Volunteers Clean-up Scott Creek near Runnel Drive

The haul after 2 hours in an along Scott Creek north of Runnel Drive.

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society volunteers were out on August 24 for the annual creek clean. This year the focus was Scott Creek, and within two-hours the group was able to remove a sizeable amount of refuse from the urban stream.

The haul consisted mainly of: trash (cans/wrappers/plastics), a Xmas tree, chairs, car and bicycle tires, bike parts, a book, bottles, needles, clothes, bedding, lots of doggy doo bags and more.

“I’m very proud of our group of volunteers,” said society president Robbin Whachell. “Several of whom are new and experiencing Scott Creek for the first time. Our cleanup exercise, which can be discouraging to see the trash, allows us to experience the stream up close and personal.“

“It’s a beautiful time of year, and a safe time for us to walk within the stream without disturbing fish eggs/nests,” said Whachell.

“Although we found a good amount of trash, there were long stretches that appeared unmarred by humans, which was great to see!”

The Society will begin hosting monthly open houses the first Saturday of each month, starting in September. Come by Sept. 7 for a tour and to ask questions. If you’d like to become a volunteer, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more.

Save the date for Salmon Come Home, a family-friendly event hosted by the Society along with the City of Coquitlam. This year the four hour event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 20.

(See more photos in our Facebook album)

Helena removes a bed sheet from the stream. (Scott Creek)

Volunteers collecting trash along Scott Creek north of Runnel Dr.

Volunteers of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society stand near the information sign on Runnel Drive.

Salmon Hatchery Manager Opening in Coquitlam

Hoy Creek Hatchery is located east of Douglas College David Lam campus in Coquitlam, along Hoy Trail.

(APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED — Thank you for your interest. If you’d like to volunteer with us, click our “Get Involved'“ button)

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) in Coquitlam, B.C. is seeking a fish hatchery manager. The individual will be trained by the current hatchery manager, Rodney Lee starting mid-September 2019 and will eventually assume the managing activities at the hatchery. No previous experience is needed, just reliability, an interest in fish and an appetite for learning and ability to coordinate.

This role will train in all aspects of managing the hatchery including broodstock collection, egg takes, equipment operation and maintenance, egg incubation and caring for the alevins and fry.

Interested persons should provide a brief essay stating interest, previous experience (if any) and why you would like this role. Please note that all volunteers working at the Hoy Creek Hatchery are members of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society. This is a volunteer position.

Responsibilities:

• Learn how the hatchery operates

• Learn how to start-up and maintain equipment

• Learn about salmon and primarily the 2 species we will be incubating - Chum and Coho

• Learn how to capture and care for broodstock

• Learn about and conduct the egg-take and fertilization process.

• Learn about and maintain biosecurity protocol for the facility.

• Assist with weekly and season maintenance activities

• Assist with the care and feeding of all generations of fish

• Assist with fish length and weight sampling including started fish health calculations

• Assist with taking water quality measurements

• Assist with operation of the rearing pond including the operation of the lower pond and outlet weir.

• Learn about aquaculture in the context of the Salmon Enhancement Program through Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

• Assist with planning and execution of fish marking (adipose clipping).

• Assist with transport and release of surplus Coho fry to Upper Hoy and Upper Scott if necessary.

• Provide a brief hatchery update to HSWS executive for monthly meetings (Sept. – June)

• Assist at our public events: Salmon Come Home (October); Salmon Leave Home (May)

• Act as the backup for the current hatchery manager, Rodney Lee until able to resume full responsibility as a hatchery manager.

Time commitment: Hours vary but would typically require at least 3 hours one morning per week September through June. Training would take place on Saturday mornings. This commitment starts with preparatory work for the broodstock capturing season and goes through to fin-clipping and transfer to the hatchery rearing pond; to the annual release of smolts in May. Summer months are less busy. The selected candidate must be available to attend to hatchery duties as they arise and needs vary a lot in the season. Living relatively close to the hatchery is a necessity.

Communication: Needs to be available by cell phone and text message as a primary means of communication. Email is secondary.

Benefits of the position:

• 1 year free training from current manager of 11 years

• Opportunity to learn from the Department of Fisheries staff to support one of the most significant sub-watersheds in the Coquitlam River watershed

• Development opportunities available, including attendance at Pacific Streamkeepers Federation workshops / SEP conference

• Rewarding work with a fun, friendly, committed group of volunteers

• Volunteering looks great on a resume!

Please email the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society with questions or to state your interest in this role: hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com.

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. Learn more at our website: hoyscottcreeks.org

Hoy Creek Spill Quickly Contained

Coquitlam, BC — On July 23 another spill was reported to the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society.

