Coho Off to Sea After Successful Salmon Leave Home Event

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.

View more photos on our Facebook page.

City Nature Challenge: Aquatic Life in Hoy Creek

Challenge (CNC), a friendly global competition that encourages people to find and document wildlife in their cities.   

The Tri-Cities will compete with communities around the world to gather the most observations about nature, find the most species and engage the most people from Apr. 29 to May 2 through iNaturalist, a project of National Geographic and the California Academy of Sciences. 

You can always take part in this on your own. Just download the app and head out into nature to explore and document plants, animals and other organisms.

For updates on the Tri-Cities' results during the challenge, visit the Tri-Cities iNaturalist project page.

Read the City of Coquitlam information bulletin.

Using iNaturalist

An initiative of National Geographic and the California Academy of Sciences, iNaturalist is a network of citizens, naturalists and biologists who map and share observations about biodiversity around the globe.

Open to everyone, members can browse nearby posts, upload their own images and audio recordings, and receive feedback and information from the iNaturalist community.

To have your observations counted for the Tri-Cities in this year’s City Nature Challenge:

Go to inaturalist.org or download the free iNaturalist app from the App Store or Google Play and create an account.

Under Projects, search for and join “City Nature Challenge 2022: Tri-Cities, British Columbia”.

From April 29 to May 2, click Observe on the app or Add Observations on the website to add observations of any wild living or dead organism you see in the Tri-Cities – including plants, animal, birds, fungi, etc. – or evidence of them, such as shells, feathers or scat.

Observations may include descriptions, uploaded photos, or photo or audio recordings through the app. Photos should be clear and full-frame.

Visit the CNC FAQ page at citynaturechallenge.org for detailed instructions and tips for making eligible observations.


Spill Report from March 7, 2022

Thanks to Mike for the photo

Thank you to an area resident for sending us photos of a spill in Hoy Creek on Monday, March 7 at 4:25 p.m.

Should you see a spill in any city waterway please contact the City of Coquitlam as soon as possible at their 24-hour emergency number: 604-927-3500. It also helps to email photos to epw@coquitlam.ca

Note, that we keep this info in the hatchery display window as well as at our hoyscottcreeks.org/contact page.

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society was able to go in and check our real-time water monitoring through the City of Coquitlam and Flowlink Environmental.

Water turbidity peaked at 4:23 p.m., the time the above photos were taken.

Realtime Water Monitoring Set-up at Hoy Creek

Thanks to the City of Coquitlam, on February 10, Flowlink Environmental set up a water monitoring system on Hoy Creek near the hatchery.

Flowlink had already been working with Hoy/Scott Watershed Society since the beginning of 2021 providing manual weekly testing, but this new setup provides real-time monitoring and an alert system.

"We're really excited about this new arrangement and hope it will lead to swift results in identifying pollutants and hopefully polluters, resulting in a safer environment for our salmon at the hatchery as well as in the stream," said society president, Robbin Whachell.

Over the years, the hatchery has had several fish kills in the stream as well as a major fish kill in the hatchery.


Related:

Steve of Flowlink on his first bi-weekly visit by the company to ensure all equipment is operating accurately.

Spawner Survey Results for 2021

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society director, Rodney Lee led our spawner survey for 2021. Assisting him this year was Kyle Uno, Krista Englund and Anne Woosnam.

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 and statistics were taken from Oct. 13 and Dec. 29.

In some cases, females don’t lay all of their eggs.

Here are the survey details:

Total Survey Days: 13

Peak live date chum: Nov. 8 (146)

Peak live date coho: Nov. 21 (53)

Peak live date chinook: Oct. 24 (1)

Total dead recovered (across all surveys):

Chum: 195

Coho: 38 (77% were wild - unmarked)

Chinook: 2

salmon eggs, gravel, creek, leaves

Otoliths (ear bones) removed from the head of the salmon (2 small triangular shaped bones on the back of the hand). Volunteers were shown a demonstration of how this is conducted. Although not used with chum, otoliths are removed for other salmon stocks as a measure of age determination and/or hatchery thermal marking fish.

2021 Greeting Card Winner Announced

HSWS greeting card 2021.

In November we put out a call for photos or artwork for our second annual greeting card.

We’d like to thank everyone who provided images or artwork, and those that helped vote for their favourite entry via our Facebook page.

