11,953 Coho Clipped at Hoy Creek Hatchery

HSWS Photo

On June 19, a dedicated team of volunteers and partners came together at Hoy Creek Hatchery to carry out an important milestone in our salmon enhancement efforts — fin clipping. Beginning at 4:00 p.m., our crew worked carefully and efficiently to clip the adipose fins of 11,953 young coho salmon, now approximately three months old.

The adipose fin, a soft, fleshy fin located behind the dorsal fin and ahead of the tail (caudal fin), is clipped for several key reasons:

  • Stock assessment: Once these salmon return to spawn, the missing fin identifies them as hatchery-raised, aiding researchers and streamkeepers in tracking returns.

  • Selective fisheries: In some regions, marked fish may be legally retained, supporting more sustainable fishing practices.

  • Population tracking: Clipping allows for a manual fish count, providing a more accurate tally than previous weight-based estimates.

This year’s activity was led by DFO community advisor Eric Kukulowicz, with hatchery manager Tyler Storgaard overseeing on site. Additional DFO support came from Grace (biologist) and Cathy (former CA).

We’re incredibly grateful to our Hoy/Scott Watershed Society volunteers who contributed: Anne, Jiameng, Amy, Thomas, Suzz, Carter, Jenn, Tyler, Rodney, Jeremy, Dylan, Katelyn, Adela, and Breanna. A special thanks to Anne, who took time to explain the process to curious passersby in the park, helping educate our community about the importance of this annual task.

The process involves gently anesthetizing the fish in small batches. Once sleepy, they’re transferred to a water-filled trough where volunteers use sterilized surgical scissors to clip the fin quickly — usually within a minute before the fish begin to wake. From there, the salmon are returned to recover in a flow-through trough and then back into the hatchery.

Soon, these coho will be moved from the Capilano trough room to the hatchery’s rearing pond, where they’ll continue to grow until they are released in spring of 2026. If all goes well, we could see this brood return to Hoy Creek in 2.5 to 3 years’ time.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this year's fin clipping a success. Your efforts support long-term salmon conservation and community-based stewardship.

Society Attends SEP Community Workshop in Kamloops

Left to right: Anne Woosnam, Matthew Watts and Tyler Storgaard.

A big thank you to the organizers of the 2025 SEP Community Workshop for an inspiring and informative weekend in Kamloops from June 13–15!

Representing the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society were Tyler Storgaard, Anne Woosnam, and Matthew Watts, who joined stewardship leaders from across the Pacific Region to share knowledge, strengthen connections, and celebrate our collective efforts to protect salmon and build climate resilience.

We are deeply grateful to the Simpcw First Nation, Pacific Streamkeepers Federation, and The Adams River Salmon Society for leading this meaningful event on the unceded territory of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc.

Thompson River University

Restoring Hoy Creek’s Riparian Zone: A Community Effort

We’re excited to share that restoration of the riparian area around Hoy Creek—disturbed last summer during the removal of old concrete structures—is now complete!

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our amazing volunteers, the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) team, and supportive friends and family, the area has now been replanted and is ready to thrive.

It wasn’t easy work—digging, hauling, planting—but the spirit of teamwork made the effort lighter and the days brighter. As always, we are grateful for our incredible community and those who stepped up to help.

💚 Special thanks to Tyler, Thomas, Anne, Amy, Jiameng, Eric, Glenda, Dillon, Kathy, Madeleine, and Sam for giving your time and energy to make this restoration possible.

We also extend a BIG thanks to the Pacific Salmon Foundation for their ongoing support of salmon and habitat recovery in our region!

🌱 If you’re walking the Hoy Creek Trail, you may notice green fencing in the restoration area. Please respect the barrier and help us protect this young growth by reminding others to do the same. With a little time and care, this area will return to a lush, vibrant habitat that supports both wildlife and the health of our watershed.

