. This coloration
signifies the readiness of the young fish to migrate to the seas and its
ability to adapt to the water environment.
Spawn
To lay and fertilize eggs.
Smolts
Juvenile salmon which after they have hatched from the gravel, have
reared in freshwater for one year or more, and then migrate downstream.
There are Chinook, coho and sockeye smolts.
Spawning Escapement
Escapement refers to salmon which have escaped all fisheries, and survived
to return to the stream in which they were born, and successfully spawn.
Stock Complexes
Stock complexes refer to a group of individual sockeye stocks which
have similar migration timings
Stocks
A distinct group or run of salmon that return to the stream in which
they are born. Salmon stocks exist for every species of salmon. Just
as sockeye salmon are different from Chinook salmon, individual stocks
of sockeye salmon are different from each other, possibly on the basis
of genetics
- T -
Test Fishery
A special fishery which is used to estimate the strength of returning salmon
stocks.
Timing Abundance Curves
Definition for Timing Abundance Curves.
- U -
(empty)
- V -
(empty)
- W -
(empty)
- X -
(empty)
- Y -
(empty)
- Z -
(empty)
- # -
(empty)
© 2008 Fraser River
Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat
c/o Nicola Tribal Association |
PO Box 188 |
Merritt, BC | V1K 1B8
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