We retrieved a pile of dead chum and one dead coho today on Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, and processed them for size, sex, and spawning status.

If you see fish carcasses cut in half, don’t worry, that’s done by volunteer streamkeepers after they have assessed the dead salmon. We cut them in half so it’s easy to see that they have been processed and the data collected. Streamkeepers have training and permission to carry out this activity.

Note that it is illegal to interfere with spawning salmon, and that includes removing dead ones.  Please watch from a distance when observing this amazing natural spectacle.

One coho salmon in a row of chum