Local Schools Release Salmon Fry and Visit Hoy Creek Hatchery

Panorama Heights Elementary | Salmon in the Classroom release at Hoy Creek, Coquitlam

We were thrilled to welcome students from three local elementary schools to Hoy Creek this March, wrapping up another successful season of Salmon in the Classroom!

A big thank you goes out to Smiling Creek, Blakeburn, and Panorama Heights Elementary Schools for participating in this important salmon education program. Each school received approximately 50 Chum salmon eggs from Hoy Creek in the winter, carefully raising them in classroom aquariums while learning about the salmon life cycle and the importance of healthy waterways.

In early March, the students proudly released their young Chum fry into Hoy Creek, knowing they were giving them a strong start on their journey to the Pacific Ocean.

Teachers net chum fry into cups for students to release into Hoy Creek.

After the release, classes toured our Hoy Creek Hatchery, where they got to see firsthand the work being done to support salmon populations in our watershed. Students were excited to observe the 20,000 Chum fry and 3,500 Coho currently being raised at the hatchery.

Tours were led by our dedicated volunteers Anne Woosnam, Maya Uno, and Robbin Whachell, who shared their knowledge and passion for salmon stewardship with each group. It’s always inspiring to see young minds light up as they connect with nature and understand the vital role they can play in protecting it.

We’re proud to support Salmon in the Classroom and thank our local schools, teachers, and students for being part of the solution for salmon and our environment!

Minds light up when they connect with nature!

Each release ended with a tour at the hatchery. Maya Uno (back middle), HSWS volunteer discusses challenges faced with pollution events in our streams.

Break-in at Hoy Creek Hatchery

Notice to Area Residents: Break-in at Hoy Creek Hatchery

We regret to inform the community that a break-in occurred at Hoy Creek Hatchery, discovered the morning of January 13th by one of our dedicated feeders. The incident has left us puzzled, as the items removed were primarily related to fisheries education or hatchery operations.

We kindly ask for your assistance in keeping an eye out for anything unusual. If you noticed anything suspicious or if you notice any discarded items or suspicious activity along the trails or around city center, please report it to the Coquitlam RCMP.

How to Help:

  • Report any findings to the Coquitlam RCMP non-emergency/information line at 604-945-1550.

  • Reference File No.: Coquitlam 25-977 when making your report.

Your vigilance is vital in helping us recover these materials and ensuring the safety and integrity of our hatchery operations. Thank you for your continued support.

— The Hoy/Scott Watershed Society

A Special Delivery!

In late May, we had an unexpected visitor at the Hoy Creek Hatchery—a Pacific lamprey (Lampetra tridentata)—and not in the usual way! It dropped straight out of the sky onto our lower pond wall. Turns out, a local crow had let it slip mid-flight, likely intending it as a future snack. We quickly stepped in to scoop up the lamprey, rescuing it before the crow could reclaim its lunch.

Curious and excited, we saw an opportunity to observe this mysterious creature up close. We set it up in an aquarium, complete with creek sand, pebbles, and a bubbler to ease it into a comfortable setting—a little more “home” than a bare glass box. With a bit of sympathy, we gave this peculiar, squirmy guest a name: Larry.

Imagine our surprise the next day when Larry began a curious shimmy and shake, revealing tiny white eggs! Our Larry was actually Larissa! With this discovery, Larissa earned her place in our records and, ultimately, in our specimen collection. Being an anadromous species like salmon, Lampetra tridentata die after spawning, so this incredible creature is now preserved with us.

Larissa, a distant relative of the shark, continues to amaze us even in her preserved form—a rare, close-up look at one of nature’s fascinating wonders.

NOTE: Should you attend one of our open houses, be sure to ask to see Larissa

“Click video and watch on full screen for best view of eggs coming from Larissa!”

