Annual Report of the U.S. Atlantic Salmon Assessment Committee Report No. 23-2010 Activities

Total return to USA rivers was 1,650; this is the sum of documented returns to traps and returns estimated on selected Maine rivers. Adult salmon returns to USA rivers with traps or weirs totaled 1,568 in 2010, 29% fewer than observed in 2009 and 37% fewer than returned in 2008. Estimated to return to Gulf of Maine coastal rivers was 164 (90% CI = 136 - 199) adult salmon, the 7th highest for the 1991-2010 time-series. Most returns occurred to the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment, which includes the Penobscot River and these eastern coastal rivers, accounting for 91% of the total return. Overall, 33% of the adult returns to the USA were 1SW salmon and 67% were MSW salmon. Most (85%) returns were of hatchery smolt origin and the balance (15%) originated from either natural reproduction or hatchery fry. A total of 13,098,400 juvenile salmon (fry, parr, and smolts), 4,082 adults, and 500,000 eggs were stocked, with 794,956 juveniles carrying a variety of marks and/or tags. Eggs for USA hatchery programs were taken from 346 sea-run females, 2,859 captive/domestic and domestic females, and 112 female kelts. The number of females (3,317) contributing was less than 2009 (3,944); and the total egg take (18,340,000) was lower than 2009 (20,623,000). Production of farmed salmon in Maine was reported to be 11,127 metric tonnes in 2010, approximately 1.85 times greater than the 6,028 metric tonnes of production reported in 2009. 2011 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center) Submitted Public Domain 1930