BURST
Fall might be the season for pumpkins and Halloween , but it’s also the time for salmon spawning, a spectacular animal migration that occurs right here in B.C.
After spending years in the ocean, the fish return to the freshwater streams in which they hatched to spawn a new generation of fish.
The salmon swim thousands of kilometres to return to their spawning grounds, often battling strong current, barriers like dams and log jams, and natural predators like bears and eagles.
When they reach their birthplace, the fish lay eggs and fertilize them, producing juvenile salmon that’ll eventually return to the ocean to grow, starting the cycle anew.
Salmon spawning period varies in B.C. depending on location and species, but peak times are generally in October and November for most species like sockeye, chum, coho and, in odd-numbered years, pink.
Time your salmon-spotting excursion for a few days after rain, which pushes water levels higher and help fish access their spawning grounds.
Remember to stay on the banks and keep pets on leashes and away from the water. Approach quietly and avoid throwing rocks or sticks into the water.
Here is a list of some places in Metro Vancouver to view salmon spawning:
Capilano River Hatchery (North Vancouver)
One of the most well-known spots to view returning salmon. The Fisheries Department-run hatchery was built in 1971 to strengthen declining salmon stocks harmed by the construction of the Cleveland dam. Today it gets about 250,000 visitors a year. Learn more about the life cycle of salmon at the hatchery and hike the nearby trails to spot the fish in the wild. Fall is a great time to spot chinook and coho adults.
Where: 4500 Capilano Park Rd., North Vancouver
Seymour River Hatchery (North Vancouver)
Also in North Vancouver, the Seymour Salmonid Society works to rehabilitate salmon stocks affected by the construction of the Seymour Falls dam. It raises coho, steelhead, pinks and chums at the hatchery and builds new spawning channels and habitat in the river below the dam. The non-profit also hosts field trips and family fishing events.
Where: Seymour Falls Dam Road and Mountain Highway, North Vancouver
Hoy Creek Hatchery (Coquitlam)
Chum return to Hoy Creek in mid-October and coho in November. A 10-minute walk from Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station, the Hoy Creek hatchery is a great spot to catch fish, while Hoy trail offers great views of the creek. The hatchery is run by the Hoy-Scott Creek Watershed Society in partnership with the city and help from the Fisheries Department. It is only open when work is underway.
Coquitlam holds a Salmon Come Home event to celebrate the annual salmon return. This year’s event will be held Sunday, Oct. 26, at the hatchery.
Where: Inside Hoy Creek Linear Park, west of the City Centre Aquatic Complex and north of Guildford Way, Coquitlam
The city of Coquitlam has a map showing other good spots to view salmon , including nearby Scott Creek, Galette Park, Hockaday Park, and the Oxbow side channel.
Hyde Creek Hatchery (Port Coquitlam)
Run by volunteers with the Hyde Creek Watershed Society, the hatchery holds tours and public education events. Park at Hyde Creek Recreation Centre and take the trail behind the facility towards the hatchery. There’s lookout points on the trail and a foot bridge that offer good vantage points of returning fish. Last year, most of the salmon spotted in the creek was coho, which are easier to spot thanks to their vibrant red colour.
Where: 3636 Coast Meridian Rd., Port Coquitlam
Noons Creek Hatchery (Port Moody)
There’s plenty of family-friendly walking trails along Noons Creek where you can spot returning coho salmon. The hatchery, run by the volunteer-powered Port Moody Ecological Society, had added gravel to the creeks earlier this summer in anticipation of returning salmon this fall. The hatchery has easy access, located next to the Port Moody Recreation Centre in Inlet Park.
Where: 340 Ioco Rd., Port Moody
Mossom Creek Hatchery (Port Moody)
The Mossom Creek Hatchery started in 1976 as a high school club at a Coquitlam high school. Today, the Burrard Inlet Marine Enhancement Society runs the hatchery and provides educational programs, stewardship activity, and salmon enhancement in the Port Moody arm of Burrard Inlet.
