NELSON CREEK HATCHERY - EGGS HAVE ARRIVED! |
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Salmon-rearing season began on November 2. WVSS volunteers traveled to the ALLCO Fish Hatchery on the South Alouette River in Maple Ridge, accompanied by Malcolm Wigham, our DFO Community Advisor. Spawning female and male chum salmon were assessed and "dispatched" quickly before their eggs and milt were collected for transport to West Vancouver's Nelson Fish Hatchery. Upon reaching the hatchery, harvested eggs and milt were combined and fertilization of over 80,000 eggs began. Fourteen Heath trays now reside in the hatchery's incubation stacks where they will be left undisturbed until the "eyed stage" is reached in December. Interested in volunteering at the hatchery? Contact Jan Moger - jamoger@gmail.com.
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OVER 90 SECONDARY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE |
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Students from Inglewood, Sentinel, and West Vancouver Secondary Schools were divided into 16 survey teams and tasked with monitoring Brothers Creek and Hadden Creek over a 7-week period. Totals of returning coho, chum, and Chinook salmon are collated and shared with stakeholders, including the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Results will also be presented at a West Van Secondary wrap-up event on December 8 and again in January to Mayor and Council. |
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In addition to the student stream surveys, every Fall over 30 volunteer Streamkeepers begin walking the banks and creeks of our West Vancouver streams. Over 500 salmon have been observed across Brothers, Hadden, Lawson, and McDonald Creeks from October 14 to November 26.
Want to participate in next year's stream surveys? Contact Anthea Cameron at anthea@eagleharbour.com.
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Adult salmon spotted by students along Brothers Creek in November. |
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AMBLESIDE COHO FESTIVAL - SEPT 11 |
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Smoky skies didn't slow us down! |
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The WVSS tent provided information and updates about the Nelson Creek Hatchery, Student Salmon Surveys, Storm Drain marking, and McDonald Park Rearing Pond maintenance. The ecology themed BINGO game was a bit hit for the many children and parents who stopped by. A special thanks goes out to all the volunteers that braved the wildfire smoke hanging over Ambleside Park and answering questions from the public. |
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West Vancouver Streamkeepers will be one of the many community stewardship groups participating in the Road Salt and Salmon Project, a 5-year project involving multiple partners including post-secondary institutions UBC, SFU, and BCIT, and the DFO's Community Stream Monitoring Project, to assess the impact of road salts on salmon and trout in over 30 streams across BC. This project will include the installation of in-stream conductivity loggers and laboratory research to assess the physiological impact of road salts on salmon and trout. In West Vancouver, conductivity loggers installed on Cypress, Rodgers and Brothers Creek will be monitored by volunteers.
Contact Nikki Kroetsche, PSEC Community Engagement Coordinator for more information - Nikki.Kroetsch@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. | | |
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Please take a minute to renew your membership for 2023. Doing so will help us maintain our position as one of the largest all-volunteer salmon stewardship groups in B.C. We now offer renew options of 1, 2, or 5 years! Click on the button below to be taken directly to the online form. A printer friendly form is also available for mail-in. Membership questions? Contact Annie Faw - anniewvss@gmail.com |
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Left to Right: Natasha measuring fertilized salmon eggs; Mike wearing the latest Streamkeeper garbage bag fashion; Sue sealing her first bag of milt. (Capilano Fish Hatchery, November 7.) |
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Are you a WVSS Member and interested in volunteering for a 2023 project? Click the button below to learn more. |
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Newsletter questions/comments? Contact Taren Urquhart at tarenu@shaw.ca. |
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