Atmospheric River Helps Salmon Come Home

Youth volunteers introduce our Coho fry to the public in front of the rearing pond at Salmon Come Home on Oct. 27 (HSWS Photo)

The positive impact of recent rainfalls provided the necessary flows for salmon to reach their spawning grounds throughout the watershed. The Salmon Come Home event on October 27 was a wonderful celebration of this remarkable species, bringing together our team, community, and sponsors to honour their incredible journey.

As we rejoice in their return, it’s crucial to recognize the challenges they face. Human and pet traffic through creek beds can disturb sensitive spawning areas, and pollution events pose significant threats to their survival. Additionally, erosion from heavy storms can release fine sediments that suffocate eggs (redds).

Let’s continue to protect these vital habitats and ensure that our salmon have a safe journey home. Thank you for your support!

Maple Creek Streamkeepers and the salmon dissection table kept so many residents engaged and educated. (HSWS Photo)

What an amazing day at the festival! So many Coquitlam residents joined Hoy/Scott Watershed Society and the City of Coquitlam to celebrate the incredible journey of the salmon. A huge shoutout to our volunteers, and our sponsors, Qualex-Landmark and FortisBC, continued support from Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program; and all the community groups who shared their knowledge and passion for nature.

We were truly blessed to witness so many salmon in the stream—an inspiring reminder of the resilience of nature. Together, we can continue to protect and appreciate these beautiful creatures.

Check out our photos and relive the magic! ps. We are grateful by the media visit from CityNews TV.

Etienne Siew, a former hatchery volunteer serenaded us throughout the festival. (HSWS Photo)

Hoy Creek Hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard holds a live Chum salmon to show the public during the DFO Salmon Talks.

Salmon Talk Comes to Seniors at Parkwood Manor

Robbin and Anne are both board members and volunteers of Hoy/Scott Watershed Society.

On November 1, Hoy/Scott Watershed Society (HSWS) volunteers, Robbin Whachell and Anne Woosnam, brought the wonders of the local ecosystem to Parkwood Manor in Coquitlam. Engaging residents who live adjacent to Hoy Creek, the duo led a lively and informative discussion about the life cycle of salmon, the significance of their presence in the watershed, and how they contribute to the health of the local environment.

Residents of Parkwood Manor, many of whom regularly stroll along Hoy Trail and cherish the tranquil scenes of the stream, enthusiastically participated, asking insightful questions and sharing their observations. The talk not only deepened their understanding of the natural world surrounding them but also highlighted the close connection between the community and the watershed.

HSWS extends its sincere thanks to the management of Parkwood Manor for facilitating this enriching 1-hour session. We are thrilled to have already received an invitation to return next year and look forward to fostering this connection once again.

Through stewardship, community outreach, education, and advocacy, we are dedicated to protecting the Hoy/Scott Watershed, and it is opportunities like these that help strengthen our mission.

Anne answers questions after the talk.




Resident Gifts Salmon Return Painting

Local resident painter, Ollee stands next to the Hoy Creek Hatchery with the painted he gifted. (HSWS Photo)

On October 24th, a Coquitlam resident stopped by with a special gift. Artist, Ollee, presented hatchery manager, Tyler Storgaard with his painting called, “Come Home” featuring beautiful Coho salmon jumping up stream.

The Society wishes to thank Ollee for this thoughtful and generous gift!

“Go Home” is a special gift!

Society Conducting Annual Spawner Salmon Survey

An example of what you could see in the section where the salmon survey is taking place. Dead fish are cut so as to not count them the next time we pass the same area. (HSWS photo)

Should you see salmon in Hoy Creek or Scott Creek that have been cut in half, or have the tail or head cut off, that means those salmon have been marked for our annual Salmon Spawner Survey.

We count live and dead fish weekly in a designated stretch of the stream. The dead salmon are cut so as to not double-count the dead fish the next week. This helps get an absolute count of salmon that have spawned in a particular area of a stream.

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 Fisheries & Oceans Canada.

Each week, results are recorded.

Questions? Email us at hoyscottcreeks@gmail.com