Commercial fishermen in B.C.'s Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island are celebrating their first opportunity to fish for Fraser River sockeye salmon in four years, but consumers are advised to prepare for prices to stay high.
After a series of lean seasons in which sockeye runs were paltry on B.C.'s southwest coast, at least seven million and as many as 11 million of the highly prized salmon are expected to return to spawning grounds this year.
"The trends so far this year are that we are getting more fish," said Department of Fisheries area director Barry Rosenberger. "They are coming in a little later than expected, but generally things have been very favourable."
On Thursday, DFO officials gave the green light to seiners to start fishing for sockeye between Port Hardy and Campbell River and to sports anglers to throw in their lines on the Fraser River all the way to Mission. Gillnetters were included in the opening Friday.
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