Our winner was eight-year-old, Dominik Materni who presented this drawing of coho salmon returning to Hoy Creek.

Dominik’s image received over 60 likes.

May we take this opportunity to congratulate Dominik, and wish everyone the best of the season!

Dominik Materni holds up his prize and stands with this family at Hoy Creek on Dec. 18.

Founding Member, Linda Gorsline Acknowledged for Her Contributions

Linda Gorsline outside the hatchery office during Salmon Come Home 2011. (HSWS Photo)

In November the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society honoured Linda Gorsline. A gift and a certificate of appreciation were mailed to her to thank her for her many years of service and the work she did to help form and keep the Society together. Linda moved away from Coquitlam in May 2014 after being a volunteer at Hoy Creek for twenty years.

“Honouring Linda and her role with the Society is most fitting because she was part of the group that founded the Society,” said past-president and former hatchery manager, Rodney Lee. “She served as secretary and treasurer at various points over the time she volunteered. Linda’s sole dedication and commitment is the reason there is a Society still here today. When I joined the group, she always worked hard to ensure the Society and hatchery were operating. Whether it was the administrative aspects, coordinating with the City of Coquitlam, helping manage relations with our DFO community advisor or helping with the day-to-day tasks with rearing salmon, Linda would be there to ensure the work was completed! The last thing Linda would want is recognition but there is no one more deserving!”

Society History

Linda, who now lives in Ontario, sent us her reflections on her time in Coquitlam and on how she became involved. “I moved into the Jefferson building in September of 1993. Almost every day I walked at least part of the trail, which at that time was a simple narrow path. Sometimes alone and sometimes with a neighbour – up the trail, across Pinetree, around Lafarge Lake, and back down to Hoy Trail.”

“It was in the fall of 1994 that the City of Coquitlam and the DFO held a small gathering and had displays where the hatchery building now sits. There was a list, and they were asking people interested in helping with the creek to sign up. I was later contacted and met with a small group of like-minded people.”

“The rearing pond had been repaired and we were given salmon fry from the Port Coquitlam Hunting and Fishing Club to place in the pond. The building was not completed (or started) at that time. The food and the key to enter the pond were kept in a locked, walk-in dumpster. I started feeding with other volunteers, but only on weekends when I was not working in Burnaby.”

“During either 1994 or 1995 the City combined two volunteer groups, ours at Hoy Creek and one from the Scott Creek area to become Hoy/Scott Watershed Streamkeepers. Eunice Hodge was a member of the Scott Creek group.”

“We did not work on becoming a society until late 2000 or early 2001. Keith Kozak was the new Society’s first president and Chris Hamming, Eunice Hodge, Keith and I met several times at Keith's home to complete the forms to become a society.”

At the time our financial position was in a disorganized situation. The president before Keith Kozak had also been the treasurer. We found no paper trail to support the lack of funds. Once I had retired I took over the duties of secretary and treasurer and we changed banks, required two signatures on cheques, cancelled the debit card and reestablished good relations with the DFO - our main source of funding.”

The Hoy Creek Hatchery building was completed in 1997.

HSWS’s First President Reflects on Linda’s Contribution

Keith Kozak, who became president in February 2002 shared the following, “I first met Linda in about 1999, who at that time, was regularly contributing her energy and personal time to the group's growth, our community outreach programs, not to mention, regular visits to the hatchery for day-to-day maintenance. Her volunteer efforts and dedication were nothing less than impressive and inspiring. Linda put in countless hours to the enormous task of forming the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society. She was also a vital support system for the group. Other volunteers, such as Chris Hamming, Tim Tyler, Shawn and Andrea Tubbs, Evelyn Anderson, Eunice Hodge, and Suzanne Richards (high school teacher education coordinator) contributed significantly as well.”

“Linda Gorsline was a visionary, “ Kozak continues, “and like myself, felt the Hoy/Scott Streamkeepers group had the potential to expand its involvement with the community through education, environmental preservation, and establish effective bonds with local government. Linda Gorseline was incredibly motivated, but nonetheless, calculated and well prepared in terms of reasonable mandates, funding, and costs.”

