It is the intent of the developers of the Salmon Market Database to provide accurate explanations of all data posted on this site. To that end the following notes are posted and will be updated as required.
1) Statistical Areas : The following two maps identify the statistical areas (found in level two of the 'Catch' breakdown). A link to the legend is found beneath each map.
TO LEGEND
TO LEGEND
It should be noted that not all statistical areas of the coast appear on the graphs. Area 28, for instance, has had no commercial fishery at all during the reporting period and has no data. Area 22 (inside Nitinat Lake) has only opened on certain years for one specie (chum) and one gear type (gillnet). Though this production does not show up on the area breakdown graph it would have been included in the query that generated the total catch volume/value for those years.
It should also be noted that the Taku and Stikine Rivers do not show on either the maps or graphs. This production is,however, also included in the total catch volume/value. A custom query could provide details of these areas.
2) Catch data : Catch data is derived from Commercial Catch Statistics as prepared by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). This data is generated by DFO through the totaling of sales slip information and is reported in pounds. The catch weights shown in the "Catch" folder have been changed as of January 1, 2001 to be round pounds for all gear types. Round weight is defined as the weight of the whole fish as it comes out of the water before any treatment or dressing; dressed weight is defined as the weight of the fish after the removal of gills and internal organs but not the head.
3) Preliminary/Final: All Catch and Value information from DFO is rationalized by an industry survey (generally completed within 18 months of the end of a season) to reflect price adjustments or bonuses paid after the initial sale as recorded on the sales slip and to clarify any volume discrepancies found in the sales slip information. This means that 1996 to 2000 Catch and Value information is deemed preliminary at this time. All data prior to 1996 is deemed final although it should be noted that in 1983 (all years prior to 1984) there was no survey to determine bonus payments to fishermen and the landed value will be low by that amount. NOTE: 2000 Catch data, especially the values, are exceptionally preliminary at this time (December, 2000 update) due to the harder to track nature of low production years (more small private sales).
4) Production Folder: This folder (originally named 'Run") is intended to eventually contain wild stock run production statistics as well as BC farm fish production data (currently available).
Farm salmon data is provided by the Provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Fish, and Food (MAFF). Weights shown are round weight (live weight) in kilograms. Values are in Canadian dollars and are the 'Farm Gate Value' to the farmer as established by survey and provided by MAFF. Farm Gate Value is the value established by the first sale, reflects unprocessed product prices in most cases, but may include some pre-processing value.
5) Catch Folder: The data for wild salmon is explained in 1) and 2) above. Volumes shown are in pounds (round) and value is in Canadian dollars. Numbers of fish caught was added to the "Weight / Value" selection as of November 1996.
Average fish size indicates the average weight of fish delivered and may vary for reasons other than biological ones; for instance a change in gear regulations (e.g. net mesh size) or allowable size limits.
6) Processing Folder: This folder (originally named 'Production') shows both processed volumes in product form (on the right hand side of the folder Map) and the round weight of catch broken down by product form (on the left hand side of the folder Map). To show the breakdown of the catch into product form it was necessary to show the total catch in round pounds, convert the processed weights to round pounds and divide them within the total catch weight. Processed volumes for Canned, Fresh, and Frozen salmon are provided by MAFF through industry survey, and converting them to round weight is accomplished using factors published by them. Canned processed volume (in 48 pound cases) is compiled by MAFF from the 'through-put' information of canning facilities and includes production from fish caught in the USA , imported into Canada, and canned in BC; as well as production from fish caught and canned in BC. The production from both sources is deemed product of Canada and both are part of the total pack available for domestic or export use. Fresh and Frozen volumes are provided by MAFF but unlike the canned processed volumes that are compiled weekly throughout the season, Fresh and Frozen data is the result of post season industry surveys and is not as current. That is why the product form breakdown of total catch is divided only into 'canned' and 'other' after 1995 - the 'other' in those years includes the as yet unprovided fresh and frozen information.
All 2000 Canned Salmon information is not yet 'final' but represents the through-put statistics as compiled in the Provincial Canned Salmon Pack Bulletin to October.
7) Export Folder: Our Export graphs are derived from Statistics Canada Export by Commodity data. Volumes are in kilograms and values in Canadian dollars. There is an option available from a link at the bottom of the graphs to view the information in a 'pack year' as compared to a 'calendar year'. A pack year is from July 1 of any given year to June 30 of the following year allowing the comparison of exported goods derived from the 'pack' of that specific annual fishing season. Although the pack year is a more realistic way of comparing exports to the year of their production (most salmon are caught after July 1 of any given year) the calendar year is still provided for comparison with other countries that may have only calendar year reporting, or farm fish data that likewise uses the calendar year (having no specific 'season').
The "Other" category (sometimes referred to as N.E.S. for 'not elsewhere specified') contains product that can not be categorized seperately. 'Frozen other' , for instance, contains the data for 'Frozen Fillets of Salmon'; due to the small amounts involved a species breakdown has never been provided for this category.The data for Frozen Fillets (all salmon) could be extracted from the 'Frozen Other' category by custom query.
The 'Smoked' category contains Roe and Other - the other in this case being smoked salmon, not broken down by species by Stats Canada at this time. None of the Roe categories are broken down by species at this time either.
Copyright © 1995, BC Salmon Marketing Council, Last Updated by DGS - 01/03/01 1:27:01 PM