WATCH ABOVE: Jill Bennet reports on the fast and furious three hour commercial sockeye fishery.
VANCOUVER – There was a significant turnout on Monday for the first commercial opening of what could be one of the biggest Fraser River sockeye runs in years.
Hundreds of boats crowded the mouth of the Fraser River near Steveston Monday afternoon for a three hour opportunity to load up on the prized fish.
It follows a recreational fishery on Friday and a First Nations’ food and ceremonial fishery on the weekend.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has estimated this year’s Fraser River sockeye run could see as many as 23 million salmon returning, but fishermen say it’s still too early to say how good the run is.
The returns follow a four-year cycle as there were about 30 million fish in 2010.
It remains to be seen if there will be future openings but if the run is so big this year, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is confident there will be more.
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