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[BigFisher]

I have a question on why they hatch the chum, coho and chinook at the Vedder hatchery , but not sockeye? Isnt the Sockeye a more targetted salmon over the chum, so why dont they hatch sockeye instead of chum? Or is there reason for this which i do not know of?

[Fish Assassin]

They do not produce chums at the hatchery.

[BigFisher]

I thought they did ill see if i can find the website

[BigFisher]

http://www-heb.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/facilities/Chilliwack/fish_prod_e.htm   
There it is.

[BigFisher]

Click the link above , im pretty sure they do. Isnt that what it says?

[Fish Assassin]

http://www-heb.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/facilities/Chilliwack/fish_prod_e.htm   
There it is.

I stand corrected.

[2:40]

The springs spawn both in the hatchery and river.  That is why the hatchery will collect fish from the river to spawn with fish that come into the hatchery.  Something to spread the genes around I guess.

Good question on why they dont do sockeye.  Probably because sockeye require a lake in their life cycle and no lake is accessible at the reach the hatchery is in, so no fish naturally would spawn there.  Most sockeye spawn in creeks that flow into lakes so the fry can swim downstream to rear in the lake. There is one special case (Weaver Creek area?) where the fry swim upstream to the lake or so I was told.

Rodney and others might have more and better info.

I sure wouldnt mind if the numbers of coho released were much much more then chum and white springs.

[Sterling C]

They don't hatch chums or white springs. I am not sure about summer reds.

They do lots of reds. If you check out the hatchery in August its packed with them.

As for sockeye, one they're all C&R and the chilliwack lake stock is stable so why bother messing with it. Although from time to time I've seen odd ball sockeye mixed in with the red's at the hatchery.

[BigFisher]

Im guessing but maybe it has something to do with the cultus lake sockeye... and not wanting more anglers fishing the vedder during the time they come up.

[chris gadsden]

Some of the reason they raise chum at the hatchery is as they usually return in good numbers therefore with their decaying carcasses the flesh provides nuturients to the river and surrounding reparian zone.

Also these carcasses provide food for all forms of fish including the off spring of these spawning fish the falling spring. Plant life, fry and smolts of all fish, coarse fish, crayfish, ducks, dippers,eagles along with many other animals species to numerous to mention that in and out of the river bed use this as their source of food.


The last 2 year Gwyn as volunteered to spread the carcasses left from the egg taking program from the Chilliwack River Hatchery.

I went along once last year and we put them into several creeks of the Chilliwack River watershed.

To me this shows the importance of these dead fish as they bring and substane life for the next generation.

Another item the chum fry are easy and cheap to raise and after hatching they are released into the river and they migrate right to the ocean. They are not held in the hatchery like coho hatchery for a year being fed and cared for which adds to hard to find dollars from the FOC budget.

Re springs, they are a money fish especially in the ocean for the commercial and sports sector.

They may not be the be the best of looking fish and sought after species of salmon when they return to the river but your opinion would change I am sure if you caught a 50 to 60 pound bar of silver in the ocean.
I know mine would.

2:40 has the best explaination re the sockeye and remember in Weaver Creek sockeye spawn naturally in the channels there and are not hand spawned during the eggs take process like they do for coho, springs, chum, cutthroat and steelhead hatchery program.

I would say the Weaver sockeye are almost wild the only diiference is the adults spawn in the most favorable water condition and are not effected by floods and other perils to the newly laid eggs.

A lot of you most likely knew most of this but I thought I would add some input to the topic and others will have other good points also, I am sure.

[2:40]

CG is right on the value of lots of dead fish in the water.

Also, chums are produced with $$$ in mind.  Remember, I sometimes forget, that hatcheries are government funded and not there to make fish for us to catch.  Government supposedly has to make people happy.  Chum is a big fishery commercially in the ocean. They are bigger then coho and worth more in Safeway.  They are also cheaper to raise, as mentioned, as month or so after hatching, they go out to the ocean while coho need to stay for 18 months or there abouts.  Gets pricey feeding those guys for that long.

It's a pretty easy choice to produce big fish that are not very expensive to raise.

The reds are in the river June or even earlier.  Never tried much for them, but you can get them.  Last one I caught at Peach was booted up pretty good already. Tough catching in the low clear water.

I would assume Stave chum are wild.  Lots of strong returns for chum out there without the aid of hatcheries.

[Sterling C]

The reds in the summer show up in june (when the river is closed) and are around all through out the summer till the start of september. This past year the best fishing was early on in the season. The year before the best fishing was in mid july. So it can change but generally speaking july is the best month for catching when the river is still a little colored. Also remeber that this run is about 1/10th the size of the fall whites so don't expect to find them stacked 100 deep.

[clarki]

2:40 Gordie  You are correct about the Weaver Creek sockeye fry being unique in their migration but actually they first head downstream to the confluence of Morris Lake with Harrison River, THEN they turn left and head upstream to Harrison Lake. Wondrous can only describe it. Only run of sockeye I am aware of (unless others can enlighten) whose fry engage in such an atypical migration; most/all head downstream to their nursery lake, some may head upstream, but how many head downstream then up?       

[Steelhawk]

The Chum fry, being so small but abundant, can be good sashimi material for young fish in the river, like juvenile steelies, dollies, and rainbows, even for a brief period of time only.