It’s that time of year again! As the leaves change colour and the temperatures cool, salmon return to many of B.C.’s waterways.

A salmon’s journey from freshwater streams to the open ocean and back again is one of the world’s longest and most epic migrations.

It’s a spectacular thing to witness and we encourage everyone in British Columbia to visit their local salmon-bearing streams this fall and celebrate salmon returns.

Salmon face many challenges, from habitat loss and factory fish farms, to climate change and over-fishing. Despite this, millions of fish return to B.C. every year to breed and to feed communities, wildlife and our forests.

Enter our Salmon Spawn Watch Contest

Get out to witness a salmon run and share for a chance to win!

Help us celebrate salmon returns this year by taking part in Salmon Spawn Watch. From Rivers Day on September 22 through November 22, we encourage you to go out and witness salmon returns in your community. Document the returns on social media for a chance to win some great Watershed Watch swag!

There will be five prize packs up for grabs worth over $100! They include a Watershed Watch t-shirt, a copy of The Pacific Salmon Field Guide, a NEW Watershed Watch Yeti mug and a sticker pack!

How to take part in Salmon Spawn Watch

• 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. If there are no salmon returning, and you expect them to, that is an important observation, too! Take care when observing salmon and do your part to minimize any disturbance to the salmon. Here’s some tips!
• Post on social media (Facebook, Instagram, X or Threads) with the hashtag #SalmonSpawnWatch and tag Watershed Watch Salmon Society. When you post, include the date and location and species observed, if you can identify them.
• Each post you make between Rivers Day, September 22, 2024, and November 22, 2024, enters you in a draw for some fabulous prizes!
• If you don’t have social media, send your photos and information to engagement@watershedwatch.ca

Additional contest details

• No purchase is necessary.
• Prize winners will be drawn at random from eligible entrants and announced on Friday, November 29, 2024.
• Winners will be contacted via the social media platform they made their post on. Prizes will be held for two weeks after we contact winners, after which point, a new winner will be drawn.
• Eligible social media posts will include video or photos captured in British Columbia, Canada in 2024.