Over 10,000 Coho Fry Marked at Hoy Creek Hatchery

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada supported Hoy Creek Hatchery in Coquitlam for our annual fin clip on June 20. The coho salmon are approximately 3 months old.

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 retention of the coho.

• The procedure also allows for a manual fish count, whereas previously only weight sample counts took place.

The operation was overseen by DFO fisheries community advisor, Isaac Nelson and Hoy Creek Hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard. Volunteers of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society assisted.

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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.

The fish will soon be transferred from the hatchery Capilano trough room and will live in the rearing pond until Salmon Leave Home in May 2023. Fish from this brood could then return in about 2.5–3 years.

Thanks to all those who helped out this year!

• See more photos in our Facebook photo album.

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Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) is a volunteer-run non-profit society that operates a small salmon hatchery beside Hoy Creek and conducts a salmon enhancement program in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, and with technical expertise from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The group stewards the Hoy and Scott Watersheds, promoting public awareness and education, and is involved in watershed habitat restoration and preservation. 

10,000 Coho Marked at Hoy Creek Hatchery

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HSWS student volunteer, Ririka works alongside DFO members on her first fin-clip.

On June 10 our annual adipose fin clipping session took place at Hoy Creek Hatchery. Over 10,000 Coho fry, approximately 6 months old had their adipose fin removed to identify them as 'hatchery fish.'

Led by hatchery manager Tyler Storgaard, the procedure is overseen by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada who had three members on-site assisting. The adipose fin, located at the top back of the salmon is removed after the fish have been sedated. It's a fast process and many careful hands make light work.

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The clipping station set up outside the Hoy Creek Hatchery on June 10, 2021.

The markings also help the society identify the hatchery fish during returns in the fall.

Thanks to Hoy-Scott Watershed volunteers who put in the time to assist with this exercise.

The fish will be moved to the outdoor rearing pond in the coming days and will remain there until May of 2022.

• View more photos in our Facebook album.

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Sedation area

HSWS Executive Remains Unchanged after Annual General Meeting

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HSWS Executive in front of the rearing pond at Hoy Creek Hatchery. From left to right: Lani Lehun, Tyler Storgaard, Anne Woosnam, Robbin Whachell, Kyle Uno, Emily Rossi and Kim Mayes (Missing from the photo was Rodney Lee and Sandra Uno)

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society held its annual general meeting on May 19. The meeting, with elections, were held virtually through Zoom conferencing.

Congratulations to returning directors: Kim Mayes, Rodney Lee, Lani Lehun, Anne Woosnam, and Emily Rossi. Also to returning treasurer, Kyle Uno who moves into his third term.

The newly elected join current executive, secretary Sandra Uno, vice president Tyler Storgaard, and president Robbin Whachell.

"I want to thank you all for staying on as our HSWS executive!" said Society president Robbin Whachell. "We're an engaged team. These continue to be very interesting and trying times. It's great to be working together to keep our momentum going as a society and the hatchery operating."

While the society is currently not engaging in any group activities due to the pandemic, the fish are being monitored by daily feeders, the hatchery has weekly check-ins by management, and all is being overseen by the Department of Fisheries & Oceans.

Hoy - Scott Watershed Society, (HSWS) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run environmental stewardship group, that conducts a salmon enhancement program in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Paint Reported in Hoy Creek

Photo: Wayne Noble

On June 17, 2020, the Society was alerted to a spill report made by a resident. The substance smelled like and appeared to be white paint. The Society check two spots along the creek between the spill area and the hatchery, as well as hatchery fish, and all appeared well and isolated to the inflow area east of Walton School on Hoy Trail.

The Society was advised that City of Coquitlam staff were dispatched just after 6 p.m. to the spill site. They reported that the spill appeared small, and City staff checked the outfall and pulled the street manholes in an attempt to get a direction of the paint but neither showed colour.

The sweep of the area did not indicate the source. City staff also check the site at the same time the following day (June 18th) for more evidence in case the activity continued but there was no spill identified.

The Society would like to remind Coquitlam residents that storm drains lead directly to our waterways, and everyone should exercise caution when disposing of pollutants, which includes paint.

To report a spill in the creek click here.

