Hoy Creek Hatchery

A Special Delivery!

In late May, we had an unexpected visitor at the Hoy Creek Hatchery—a Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)—and not in the usual way! It dropped straight out of the sky onto our lower pond wall. Turns out, a local crow had let it slip mid-flight, likely intending it as a future snack. We quickly stepped in to scoop up the lamprey, rescuing it before the crow could reclaim its lunch.

Curious and excited, we saw an opportunity to observe this mysterious creature up close. We set it up in an aquarium, complete with creek sand, pebbles, and a bubbler to ease it into a comfortable setting—a little more “home” than a bare glass box. With a bit of sympathy, we gave this peculiar, squirmy guest a name: Larry.

Imagine our surprise the next day when Larry began a curious shimmy and shake, revealing tiny white eggs! Our Larry was actually Larissa! With this discovery, Larissa earned her place in our records and, ultimately, in our specimen collection. Being an anadromous species like salmon, Lampetra tridentata die after spawning, so this incredible creature is now preserved with us.

Larissa, a distant relative of the shark, continues to amaze us even in her preserved form—a rare, close-up look at one of nature’s fascinating wonders.

NOTE: Should you attend one of our open houses, be sure to ask to see Larissa

“Click video and watch on full screen for best view of eggs coming from Larissa!”

Society Conducting Annual Spawner Salmon Survey

An example of what you could see in the section where the salmon survey is taking place. Dead fish are cut so as to not count them the next time we pass the same area. (HSWS photo)

Should you see salmon in Hoy Creek or Scott Creek that have been cut in half, or have the tail or head cut off, that means those salmon have been marked for our annual Salmon Spawner Survey.

We count live and dead fish weekly in a designated stretch of the stream. The dead salmon are cut so as to not double-count the dead fish the next week. This helps get an absolute count of salmon that have spawned in a particular area of a stream.

Spawner surveys are a basic form of stock assessment where the data can be used to gauge the health of salmon returns. In short, we walk the creek and count live and dead salmon (by species) to get a sense of the number of returning fish. Data is submitted to the Streamkeeper’s database as well as to Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

Each week, results are recorded.

Questions? Email us at hoyscottcreeks@gmail.com

Over 12,000 Coho Fry Clipped at Hoy Creek Hatchery

Thank you to all of our volunteers who came out on June 21 to take part in our annual coho fry fin clipping exercise. We clipped 12,400 coho fry! The salmon are approximately 3 months old.

The exercise was supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and held in front of Hoy Creek Hatchery in Coquitlam .

The adipose fin is removed and is a soft, fleshy fin found on the top of the salmon, on the back behind the dorsal fin and just forward of the caudal fin. This marking of our coho supports:

Stock assessment for when salmon return to spawn, the clipped fins allow hatcheries and stream keepers to monitor their return. Selective fisheries - in certain regions and sub-areas, a marked fishery is permitted for the retention of the coho. The procedure also allows for a manual fish count, whereas previously only weight sample counts took place.

First, the fish are anesthetized in small batches. Once in the solution, they become sleepy within minutes. The volunteers stand ready around a table equipped with a trough with flowing water and beds of water for the fish to lay in. Volunteers work quickly and very carefully to clip fins with disinfected surgical scissors before they wake up, which is within about a minute. Fish are put into the outside trough and end up in the bucket at the end of the table. They are returned to the hatchery to recover.

A portion of the fish will be ponded at various creek locations in Coquitlam and the remaining will soon be transferred from the hatchery Capilano trough room to the outdoor rearing pond until Salmon Leave Home in May 2025. Fish from this brood could then return in about 1.5–2.5 years.

NOTICE: Hoy Creek Habitat Restoration and Improvements

The projects goal is to provide ability to better manage water flows, restoring natural habitat and increasing security against pollution events.

