Community Articles
General News · 18th April 2023
FOCI Streamkeepers Christine
Firstly, the streamkeeper fundraiser – some earth-kindly folks have organized a musical event and fundraiser for the evening of Earth Day. Cortes (FOCI) Streamkeepers will be grateful to receive any funds generated by the evening at the Gorge Hall, and will be pleased to contribute the money to a ‘green’ project of benefit to critters or places on Cortes.
FOCI Streamkeepers would also like to thank Sherman for his generosity in gifting funds from the sale of his Cortes Island whale decals which will be directed to a wet or fishy project.
A fishy week - Klahoose Fisheries and FOCI Streamkeepers continued their salmon enhancement programme this past winter, receiving 60,000 chum eggs in mid-December from the Tla’amin hatchery near Powell River. The eggs were divided equally amongst the Klahoose hatchery and 2 in-stream incubation boxes for Basil & Whaletown Creeks. The heavy snow and rains in late December washed the Basil Creek box completely out of the creek, turning it upside down. Plastic spoons were put to good use in the rescue operation, and the saved eggs were transferred to the Klahoose hatchery.
Low water from the creek that feeds the hatchery prompted an early release of the chum fry directly into Basil Creek, instead of being ‘ponded’ outside in troughs for a few weeks. We estimate that about 25,000 fry were released into Basil Creek in early April; surprisingly, the fry that tumbled around
in the raging creek waters were in better shape than their cousins who started in the hatchery.
A gathering of neighbourhood families released the fry in the Whaletown incubation unit a few days later. Whaletown Creek is a milder creek with less velocity and sedimentation than Basil Creek, and the developing alevin and fry did well. We estimate that about 18,000 of the original 20,000 were set free. A sizable cutthroat trout appeared immediately and darted through the small schools of chum fry that were gathering in the shadowy pools - a ready & easy meal.
Thirty-two excited children from the 2 younger classes at the Cortes School released their 80 coho eggs into Hansen Creek, cup by cup, while a number of adults shepherded the students. Miraculously, not one child fell into the creek.
Streamkeepers are discussing alternate ways of in-stream incubation of eggs that would be less susceptible to extreme weather events. Keen new streamkeepers are most welcome to leave their name and contact information at the FOCI office.
FOCI Streamkeepers would also like to thank Sherman for his generosity in gifting funds from the sale of his Cortes Island whale decals which will be directed to a wet or fishy project.
A fishy week - Klahoose Fisheries and FOCI Streamkeepers continued their salmon enhancement programme this past winter, receiving 60,000 chum eggs in mid-December from the Tla’amin hatchery near Powell River. The eggs were divided equally amongst the Klahoose hatchery and 2 in-stream incubation boxes for Basil & Whaletown Creeks. The heavy snow and rains in late December washed the Basil Creek box completely out of the creek, turning it upside down. Plastic spoons were put to good use in the rescue operation, and the saved eggs were transferred to the Klahoose hatchery.
Low water from the creek that feeds the hatchery prompted an early release of the chum fry directly into Basil Creek, instead of being ‘ponded’ outside in troughs for a few weeks. We estimate that about 25,000 fry were released into Basil Creek in early April; surprisingly, the fry that tumbled around
in the raging creek waters were in better shape than their cousins who started in the hatchery.
A gathering of neighbourhood families released the fry in the Whaletown incubation unit a few days later. Whaletown Creek is a milder creek with less velocity and sedimentation than Basil Creek, and the developing alevin and fry did well. We estimate that about 18,000 of the original 20,000 were set free. A sizable cutthroat trout appeared immediately and darted through the small schools of chum fry that were gathering in the shadowy pools - a ready & easy meal.
Thirty-two excited children from the 2 younger classes at the Cortes School released their 80 coho eggs into Hansen Creek, cup by cup, while a number of adults shepherded the students. Miraculously, not one child fell into the creek.
Streamkeepers are discussing alternate ways of in-stream incubation of eggs that would be less susceptible to extreme weather events. Keen new streamkeepers are most welcome to leave their name and contact information at the FOCI office.
