VANCOUVER - B.C. fishermen have pulled in close to 9.6 million sockeye salmon from the Fraser River's near record run of the lucrative fish.
After weeks of increasing the estimated catch numbers, the Pacific Salmon Commission now believes its estimate of 34 million salmon will stand.
The commission estimates the commercial catch of Fraser sockeye so far is 8.68 million, while non-commercial catches such as test fisheries, First Nations and recreational fisheries have pulled in 911,000 salmon.
Experts believe the migration of Fraser sockeye through the Johnston and Juan de Fuca Straits has declined.
For the fish going through the river, the commission says water temperatures and other migration conditions are satisfactory.
The continued abundance of fish in the river means a variety of seine, reefnet, troll, and gillnet fisheries will remain open as planned.