'They can get up to 100 lbs.': Massive salmon caught in B.C. all part of conservation program
It appears one B.C. hatchery program is off to a promising start, by the size of the Chinook salmon they’ve been pulling in from the Wannock River near Bella Bella.
“They can get up to 100 pounds, even potentially larger,” Owen Bird, executive director of the Sport Fishing Institute of B.C. told CTV News Vancouver in a phone interview.
He says salmon this large only come from one of two rivers in B.C., the Wannock River and the Kitsumkalum River in Terrace. Both rivers are supported by hatchery programs to help build strong salmon stocks.
The Percy Walkus Hatchery has been catching some of these big Chinook as part of its “egg take” program, where volunteers capture salmon that are preparing to spawn in the Wannock River.
“They collect a number of returning Chinook this time of year by using nets, then harvest the eggs and sperm and use that for stock enhancement,” says Bird.
He says they then get put into a hatchery system that has been built by the river’s edge.
“They see those Fry through until they can be released into the ocean,” added Bird. “It’s just helping nature along.”
Bird credits the success of the salmon to the work done by the Percy Walkus Hatchery, which has been running since 2016.
“Aiding these big Chinook is a really great project,” Bird says. “It’s an important part of the fate of the salmon along the coast.”
Sid Keay, the owner of Duncanby Lodge, has partnered with the Percy Walkus Hatchery to help fund its hatchery programs.
Keay says there used to be dozens of rivers that were home to these “monstrous” fish in the region, but now it’s dwindled down to just two.
“Ninety per cent of all the fish over 40 pounds come from the Wannock River and the Kitsumkalum River,” he added. “Once the genes are gone, they’re gone. That’s why our hatchery program is so vital.”
But he says, one of the greatest challenges for these large salmon is that they come from smaller river systems like the Wannock River, as opposed to the Fraser River.
“In June, the babies will get released,” Keay says. “We can only hope that a good number will make it back to spawn and a good number will be caught recreationally.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.