It’s Salmon Spawn Watch Season!
October 5, 2023
By: Meghan Rooney
This time of year marks an amazing opportunity to witness one of the world’s greatest animal migrations. From now until December, wild salmon are returning to their natal streams all across the province.
Some fish returning this year, like Fraser River pinks, survived the November 2021 flood events as small eggs buried in gravel and are returning in strong numbers. Other runs swam past the gauntlet of fish farms in the Discovery Islands as juvenile fish, where lice levels and parasite loads were amplified by the factory fish feedlots. On their journey home as adults, these wild fish navigated through various fisheries, past predators, and in the midst of record drought.
Despite the odds, salmon still return to our home waters each year. It’s something worth celebrating and we encourage you to get out to see it for yourself.
It’s salmon spawning season!
A prize pack from Nimmo Bay | Confluence features a men’s long-sleeved shirt, toque and fleece vest.
#SalmonSpawnWatch
Each year, Watershed Watch hosts our annual Salmon Spawn Watch event. With the changing climate and the many other pressures wild salmon face, the number of salmon returning to each stream every year is changing. While we can make predictions, we don’t yet know exactly what will happen on the ground.
While going out to observe this epic migration, you can help us better understand what is happening with salmon around the province with just your phone and a social media account.
How to take part in #SalmonSpawnWatch
- Go to see the salmon spawn, or visit locations where you expect them to spawn. (Check out our map of some popular spots around the province.)
- Use your phone to take pictures or make a short video. Film the water and environment if you like. Or better yet, film yourself describing where you are, what day it is and what you observe. Feel free to say something about your connection to where you are. And if there are no salmon returning, and you expect them to, that is an important observation too!
- Post on social media (whatever platforms you use) with the hashtag #SalmonSpawnWatch. Tag Watershed Watch for good measure. When you post, include the date and location in the text of your post.
- Each post you make between October 5 and November 15 enters you in a draw for some fabulous prizes. For TWO BONUS ENTRIES, submit your images to us below. If you don’t use social media, just use the form below to submit your photos
A women’s Patagonia Torrentshell jacket is one of this year’s Salmon Spawn Watch prizes!
Enter Salmon Spawn Watch to get a chance to win a prize pack with one of our Watershed Watch t-shirts!
Each post enters you to win one of the following prizes:
- A prize pack courtesy of Confluence & Nimmo Bay x Anian valued at over $350 that includes: a men’s long sleeve blue chambray shirt in XL, a men’s natural fleece vest in XL and a recycled cashmere toque.
- A women’s Patagonia Torrentshell jacket, size medium valued at $225.
- One of 10 prize packs, that includes a Watershed Watch t-shirt, one of our new Watershed Watch tote bags, an ‘I ♥️ B.C. wild salmon’ bumper sticker and a copy of The New Fish: The truth about farmed salmon and the consequences we can no longer ignore by Simen Saetre and Kjetil Ostli. The prize pack is valued at $65.
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It’s Salmon Spawn Watch Season!
October 5, 2023
By: Meghan Rooney
This time of year marks an amazing opportunity to witness one of the world’s greatest animal migrations. From now until December, wild salmon are returning to their natal streams all across the province.
Some fish returning this year, like Fraser River pinks, survived the November 2021 flood events as small eggs buried in gravel and are returning in strong numbers. Other runs swam past the gauntlet of fish farms in the Discovery Islands as juvenile fish, where lice levels and parasite loads were amplified by the factory fish feedlots. On their journey home as adults, these wild fish navigated through various fisheries, past predators, and in the midst of record drought.
Despite the odds, salmon still return to our home waters each year. It’s something worth celebrating and we encourage you to get out to see it for yourself.
It’s salmon spawning season!
A prize pack from Nimmo Bay | Confluence features a men’s long-sleeved shirt, toque and fleece vest.
#SalmonSpawnWatch
Each year, Watershed Watch hosts our annual Salmon Spawn Watch event. With the changing climate and the many other pressures wild salmon face, the number of salmon returning to each stream every year is changing. While we can make predictions, we don’t yet know exactly what will happen on the ground.
While going out to observe this epic migration, you can help us better understand what is happening with salmon around the province with just your phone and a social media account.
How to take part in #SalmonSpawnWatch
- Go to see the salmon spawn, or visit locations where you expect them to spawn. (Check out our map of some popular spots around the province.)
- Use your phone to take pictures or make a short video. Film the water and environment if you like. Or better yet, film yourself describing where you are, what day it is and what you observe. Feel free to say something about your connection to where you are. And if there are no salmon returning, and you expect them to, that is an important observation too!
- Post on social media (whatever platforms you use) with the hashtag #SalmonSpawnWatch. Tag Watershed Watch for good measure. When you post, include the date and location in the text of your post.
- Each post you make between October 5 and November 15 enters you in a draw for some fabulous prizes. For TWO BONUS ENTRIES, submit your images to us below. If you don’t use social media, just use the form below to submit your photos
A women’s Patagonia Torrentshell jacket is one of this year’s Salmon Spawn Watch prizes!
Enter Salmon Spawn Watch to get a chance to win a prize pack with one of our Watershed Watch t-shirts!
Each post enters you to win one of the following prizes:
- A prize pack courtesy of Confluence & Nimmo Bay x Anian valued at over $350 that includes: a men’s long sleeve blue chambray shirt in XL, a men’s natural fleece vest in XL and a recycled cashmere toque.
- A women’s Patagonia Torrentshell jacket, size medium valued at $225.
- One of 10 prize packs, that includes a Watershed Watch t-shirt, one of our new Watershed Watch tote bags, an ‘I ♥️ B.C. wild salmon’ bumper sticker and a copy of The New Fish: The truth about farmed salmon and the consequences we can no longer ignore by Simen Saetre and Kjetil Ostli. The prize pack is valued at $65.
It was Saturday, October 21st. I was walking over the newly rebuilt bridge on King George boulevard, just south of 88th avenue in Surrey. I went into the forest for a little relief, then went to the water’s edge, and that’s when I saw them, just 4 or 5 in total.
On, Nov 9, I went to Trout Creek to see if the salmon were making their way up the creek . When I got there there the stream bed was dry; bone dry. I then went into Sasquatch Provincial Park and walked the shoreline of Harrison Lake to the mouth of Trout Creek where I saw one dead fish on the shore. Walking back to my car I met a fellow who said he saw loads of salmon spawning on the lake shore at the Green Point Picnic site. I walked the 100m through the parking lot, past the picnic tables and right in front of me was a swarm of salmon swimming about on the waters edge. Today, after the rain last night I went out again and saw that Trout Creek was full of water and a few fish were trying to go up stream. The lake shore is still the best place to view the spawning salmon. As a point of interest Green Point was the location of the largest fish hatchery in the world back in 1904.