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Chinook troll fishery closed

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans closed the chinook troll fishery Aug. 17 after DNA analysis of the catch showed increasing numbers of fish from the west coast of Vancouver Island. The Vancouver Island chinook have been returning in low numbers in recent years, said David Einarson, DFO's area chief of resource management. The fishery will probably re-open in a week to 10 days once the proportion of Vancouver Island stocks fall. Most of the chinook troll fishery takes place off the north and west coast of the Charlottes. The recreational chinook fishery is not affected, Mr. Einarson said. Meanwhile, fishermen here are not affected by the shortage of returning Fraser River sockeye. They've been catching sockeye from the Nass and Skeena rivers, which returned in normal numbers, Mr. Einarson said, although a bit later than usual because of high water levels earlier in the season.