CLICK HERE TO READ HOME TIPS FOR HEALTHY STREAMS

Surplus Coho Salmon Fry Released by Hoy/Scott Watershed Society

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Hatchery manager, Rodney Lee buckets coho fry for transfer to another location.

In May 2020, Hoy Creek Hatchery held approximately 13,620 coho fry.

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society's annual aquaculture license with federal fisheries allows us to incubate up to 25,000 eggs but only release 5,000 1-year-old Coho smolts from that brood year in May.

Any excess are released to the Upper Hoy and Scott Creeks to areas of the stream where wild fry are not present. In addition, fry are released to Pinnacle Pond. From those locations, the Coho fry can make use of the habitat, grow and eventually make their way out to the ocean to complete their lifecycle.

On May 16, HSWS volunteers Rodney Lee and Tyler Storgaard weighed and counted out our surplus of 8,620 fry and loaded up the truck for transport and released them at 5 different locations. The fry weighed approximately 1.3 grams and are about 5 months old.

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Transfer tub in the back of the truck

The Coquitlam locations where surplus coho fry were released on Saturday were: Upper Hoy Creek at Camelback Ct off of Plateau; Upper Scott Creek at Panorama by Bramblewood; Upper Scott Creek at Tanglewood Lane; Beaver Pond at Scott Creek; Lower Beaver Pond; and Pinnacle Pond.

Once our remaining fry grow to 2 – 3 grams they will be ready for marking, and will have their adipose fins clipped to identify them as hatchery fish. Our hatchery fry continue to be hand-fed twice per day.

After clipping they will be transferred to the rearing pond west of the hatchery where they will mature until the Salmon Leave Home event in May 2021.

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The fry weighed approximately 1.3 grams and are about 5 months old.

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Salmon Come Home a Success Despite Lack of Fish

The twenty-sixth annual Salmon Come Home event was a huge success as over 2000 people attended the environmentally focused festival to celebrate the return of salmon at Hoy Creek Hatchery on October 21.

Despite no sightings of mature salmon in the stream due to the long dry spell prior to the event, the crowds had much to ponder as it relates to the protection of our local habitat.

Exhibitors included Articipation (John Lewis), Burke Mountain Naturalists, City of Coquitlam (Urban Wildlife, Waste Reduction and Water Conservation), Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable, Coquitlam Riverwatch, Friends of DeBoville Slough, Kintec, Maple Creek Watershed Streamkeepers, Vancity Pinetree Branch, 13th Burnaby Venturers Scouts, and St. John Ambulance.

The event, which is co hosted with the City of Coquitlam opened with words from Ed Hall of Kwikwetlem First Nation.

Children’s entertainer, Angela Brown provided stories and had little ones and parents dressed up in costumes of animals, insects and birds for parades and storytelling in her giant inflatable salmon.

The Wil D. Salmon show featured the sounds of local entertainers Zoey Levin, Etienne Siew, Julia DePieri, and Joyelle Brandt.

The society provided tours of the hatchery and hourly salmon education talks with founding member, Chris Hamming and hatchery manager, with Rodney Lee.

HSWS founding member, Chris Hamming. Presented with a gift by HSWS secretary, Emily Rossi

The highlight of the day was a special presentation to Chris Hamming for his years of service to Hoy-Scott Watershed Society.

A big thank you to all the volunteers who assisted with event setup, take-down, face painting and games, mascots and more. Special thanks to the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, Vancity, and Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

Since the event, the rains have returned and both coho and chum salmon are now returning to Hoy and Scott Creeks. Prime viewing of returning salmon is usually from mid-October to early November.

“The watershed is a beautiful place to explore nature, Everyone is encouraged to take time to witness this awe-inspiring spectacle at any of the local creeks, most of which run through public spaces and are accessible to everyone.

Wil D Salmon and singer Etienne Siew

Hoy Creek Hatchery is home to 5000 young coho housed in the outdoor rearing pond which will be released in May 2019 at Salmon Leave Home. Hoy Trail offers a beautiful walk featuring towering trees and active bird life. You can watch for the great blue heron that fishes at Hoy Creek near the hatchery most evenings.

The Hoy Creek Hatchery is in Hoy Creek Linear Park, west of the City Centre Aquatic Complex (Pinetree and Guildford Way), and is a seven-minute walk from the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station.