Project elements:

  • Tree removals for outlet improvements;

  • Removal of failing concrete outlet structure;

  • Resurfacing of aging rearing pond and replacement of failed flow control valve;

  • Construct a naturalized outlet channel, including stabilize the streambank to support spawning and

  • Increase rearing and broodstock capabilities with a secondary circular tub to mitigate effects of extended drought periods by allowing multipe species to be held (Chum, Coho).

During the work, the trail will be closed for pedestrian safety and marked with signage. Trail closures will be in placeimpacting accessibitliy for the trail section fromt eh hatchery, north towards Walton Elementary. Hoy Creek Linear trail from Guildford Way to White Pine Place will be open during construction, with intermittent traffic control for deliveries. It is anticipated the closures to be for 1–2 weeks as heavy equipment work completes.

Construction Schedule: June 26 – July 5


Questions?

Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Catherine McClean

catherine.mcclean@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Community Advisor, Lower Fraser - North

604-230-4126



Hoy-Scott Watershed Society

Tyler Storgaard

hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com

Hatchery Manager, Vice-President

778-835-9867



Rearing Pond Salvage Saves Crayfish, Lamprey and Coho

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society conducted our annual rearing pond salvage on May 29.

Coho smolts were released on May 18. The floor boards were removed. The water drained from the pond leaves lots of discoveries for invertebrates and crustaceans like crayfish, stoneflies and lamprey. We found crayfish, coho fry and smolts and caddis fly. All were released into the stream.

Thanks to our volunteers who helped out.

After the salvage, the City of Coquitlam arranges for the pond mud and sediment to be removed via McCrae's Environmental Services (a vacuum truck), and then the pond will be pressure washed and floorboards returned. The creek water will then be reintroduced to make way for the transfer of Coho fry from the hatchery.

This year our back pond area will also be cleaned.

A final look in the rearing pond before dark.

Coho Released on May 18

With optimal weather conditions and no fanfare, the Coho salmon housed in the Hoy Creek Hatchery rearing pond were released on May 18.

In 2024 the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society shifted focus of the public release to Chum salmon, because our chum salmon, unlike Coho, do not reside in fresh water for an extended period.

Volunteers lifted the slats to the rearing pond outflow and the Coho were on their way.

Once released to the creek, the Chum begin their journey to the ocean: Hoy Creek → Scott Creek → Coquitlam River → Fraser River → Strait of Georgia into the Pacific Ocean.

The rearing pond will next be cleaned, and prepared for the incoming Coho fry in the hatchery’s Capilano trough room.

Farewell Chums! Salmon Left Home

Thank you to all the families who came out to enjoy and learn!

On April 27, residents of Coquitlam came to help release our Chum salmon at our Salmon Leave Home festival. Traditionally held around Mother’s Day for the release of our Coho, in 2024 the Society decided to change the focus of the release to the Chum species.

Hatchery manager and Society vice president, Tyler Storgaard explains why, “After significant efforts by our volunteers, we are able to hold both Coho and Chum fry, where previously we had only been able to hold one species at a time. This new capacity and growing concern over drier and warmer conditions earlier in the year had us rethink our release dates for overall fish health. “

Despite the constant rain, the festival was well supported and manageable throughout the day. Children and adults carried buckets of fry down Hoy Trail to a quiet and easily-accessible part of Hoy Creek to release the fish.

Crafts, education, hatchery tour and release of Chum salmon

Residents also got to view Chum fry up close in tanks as well as the Coho fingerlings raised at the hatchery. A scavenger hunt was available as well as the opportunity to make seed bombs to take home and plant to encourage spring flowers for our pollinators.

The Society would like to thank the community who didn't let the weather get in the way! Thanks also goes out to our dedicated and hardworking volunteers.

A huge thank you to our event sponsor, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, and for the continuous support of the Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

We hope to see you at our next festival in October for Salmon Come Home!

Tyler, Anne and Suzz helping bucket out the Chum!