“Before 2002, the streamkeepers group was in difficult times in terms of its financial status. and existence, and had relied on municipal funding to support portions of its operational expenditures. In November 2001, the City of Coquitlam officially requested elections for president and other executive positions, as well as restructuring. As usual, Linda worked with these challenges becoming a focus of motivation towards other volunteers so to improve and rebuild our group. Following our elections in February 2002, Linda worked tirelessly dedicating her accounting skills, to designing fiscal strategies for hatchery projects, including planting programs, sensitive riparian protection projects, and contributed dozens of hours in creating the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society’s constitution and bylaws.”

“Linda regularly attended meetings with Fisheries and municipal officials. She contributed enormously her thoughts and ideas towards a variety of projects involving the group. I relied on Linda as a significant support system with the group's new beginning following 2002. Linda was difficult to keep up with, her energy and motivation towards the greater good of the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society is truly admirable.”

Thank you, Linda!

The concrete salmon that sits adjacent to Hoy Creek at Hoy Creek Hatchery was put in place in the early 2000s.

For further history on the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society check our fonds held at the City of Coquitlam Archives.

Hoy/Scott Watershed Society featured on Hong Kong radio show

Dan Yip, a former resident of Coquitlam and the host of "Hello, Sunrise" on RTHK in Hong Kong interviewed our president, Robbin Whachell about the salmon return and Hoy Creek Hatchery, as well as the work we do at the Hoy - Scott Watershed Society.

Dan sent questions and Robbin recorded the responses for him. The segment aired on Oct. 25, 2021.

If you know Cantonese, you can listen to PART 2, starting at the 7-minute mark for the 15 min segment with him discussing with the co-host. You can hear Robbin’s voice (English) come in around the 20-minute mark, where Dan’s co-host translates what she is saying.

"I hope my program can help promote the Salmon Run, especially among the Cantonese communities in Greater Vancouver," said Dan.

We hope so too!

LISTEN HERE —- select PART 2 (bottom link) for the 7-minute or 20-min mark.

2021 Holiday Greeting Card Contest Launched

Enter today!

CONTEST HAS CLOSED

The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society is looking for a photo or drawing of the watershed and/or salmon returns, to be featured on our 2021 holiday greeting card.

If you’re a resident of the Tri-Cities and love to draw, paint, or take photographs, you can submit an entry that depicts the wonders of nature along Scott or Hoy Creek, or the Hoy Creek Linear Park. Or, perhaps you’re an artist who can provide a drawing about the work we do as a Society.

To submit your photo or artwork, please email hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com with ‘Holiday Greeting Card Submission’ in your subject line. Provide your full name, city of residence, and contact phone number.

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30.

Entries will be posted to the Society's Facebook page by Saturday, Dec. 4 by 12 noon whereupon the public can weigh in on favourites and the most 'Likes' will become our winner.

The winner will receive a Hoy/Scott Watershed Society hat (ball cap or a winter beanie) and your name will be credited on the card.

Contest rules:

  • Must be a resident of the Tri-Cities.

  • Open to all ages and abilities.

  • One entry (one image OR art piece) per person.

  • Must be your own image or artwork.

  • Must depict nature scenes from Hoy or Scott Creeks, or watersheds of same, or the work of the Society.

  • The photographer or artist's name will be used in promotion and credit provided on the greeting card.

  • By providing your image or artwork, the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society has full rights of use in print and digitally (web and social media).

Questions? Email us at hoyscottwatershed@gmail.com

Coquitlam watershed society to be featured in "Beyond Fishing" exhibit

Shanna Cheng of the Coquitlam Heritage Society holds a stuffed coho salmon by Hoy Creek which will be seen in the upcoming exhibit at Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex. (Photo: HSWS)

The Coquitlam Heritage Society has reached out to Hoy/Scott Watershed Society to collaborate on their upcoming “Beyond Fishing Exhibit” to be held from Nov. 15, 2021 to April 24, 2022 at Coquitlam Sports Hall of Fame at Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex in Coquitlam.

Shanna Cheng visited the Hoy Creek Hatchery to review materials with the Society that would work in the display.

“We’re pleased that the Heritage Society reached out,” said Society president, Robbin Whachell. “This is another great way to bring awareness to the work of the Society and a reminder that our urban streams are teaming with life, and require protection.”

The Coquitlam Heritage Society operates Mackin House Museum in lovely Maillardville, Coquitlam that aims to recreate a home in the Edwardian era. They offer a range of services to the general public, including events, workshops, tourism information, and exhibits across the community.

Click this image to learn more.