Skip to content

Spring salmon sightings on the Columbia River

U.S. efforts to return salmon to Upper Columbia River gaining traction, some caught in BC waters
29227101_web1_220526-TDT-Salmon-s_1
A recent catch and release on the Columbia River near Trail, B.C. was thought to be a salmon. Photo: contributed

The section of the Columbia River north of the U.S. border has not seen native migratory salmon in its waters since the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam in the 1930s.

However, recent reports on social media and to the Trail Times indicate salmon may indeed be back.

“Chinook Salmon are being encountered in recreational fisheries in the Columbia River between the US-Canada border and the Hugh Keenleyside Dam,” confirmed a spokesperson from the Ministry of Forest, Lands, Rural Development and Natural Resources (the ministry).

“There is also a possibility some may have entered the Arrow Lakes via the navigation lock at Hugh Keenleyside Dam.”

The provincial and federal governments joined the Syilx Okanagan, Ktunaxa, and Secwepemc Indigenous Nations in July 2019 in creating the “Bringing the Salmon Home: the Columbia River Salmon Reintroduction Initiative.”

The initiative has completed initial studies on habitat, rearing, implementation, and established several committees and sub-committees to discuss further action. (see Annual Report 2021-2022: Bringing the Salmon Home)

Salmon was a vital lifeline for Indigenous peoples and migrated up the Columbia River to spawn in Upper and Lower Arrow and Slocan Lakes, as well as the Pend d’Oreille and Salmo Rivers and their tributaries.

In the U.S., the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has been working with the Colville and Spokane Tribes experimenting with Chinook releases since 2017. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe also joined the effort and introduced 1,450 yearling Chinook salmon to the system in 2020.

“We believe the origin of these salmon are from a limited number of experimental juvenile hatchery releases into Lake Roosevelt from a US Columbia salmon reintroduction program above Grand Coulee Dam, which is new within the last couple of years,” said the ministry.

“At current release numbers, encounters in Canada are not expected to be a common occurrence. Some salmon that are introduced as juveniles may stay in freshwater rather than migrating to the ocean – if caught, these fish are likely to be smaller (under 60 cm), at least in 2022.”

This spring, WDFW and the Indigenous groups released over 4,500 juveniles from various locations in Lake Roosevelt, the Spokane River, Hangman Creek and below Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams.

The reintroduction marked the beginning of Phase 2 of a 21-year salmon reintroduction Implementation Plan. The research team includes the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Colville tribes, and the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUTs).

Over 3,900 of the juveniles were fitted with PIT tags and over 700 with acoustic tags for the outmigration study. Tag information allows researchers to evaluate their behavior and survival as they migrate downstream and, for a lucky few, upstream 2-3 years later.

Adult Chinook between eight and 20 pounds have also been released, tracked and spawned successfully in Columbia River tributaries.

“Introduction of adults is also occurring in the U.S. Columbia salmon reintroduction program,” explained the ministry spokesperson. “These fish may swim upstream to Canada. These will be large (over 60 cm), and likely only present in the fall. It is possible these fish will be transitioning to spawning colors and physiology.”

Conor Giorgi, the Spokane Tribe of Indians Anadromous Program Manager, said in the Roosevelt Lake Forum that Phase 1 entailed a lot of “tabletop exercises.”

“Phase 2 is research studies to evaluate salmon survival as they migrate out of the Spokane River and Upper Columbia, then as adults coming back,” said Giorgi. “This sets us up for Phase 3, which will determine how a permanent reintroduction program can proceed.”

Phase 2 will see the creation of more rearing facilities that will raise and release between 50,000 and 200,000 juvenile summer/fall Chinook and sockeye.

The use of acoustic and PIT tags will track and evaluate salmon behavior, survival, and sources of mortality as they migrate downstream as juveniles and then return upstream as adults.

The plan is to employ trap-and-haul methods to move returning adults past one or more dams (Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph) that act as barriers on the Columbia River.

In addition, genetic sampling will track generations of released salmon families and the streams they return to.

The studies undertaken by the U.S. are encouraging, and the ministry says that biologists in Canada will be working closely with U.S. to better understand how many fish might enter Canadian waters.

The ministry also cautions that posting and sharing catches on social media may give a misleading impression that there are more being caught than there actually are.

“Chinook salmon are most likely to be confused with rainbow trout and kokanee. They can be distinguished by the presence of black gums and mouth.”

The ministry also reminds anglers that it is illegal to retain Chinook salmon in waters of Region 4, which includes the Columbia River and Arrow Lakes.

Information on identification of catch can be found at Identify your catch - BC sport fishingguide | Pacific Region | Fisheries and Oceans Canada (dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

Read: Conservation groups work to protect salmon in Columbia River



sports@trailtimes.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Jim Bailey

About the Author: Jim Bailey

Read more