Annual Report of the U.S. Atlantic Salmon Assessment Committee Report No. 25-2012 Activities

Total return to USA rivers was 939; this is the sum of documented returns to traps and returns estimated on selected Maine rivers, 77% less than observed in 2011 and 43% less than returned in 2010. Adult salmon returns to USA rivers with traps or weirs totaled 843 in 2012. Estimated return to Gulf of Maine coastal rivers was 115 adult salmon (90% CI = 76 – 167), the 14th highest for the 1991-2012 time-series. Most returns occurred to the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment, which includes the Penobscot River and eastern Maine coastal rivers, accounting for 79% of the total return. Overall, 3% of the adult returns to the USA were 1SW salmon and 77% were MSW salmon. Most (74%) returns were of hatchery smolt origin and the balance (26%) originated from either natural reproduction or hatchery fry and eggs. A total of 6,936,800 juvenile salmon (fry, parr, and smolts), 5,097 adults, and 1,344,000 eggs were stocked, with 266,206 juveniles carrying a variety of marks and/or tags. Eggs for USA hatchery programs were taken from 366 sea-run females, 2,410 captive/domestic and domestic females, and 6 female kelts. The number of females contributing was more than 2011 (2,030); however the total egg take 10,538,000 was lower than 2011 (11,594,000). Production of farmed salmon in Maine was not available, but was estimated at 5,397 metric tonnes (95% CI 2,381 to 8,413) using a regression of 2000 to 2009 production and smolt moved to pens two years before. 2013 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center) Submitted Public Domain 1930