This report details the methodology and preliminary findings of a 1994 stock-assessment program designed to monitor steelhead and coho salmon populations in the Skeena River. The program employed approximately 30 fishery observers embedded within the commercial gill-net and seine fleets to meticulously record fishing effort, analyze catch composition, and gather biological data. This document outlines the procedures for consolidating observer records and deriving estimates of the commercial catches, with a specific focus on providing initial figures for steelhead catches.

This report serves as a technical document detailing a specific fisheries management program. Its value lies in the methodological transparency and the presentation of preliminary data for steelhead stock assessment in the Skeena River. The focus is on the scientific process and the data derived from observer monitoring, intended for use by fisheries managers and researchers.