Rodney Lee, (right) speaks to three of the four volunteers (left to right: Anne Woosman, Jerome Cho, and Hannah Blanchard about that day’s spawner survey tasks.

Former hatchery manager and Hoy/Scott Watershed Society director, Rodney Lee led a spawner survey in 2020.

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 for the number of returning fish. Data is submitted to the Streamkeeper’s database as well as to the DFO.

Four of our volunteers participated and went out each Saturday between Sept. 26 and Nov. 7. Participants had to 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.

Thanks to those who participated!