Recent flooding has Fisheries and Oceans Canada keeping a watchful eye on sockeye salmon migration.

Spokesman Barry Rosenberger says sockeye are in the midst of swimming up the Fraser River to spawn in Stuart Lake.

He says high levels have made it more difficult for the fish to swim through Hell's Gate near Yale, delaying their return.

Rosenberger says they are hoping 52,000 salmon will make it to the spawing grounds, but only 120,000 salmon have entered the Lower Fraser, so an extra 150,000 fish are needed.

"Given that they haven't been eating for a while, they only have a certain energy reserve, the impact then becomes, we understand that when they do get delayed, a potion of them won't get to their terminal areas to spawn, or even if they make it they may not successfully spawn so that's the part we're monitoring now," said Rosenberger.

Rosenberger says the low sockeye returns also means there will be fewer salmon available for harvest this year. 

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