Visitors can walk in from a variety of locations: from Princess Crescent, from behind Douglas College; from Guildford Way (between Johnson and Pinetree), from Walton Avenue or behind Walton Elementary, or from the foot of Lasalle Place.

View EVENT PHOTO ALBUM on Facebook.

Follow the Society on their Facebook page.

Fourth annual fin clipping exercise at Hoy Creek Hatchery

Volunteers carefully snip the adipose fin off a sedated coho fry

On June 15, 2017 we performed our fourth fin clipping exercise at Hoy Creek Hatchery for our coho salmon fry.

The adipose fin is removed after the fish are sedated. It's a fast process and many careful hands make light work.

The entire procedure is overseen by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. All fry recovered expect one of approximately 5500 fishmarked.  The markings help the society identify hatchery fish during returns in the fall.

Thanks to Hoy-Scott Watershed members who provided the photos seen here.

Many hands make light and fast work! Hoy-Scott Watershed Volunteers during our fourth annual fin-clipping exercise

Sedated coho fry. 

Pinetree Secondary School Assists in Invasive Plant Removal

Pinetree Secondary School students helping clear invasive Himalayan blackberry along Hoy Creek (Photo: Kyle Uno / HSWS)

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society spent another morning removing invasive Himalayan blackberry with the enthusiastic help of students from Pinetree Secondary School on April 1st, 2017. An area along Hoy Creek was cleared. Work was wet, muddy, and prickly with the thorny brambles.

"The students from Pinetree Secondary have been very helpful with our work in the riparian area," said Rodney Lee, Vice President, Hoy-Scott Watershed Society. "Rain or shine, they come out and get muddy with us; and many hands make light work.  They provide a welcomed and appreciated contribution!"  See more photos on the HSWS Google Photos page.

Wet, muddy and prickly work, as Pinetree Secondary student clip the invasive Himayalan blackberry along Hoy Creek. (Photo: Kyle Uno / HSWS)

Aside from the salmon enhancement program, Hoy-Scott Watershed Society works within the riparian area to enhance the creek system. Invasive plants can overtake native plants. Healthy native plants ensure the health of the creek, protecting the water from heavy sunlight, ensuring cooler temperatures for fish and bug life.

To get involved with the Society, click the "Get Involved" button on the upper right-hand-side of our website, or email the Society at hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com

Albino chum discovered at Hoy Creek Hatchery

An albino chum salmon fry seen next to normal chum fry

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society's hatchery manager, Rodney Lee discovered a rare albino chum salmon fry this past week while assessing fish in the incubation room at Hoy Creek hatchery in Coquitlam.

Last year we found a conjoined twin coho fry. 

Fish kill in Scott Creek reported

Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS

On August 22nd, the City of Coquitlam Environmental Services Division reported a salmonid fish kill on August 22nd in Scott Creek of approximately 200 juvenile fish.

"This was most likely due to extreme heat, (30 C plus degrees) experienced last week in combination of the introduction of fire foam and contaminants to the creek through the storm sewer as a result of a large multiple vehicle fire on August 19th in the area of Lansdowne and Charter Hall," said the notice advising the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society. The notice also stated, "The condition of the fish indicated they had been dead for several days, and the location was along Scott Creek from Eagleridge Drive to Guildford."

"Not all pollutants entering the storm drain are intentional, but they still kill fish," said Rodney Lee of the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society. "Research has indicated that contaminants from roadways (e.g. wiper fluid, automotive fluids, brake dust etc) kill fish.  Individuals may occasionally, deliberately dispose of contaminants like paint, concrete wash water etc into a storm drain which also kill fish.  However, this occurs less frequently as the public has become knowledgeable about acceptable waste disposal practices. It's quite possible that the combination of products used to fight fires (pollutants), low water levels (pollutants stay in the water longer) and high stream temperatures (reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the stream causing stress on fish and reduce their ability to cope with poorer water quality) all contributed to the fish kill."

The public is encouraged to be mindful of storm drains, which are meant for rainwater, and not for refuse disposal.   Individuals observing a fish kill in our streams or the presence of any other possible pollutants are encouraged to immediately report the event to the Fisheries & Oceans Canada "Observe, Record, Report" (ORR) 1-800-465-4336 [Call: 1-800-465-4336] or in Greater Vancouver: 604-607-4186 [Call: 604-607-4186]   http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/rec/points/ORR-ONS-eng.html