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!

Excellent chum return for Salmon Come Home 2016

Left to right: Maurice Coulter-Boisvert, DFO; Caresse Selk, City of Coquitlam; Ed Hall, Kwikwetlem First Nation; Beverley Mrockowski, Kwikwetlem First Nation; and Rodney Lee, Hoy-Scott Watershed Society (Photo: Robbin Whachell /HSWS)

Hoy Creek was teaming with chum salmon during the annual signature event for both Hoy-Scott Watershed Society and the City of Coquitlam, as residents of the tri-cities came out to enjoy a day in nature and learn from many local environmental groups at the Salmon Come Home festival. The rain held off and children and adults were delighted to witness the jumping and spawning salmon traveling up the creek. 

Opening words were offered by special guests, Kwikwetlem First Nation Councillor Ed Hall, and Elder Beverley Mrockowski.  Also providing words of welcome was Coquitlam mayor Richard Stewart. Society volunteers held several live salmon demonstrations where Department of Fisheries community advisor for Lower Fraser Salmon Enhancement Program, Maurice Coulter-Boisvert, offered commentary and answered questions. Salmon educator and founding HSWS member, Chris Hamming kept children active and busy by the rearing pond learning about the salmon and its life cycle.

AJ, a volunteer with Hoy-Scott Watershed Society shows the underside of a chum salmon while Maurice from the DFO commentates. (Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS)

Angela Brown and her nylon circus was enjoyed by little ones as they dressed up their parents and paraded through the festival grounds. The Creative Café and guest artists, Elaina Buenaventura, Etienne Siew, and Alana Crockett provided continuous musical entertainment and Spirit Bear Coffee was served.

Hosted by the Hoy-Scott Watershed Society, and the City of Coquitlam who had their Bad Seed/Urban Forestry; Park Spark; Solid Waste and Recycling; and Water Conservation Departments out, other exhibitors included: Articipation; BC Salmon Marketing Council; Burke Mountain Naturalists; Coexisting with Coyotes; Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable; Coquitlam Riverwatch; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC; Kintec; Maple Creek Streamkeepers; and Port Moody Ecological Society.

Residents gather along Hoy Creek to view the return and spawning of chum salmon at Salmon Leave Home on October 23rd.  (Photo: Robbin Whachell / HSWS)

VIEW MORE Photos on our Facebook album HERE.

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Enjoy a video overview BELOW of the day's activates courtesy of the Tri-Cities Community TV.

Kwikwetlem councillor Ed Hall speaks at Salmon Come Home 2016

Kwikwetlem First Nation Councillor Ed Hall returned for our event Salmon Come Home held in conjunction with the City of Coquitlam, after visiting us earlier in 2016 for a blessing of the salmon at Salmon Leave Home last May. 

This year's Salmon Come Home was held on October 23rd to a great return of chum salmon visibly swimming through, spawning, and dying in Hoy Creek. Read more about the event HERE.

Councillor Hall was accompanied by First Nation Elder, Beverley Mrockowski.

It is always an honour to include Kwikwetlem First Nation at our events.  The name Kwikwetlem means "red fish up the river." Words were offered standing on the bridge adjacent to the Hoy Creek Hatchery overlooking the spawning salmon.

Listen as Councillor Hall welcomes the salmon (and guests) to the ancestral unceded lands of the Kwikwetlem people.