The white substance appeared to be paint and entered Hoy Creek through the storm drain between White Line cul de sac and Walton Ave, just before the wooden foot bridge north of the hatchery.

The spill was reported to Coquitlam Engineering at approximately 10:45 a.m. and representatives were on site 15 minutes later. They installed pads to absorb the spill. The area was contained and did not affect the lower creek or hatchery. See more photos on our Facebook page.

Please be mindful - everything entering a storm drain ends up in a creek. Creeks contain aquatic life that can’t survive pollution being dumped into the habitat. As members of the public, we all have a duty to steward and protect the environment that we live in.

Should you witness any suspected pollution being dumped into a storm drain, please take immediate action to report it to the authorities:

• City of Coquitlam Engineering 24 hour emergency (Municipal): 604-927-3500

• Observe, Record, Report (Federal): 1-800-465-4336

• Report all poachers and polluters (Provincial): 1-877-952-RAPP

• Email Hoy/Scott Watershed Society at hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com or message via us Facebook.

Communities in Bloom Judges Visit Hoy Creek Hatchery

Communities in Bloom tour: (left to right) Maurice Cornelius; Maya Uno; CiB judge Alex Pearl; CiB judge John Lohuis; and president of Hoy/Scott Watershed Society, Robbin Whachell.

On July 18 we had another visit from the judges of Communities in Bloom - Collectivités en fleurs competition, of which the City of Coquitlam is a competitor.

Thanks to our youth volunteer Maya Uno who led our tour! Maya has been volunteering at Hoy Creek Hatchery since she was in grade 5. She's now in grade 12 and is a recipient of a Coquitlam environmental award.

Maya was assisted by Maurice Cornelius.

"Communities in Bloom - Collectivités en fleurs is about greening through environmental, natural heritage conservation and horticultural actions that involve citizens, businesses, institutions, and municipalities.  The program is focused on environmental stewardship through enhancement of green spaces."

On July 18 Alex Pearl and John Lohuis spent a busy day visiting City parks and locations and the salmon hatchery is one of the key places in the city that exemplify their ethos.

NOTE: The City of Coquitlam was successful in winning the competition in 2019! We are proud to be a small part of this achievement.

Feeding the coho fry at Hoy Creek Hatchery rearing pond. CiB judges Alex Pearl and John Lohuis. Communities in Bloom tour.

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society Initiates Storm Drain Education Campaign

HSWS volunteers, Ririka, Lani and Steven (and Robbin behind the camera) were out going door-to-door, and plan more outreach over the summer. . (HSWS photo)

It has been approximately six weeks since the Hoy Creek Hatchery and Hoy Creek suffered a fishkill due to a contaminant in the stream, which happened on May 28. (See video here)

Unfortunately no source was found, and test results showed there was no water quality parameter that was identified as the culprit, but the ammonia levels at a Hoy Creek storm outfall north of the hatchery had considerably high levels which would could point to high concentrations of bleach or chlorine.

In an effort to continue community education, volunteers of Hoy-Scott Watershed Society took to the streets north of the hatchery on July 13 to go door-to-door with educational material and a community notice with an aim to speak to anyone that was out on a Saturday morning about the fish kill in May.

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society community notice. If you’d like one please email us at hoyscottcreeks@gmail.com. We have them in English, French, Farsi, Chinese, and Punjabi. See PUBLIC NOTICE links below in a variety of languages. .

The fishkill affected a loss of over half of the hatchery fish. While 2700 have survived, the tragic event is a good reminder of how precious our ecosystem is.

The society also wishes to thanks the public and hatchery / watershed neighbours who look out for spills and report any thing out of the ordinary.

Please be mindful - everything entering a storm drain ends up in a creek. Creeks contain aquatic life that can’t survive pollution being dumped into the habitat. As members of the public, we all have a duty to steward and protect the environment that we live in.

Should you witness any suspected pollution being dumped into a storm drain, please take immediate action to report it to the authorities:

• City of Coquitlam Engineering 24 hour emergency (Municipal): 604-927-3500

• Observe, Record, Report (Federal): 1-800-465-4336

• Report all poachers and polluters (Provincial): 1-877-952-RAPP

TRANSLATED PUBLIC NOTICES: English /French; Farsi/Chinese/Korean)

Thank you to Tri-Cities Community TV for this interview below on the fish kill with society president, Robbin Whachell.

