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Salmon Monitoring

Program Contact: Bob Simmons, Olympic Region Water Resources Specialist
(360) 379.5610 x 207 • simmons@wsu.edu

Coho and Chum: Smolt and Spawning Surveys

Partnering with North Olympic Salmon Coalition and Jefferson Conservation District

 

Fyke netting_crop_IMG_0467-001FYKE NETTING

In the spring, Beach Watcher volunteers help the North Olympic Salmon Coalition (NOSC) count young summer chum that feed in the productive waters of Discovery Bay estuaries and tidal channels. In March 2013, we used fyke nets (pictured here) to capture, measure, count and release the young smolt in Discovery Bay.

 

The water was cold, but it was so much fun!

 

 

ChimacumChumSurvey_Sep2013_Joe-Ionaca_CLowe_P1010363SPAWNING SURVEY

Beach Watchers also help NOSC every year with summer chum spawning surveys in Chimacum Creek. Teams of volunteers walk the creek regularly over a 6-week period, counting live salmon, counting and measuring dead salmon and taking tissue samples for later testing.. Early counts indicate that this is a record year for returning salmon–volunteers counted over 1,250 live summer chum in one record-breaking day!

In past years, Beach Watchers also helped the Jefferson Conservation District with their coho spawner survey project. Volunteers walk local streams with Conservation District researchers. A 4 person survey team of Water/Beach Watchers measured the lower reaches of Chimicum Creek from November until February.