Where: 2 Mossom Creek Dr., Port Moody
Nelson Creek Hatchery (West Vancouver)
After decades of decline, salmon is once again returning to Nelson Creek, thanks to the work of the West Vancouver Streamkeepers Society, which works to improve wild Pacific salmon stocks in the area. It also manages a fish hatchery, which takes eggs from other hatcheries and eventually releases them into the municipality’s salmon-bearing creeks. The hatchery produces about 130,000 coho and chum fry annually. Salmon has been spotted in Lawson Creek, Hadden Creek and Brothers Creek.
Where: West Vancouver
Stoney Creek (Burnaby)
If you’re in the Burnaby Mountain area head for Stoney Creek, which goes from near SFU’s Burnaby campus south to the Brunette River. It’s home to six species of salmon, with chum first to arrive, usually in mid-October, followed by coho. The Stoney Creek Environment Committee monitors the return of salmon to the creek each year and has a handy map that lists spots to view spawning salmon.
Where: Stoney Creek between Lougheed Highway and Broadway, Burnaby
Little Campbell River Hatchery (Surrey)
The hatchery sits on the banks of the Little Campbell River on a 30-acre site in south Surrey, with rearing ponds for coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. About 3,500 spawning salmon are counted at a steel fish fence across the river that funnels the fish into trap where volunteers of the Semiahmoo Fish and Game Club count and identify the species before releasing them to spawn up the river. The hatchery is open to the public.
Where: 1284 184 St., Surrey
Tynehead Hatchery (Surrey)
Near the headwaters of the Serpentine River in north Surrey, Tynehead Regional Park is one of the best spots to watch salmon. Metro Vancouver, which oversees the park, holds events in November where people can watch salmon returning and jumping upstream to lay eggs. Don’t miss the hatchery, which is run by the Serpentine Enhancement Society and is open to the public. Just outside the facility, the Salmon Habitat Loop Trail is an easy hike on a gravel trail with some boardwalk section that offer great opportunities to view salmon spawning.
Where: 16585 96 Ave., Surrey
Aside from the hatcheries, the City of Surrey has a map identifying places to view salmon , including Robson Ravine Trail overlooking Robson Creek in north Surrey, trails around and bridges over Quibble Creek in Bear Creek Park in central Surrey, and Chantrell and Elgin creeks further south.
Weaver Creek Spawning Channel (Harrison)
The three-kilometre man-made channel was built in 1965 as an extension to Weaver Creek to provide more spawning habitat for salmon. In recent years, about 1,000 to 100,000 adult salmon return to the system. The site is picturesque and popular, with mature trees that line the channels and information posters near the entrance that detail the spawning process. (Note: As of Oct. 9, the Weaver Creek spawning channel is closed due to low water levels).
Where: 17780 Morris Valley Rd., Harrison Mills
Bell Irving Hatchery (Maple Ridge)
To see plenty of chum and coho, head to the Bell Irving Hatchery in Maple Ridge. Run by the Kanaka Education and Environmental Partnership Society, the hatchery celebrates the annual return with a Return of the Salmon event at the fish fence at Kanaka Creek Regional Park.
Where: 11484 256 St., Maple Ridge
Chilliwack River Hatchery (Chilliwack)
Further east, the Chilliwack River Hatchery is another success story in helping restore salmon populations in the local watershed. The hatchery has education programs and a loop trail that takes about 30 minutes to complete that offers plenty of viewing locations to watch the salmon runs.
Where: 55205 Chilliwack Lake Rd., Chilliwack
The city of Chilliwack has a list of places where spawning salmon can be viewed from trails or viewing platforms. Locations include spots overlooking Peach Creek, Browne Creek and Centennial Channel and areas near the Chilliwack River and Vedder River, which are also popular fishing places in the summer.
If you have a favourite public salmon-viewing spot you’d like to share, email chchan@postmedia.com.