Volunteer, Lani Lehun pounding down a yellow fish decal by a storm drain. (HSWS photo)

A new fish marker by a storm drain. HSWS members will be updating storm drains on streets north of the hatchery over the summer months. (HSWS photo)

Related:

Fishkill at Hoy Creek Hatchery a Reminder of How Precious Our Ecosystem Is

Media coverage:

Global News: Pollution suspected in mass fish die off in Coquitlam

Tri-City News: Toxic Water Kills Hundreds of Fish in Coquitlam Creek

CTV News: Hundreds of Fish Die at Coquitlam Hatchery

Tri-City News: Coquitlam trying to fInd the source of fish kill

Daily Hive: Unknown Pollutant Causes Mass Death of Salmon in Coquitlam Hatchery

Rearing pond floorboards upgraded

The Hoy/Scott Watershed wishes to thank the City of Coquitlam for securing our floorboards at the rearing pond at Hoy Creek Hatchery.

The integrity of the board were noted during the annual pond clean out which takes place after the release of our 5000 coho smolts at Salmon Leave Home in May.

Old and rotted wood were replaced.

Fish Kill at Hoy Creek Hatchery a Reminder of How Precious Our Ecosystem Is

Photo taken approximately 4:30 p.m. on May 29, 2019 (HSWS photo)

On May 29, president of Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, Robbin Whachell was alerted by the City that a resident had reported dead fish in Hoy Creek. An hour later photos of the fish in stream were emailed to her.

At 4 p.m. she went down to the hatchery to investigate, finding that much of the fish in the hatchery Capilano trough were dead. These fish were coho salmon fry about 5-6 month old. She alerted the hatchery manager, Rodney Lee, who joined her there. It appeared that about 80% of the fish were lost.

The hatchery manager did an assessment of the creek north and south of the hatchery taking photos, trying to locate the source. The storm drain outfall at the foot bridge north of the hatchery close to Walton School did show bubbly foamy substance, and ammonia levels there could point to high concentrations of bleach or chlorine. Here is his hatchery manager’s report.

In review of social media messages later, it was discovered that one resident reported the dead fish at 6:30 p.m. on May 28 to the HSWS Facebook page.

The City of Coquitlam took a water sample the night of the 29th. HSWS president was around the area for about 2 hours and reported smelling a chemical similar to chlorine or ammonia, and could also taste chemical on her tongue.

The following day the hatchery was visited by various media houses and in the afternoon the dead fish were removed and buried.

The society was advised that the City looked into homes that have pools.

A week later the remaining fish were fin-clipped and another count was done. We’re pleased to report that 2700 fish survived. There is no way of knowing how many fish, crawfish, and lamprey died in the stream.

A report of the water testing was provided to the Society in June, but there was no water quality parameter that was identified as the culprit, but the ammonia levels at Hoy creek storm outfall north of the hatchery had considerably high levels which would could point to high concentrations of bleach or chlorine.

A community door-to-door education initiative will be planned by the society and hatchery manager Rodney Lee sent the following Letter to the Editor:

It only takes the carelessness, thoughtlessness or malicious action of a single individual to destroy life in our waterways. Unfortunately, this occurred on Hoy Creek last week. A highly toxic substance was dumped into a storm drain. This substance proceeded to kill thousands of fish and other aquatic animals in Hoy Creek. The loss of our hatchery salmon were dramatic. We, as hatchery volunteers, have spent countless hours raising our fish. We lost a good many of them in an instant. The losses amongst the wild fish populations truly heartbreaking as these are the populations we work hard to protect. They are priceless.

It’s been a week since this has occurred. I return to look at the Creek to find a single Coho fry present at the Hatchery bridge — a place where hundreds of wild fish lived a short while ago.

Please be mindful - everything entering a storm drain ends up in a creek. Creeks contain aquatic life that can’t survive pollution being dumped into the habitat. As members of the public, we all have a duty to steward and protect the environment that we live in. Should you witness any suspected pollution being dumped into a storm drain, please take immediate action to report it to the authorities:

• City of Coquitlam Engineering 24 hour emergency (Municipal): 604-927-3500

• Observe, Record, Report (Federal): 1-800-465-4336

• Report all poachers and polluters (Provincial): 1-877-952-RAPP

My heartfelt thanks,

Rodney Lee
Hatchery Manager, Hoy Creek Hatchery
Vice President, Hoy/Scott Watershed Society

Global News: Pollution suspected in mass fish die off in Coquitlam

Tri-City News: Toxic Water Kills Hundreds of Fish in Coquitlam Creek

CTV News: Hundreds of Fish Die at Coquitlam Hatchery

Tri-City News: Coquitlam trying to fInd the source of fish kill

Daily Hive: Unknown Pollutant Causes Mass Death of Salmon in Coquitlam Hatchery

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society Loses Founding Member

Chris Hamming in 2018 during Salmon Come Home.

