It's off to see until you are three! We'll see you again when you are all grown, and return to make your little ones a home. – A resident poses with his four-legged friend in front of our selfie-station. (Photo: HSWS)
Thanks to those who came to our Freshwater Hoy School Graduation of our cohos of 2022!
Our Salmon Leave Home 2022 theme was Keeping Salmon Safe, focusing on the health and life-cycle of the salmon, as well as the health of the riparian area. The event took place at Hoy Creek Hatchery on May 14.
Visitors were able to sign a bon voyage card for the salmon, pledge stating what they could do to protect the fish, take a photo in front of a selfie station and play the Plinko game trying to get their salmon to saltwater safety. Coho fry were on display and Rodney Lee provided salmon education. Families learned about the hatchery and salmon life-cycle as well identification of invasive plants for Invasive Species Awareness Month.
Rodney Lee, HSWS Director provides salmon education. (Photo: HSWS)
The first 18 months of the life history of the coho salmon is spent in a freshwater stream environment. HSWS volunteers incubate coho eggs and rear fry to the smolt stage in our rearing pond. From the creek, the smolts begin their journey to the ocean: Hoy Creek → Scott Creek → Coquitlam River → Fraser River → Strait of Georgia / Pacific Ocean!
In alignment with our theme, Keeping Salmon Safe, we did not do our usual salmon release with buckets. Our coho had a tough winter and our aim is to reduce their stress.
HSWS volunteer, Jo assists a Coquitlam family with the salmon Plinko game. (Photo: HSWS)
Coho Smolts Released to Hoy Creek
Following the Salmon Leave Home event, we were able to release our coho smolts from the rearing pond – a pure coincidence with the event! This took place by lifting the boards between the rearing pond and the creek channel.
“Our objective was to time the release with high water and steady flows to ensure the smolts could have a safe run out,” said hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard. “The conditions on the day of the event were good.”
2740 smolts were released with an average weight of 18.9g. It takes the smolts anywhere from two to seven days to make it out to sea.