Gravel Donation and Trailer Use Greatly Appreciated

Hoy Creek Hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard, and assistant manager, Anne Woosnam shovel gravel off the trailer donated on Feb. 17 (HSWS photo)

Thank You for the Generous Donations and Support

We would like to express our gratitude to Heidelberg Materials North America for their recent donation of gravel, and to High Definition Concrete Ltd. for the use of their trailer.

Community support plays a crucial role in the success of our organization, and these generous contributions are greatly appreciated. Without the support of local businesses and community members, completing essential work projects can be a significant challenge for us.

The donations made on February 17 will aid us in our ongoing efforts to clean and repair failing infrastructure at the Hoy Creek Hatchery. Contributions such as these, enable us to continue our important work in salmon conservation and habitat preservation.

We also extend our sincere thanks to the dedicated volunteers who contributed their time and effort to the cause. Their hard work and commitment have been invaluable in advancing our projects and maintaining the momentum of our initiatives.

Once again, a sincere thank you to Heidelberg Materials North America and High Definition Concrete Ltd., and all of our dedicated volunteers for their invaluable support and contributions. Together, we are making a significant and positive impact on our environment, and we are grateful for the opportunity to build a more sustainable future for the Hoy and Scott Watersheds.

Matt, Suzz and Annie help with gravel offloading to fill an area behind the Hoy Creek Hatchery in Coquitlam. (HSWS photo)

Spawner Survey Report for 2023

Our spawner survey crew recently got some hands on experience with bio sampling salmon carcasses. (HSWS photo)

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society director, Rodney Lee led our spawner survey for 2023.

Seven of our volunteers assisted in 13 surveys and put in a total of 40.5 hours.

Spawner surveys are a basic form of stock assessment where the data can be used to gauge the health of salmon returns. In short, we walk the creek and count live and dead salmon (by species) to get a sense of the number of returning fish. Data is submitted to the Streamkeeper’s database as well as to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

Participants walk in chest waders in and around the stream including stepping over fallen trees, walking on in-stream rocks and muddy banks, and crouching under overhanging tree branches to identify salmon species targeting chum and coho but occasionally other species (chinook, pink) may have been seen.

The weekly survey area was the stretch of Hoy Creek from the Johnson St. pool (between Glen and Guildford) to Hoy Creek Hatchery in Coquitlam and statistics were taken from October through to January.

Here are the survey details which provide totals of carcasses for chum and coho, as well as peak live counts. We have compared them to our 2021 and 2022 results in the chart below.

Volunteers measure the salmon and record findings. (HSWS photo)

2023 Spawner Survey Data and Comparison to 2022 and 2021

*Please note that this exercise is not a population estimate and annual results can be affected by several factors including weather patterns.

NOTE: Should you see salmon in the creek that have been cut in half, or have the tail or head cut off, from October through December that could mean those salmon have been marked for the annual Salmon Spawner Survey. We count live and dead fish weekly in a designated stretch of the stream. The dead salmon are cut as to not double count the dead fish the next week. This helps get an absolute count of salmon that have spawned in a particular area of a stream.

2023 Broodstock Collection Complete

Matthew Watts and Tyler Storgaard working in the incubation room at Hoy Creek Hatchery preparing the eggs.

It was another busy broodstock season for the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society at the Hoy Creek Hatchery as salmon began to return to stream in October. Hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard reports the following:

  • Our Chum are developing past the eyed stage and we have 13,684 in incubation.

  • For Coho, we did just lose a tray not due to fungus or outbreak, but due to a single female that was not viable.  Currently, we have a green egg estimate of 13,655 – the final enumeration to be completed at the shocking stage which is likely to occur in early 2024.

Thanks to all the volunteers who supported these activities, and to our daily feeders who monitor and maintain our equipment.

Egg renumeration. Hoy Creek Hatchery.

Coho eggs in the heath tray, Hoy Creek Hatchery.

Coho broodstock