Our society is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our founding members, Chris Hamming who passed away this month. Chris was a beloved retired school teacher and salmon educator; and a hard-working volunteer of not only the Hoy Creek Hatchery but Tynehead Hatchery as well. Chris also volunteered for many years at Science World.

In 2018 the Society honoured Chris for his many years of service. The photo above was taken during Salmon Come Home in 2018.

“Chris was such an extraordinary person,” said Keith Kozak, founding member of the Society. “His energies, inspiration, and dedication to his passions, and teaching was something to be admired. Chris was an invaluable resource for the formation of HSWS. When I was president, and our group decided to officially form a society, the time and numerous meetings with Chris for his feedback were extremely vital to our agenda.”

“I am sure that all Hoy members who knew Chris will miss his warm smile and positive attitude,” said founding member Linda Gorsline who now lives in Ontario. “He was a natural teacher, a lover of nature and was always interested in the opinions and ideas of others. He was always willing to help in Hoy projects. I am sad to know he has left us, but will always have happy memories of him and I am very pleased that I was lucky to know him.”

"Chris was one of the original members that encouraged me to get involved," said Tim Tyler, a former HSWS president. "He led with that smile and by doing, and was a pleasure to deal with: funny, enthusiastic, practical, optimistic and always willing to ‘lift his end of the log’ so to speak. A runner and rower, it was not widely known that as an educator he was also involved in the Science Fair on a regular basis. He was one of the good ones and his passing is a loss to us all. My condolences to his family."

His memorial service was held at Tapestry Mundy Park Church in Coquitlam on June 5. Hoy-Scott Watershed Society president Robbin Whachell spoke on behalf of the society. Read her remarks here.

Chris Hamming was knows as the “Salmon Educator” (seen here in 2015 at Salmon Come Home)

Chris being interviewed on radio in 2015.

Salmon Left Home Thanks to Many Volunteers

Salmon Leave Home 2019 at Hoy Creek Hatchery - Left to right: Pinetree student, Lucas; Elder Beverly and Chief Ed Hall of Kwikwetlem First Nation. (Photo: HSWS)

Mother's Day was extra special this year as we released our coho smolts during an idyllic temperature day on May 12 at the Hoy Creek Hatchery.

Hundreds came out to take part in our Salmon Leave Home event, where 5000 coho smolts found their new home in Hoy Creek. From the creek, the smolts begin their journey to the ocean: Hoy Creek → Scott Creek → Coquitlam River → Fraser River → Strait of Georgia / Pacific Ocean!  

A student volunteer guides a boy in releasing a coho smolt at Salmon Leave Home

The student volunteers of the Pinetree Secondary School Community Club, and our own HSWS student volunteers played a huge part in the success of the event. They helped members hand out buckets of fish, kept the crowds directed to salmon release areas, assisted in safe salmon release, and led Mother’s Day themed plant crafts, as well as provided face-painting throughout the day. Thank you!

Honoured guests, Chief Ed Hall and Elder Beverly of Kwikwetlem First Nation were on hand for opening words and to release our first fish.

Thanks to all that took part in making this day special. Be sure to save the date, and join us in the fall for Salmon Come Home on October 20.

See more photos on our Facebook album.

Salmon Leave Home 2019 at Hoy Creek Hatchery -- THANK YOU Student Volunteers!

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society Announces 2019 Executive

Voted in from left to right: Lilian Elliott, Director; Robbin Whachell, President; Lani Lehun, Director; and Sandra Uno, Director. The four join the existing executive already serving terms: Rodney Lee, Vice President & Hatchery Manager; Emily Rossi, Secretary; and Kyle Uno, Treasurer.

The Hoy-Scott Watershed Society held an annual general meeting on May 15, 2019 at the Coquitlam City Centre library.

Congratulations to the new and returning executive. Voted in was:

President - Robbin Whachell
Director - Lilian Elliott
Director - Sandra Uno
Director - Lani Lehun

The fore-mentioned join existing executive already serving terms: Rodney Lee, Vice President/Hatchery Manager; Emily Rossi, Secretary; and Kyle Uno, Treasurer.

"Our team of dedicated volunteers are to be commended for their time spent in keeping this Society progressing in our initiatives,” said re-elected president Robbin Whachell.  “This is not the time to take things lightly when it comes to our salmon. As a city grows, the environment must be at the top of our priorities.”

The Society is always seeking new membership and assistance. To get involved check our sign up page; or email hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com.

Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, (HSWS) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run environmental stewardship group, that conducts a year-round salmon enhancement program in partnership with the City of Coquitlam, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. We are actively involved in watershed restoration, public awareness, education, and preservation. Find us on Facebook.