NSEA completes seventh annual spawner survey
by Maya Groner
For the seventh year, NSEA conducted winter spawning
grounds surveys for late-run Chinook, coho, and chum salmon on ten
streams in six lower Nooksack River sub-basins, as well as Schell
Creek, a tributary to the Lummi River, and Terrell Creek, an independent
drainage of the Strait of Georgia. These surveys were conducted
between October 4, 2005 and January 25, 2006.
The table below shows the details about this year’s spawner
surveys results.
NSEA spawner surveys are carried out under the guidance of the
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife(WDFW) and contribute
to annual salmonid population estimates made by the Nooksack fisheries
co-managers: the Lummi Nation, the Nooksack Indian Tribe and WDFW.
In addition, spawner surveys provide data for the assessment of
restoration success in areas where riparian rehabilitation projects
are planned or located.
Spawner surveys are conducted along selected reaches of streams
that have flow and gravel suitable for salmon to spawn. Surveyors
walk these reaches every seven to ten days and count live fish,
redds, and carcasses. Carcass length measurements were taken and
the scales of non-marked coho and Chinook (without clipped adipose
fins), were collected so that WDFW could determine fish age and
length of time spent at sea. Coho and Chinook were also checked
for coded wire tags, which reveal their age and origin.
This year we added a new component to our spawner surveys. In support
of a study by the nonprofit Washington Trout, we began to document
and map incidences of pre-spawn mortality in coho salmon. In recent
years, high rates of pre-spawn mortality in coho have been observed
in urban streams in western Washington. The cause of these mortalities
has not yet been identified. We hope that our participation in this
project will help to find the cause of this problem.
A special thanks goes out to all of the volunteers who helped with
spawner surveys this year. We would not have been able to do this
without you!
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