Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Fruitful Spawner Patrol on Byrne Creek in Burnaby

Volunteer streamkeepers had a good spawner patrol on Byrne Creek in Burnaby, BC, today.

We saw 19 live chum, and processed 7 dead ones — one male and six spawned females. Yay!

Also saw two fish that were likely coho, one large, one perhaps a jack, both very shy and hiding under snags.

The photo shows three fish found in close proximity to each other. One male and two spawned females. Had to guesstimate a length for the bottom one, as some critter had been having a feast.

byrne creek chum salmon

chum swimming up Byrne Creek
As we were observing a pair spawning, another chum swam right past me!

pair of chum on redd
A pair of chum on a redd (nest). Shot from Meadow Ave. bridge.

NOTE: Streamkeepers have permission from Fisheries and Oceans to count spawning salmon, and to process carcasses to collect data on size, species, sex, etc. Please observe spawning salmon from a reasonable distance and do not harass them.

chum in motion
Chum in motion.

Fishing, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Let’s Play ‘Spot the Chum’

We’re getting good numbers of spawning salmon back in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC.  At least good for this little struggling urban waterway.

Here’s a number of shots I took today on spawner patrol. Though I’ve been volunteering as a streamkeeper for some 15 years now, I still find it cool how camouflaged these fish are.

Each one of the following photos has at least one chum in it, and some have several.

chum salmon
The rising submarine chum

chum salmon
The logger chum

chum salmon
The hiding in plain view chum

chum salmon spawning
At least three in this shot

chum salmon
Blending in chum

chum salmon
OK, this dead one was easy to see. 52 cm male.

chum salmon
Hide and seek, heads hidden, tails sticking out chum

 

Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Salmon Return to Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, to Spawn

Volunteer streamkeepers are elated to see salmon coming back to spawn in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC. If it rains, the fish start returning in mid-October, but this year we didn’t see any until nearly the end of the month.

We count live salmon and note their species and location, and when they die, we process the carcasses — species, size, sex, and for females whether or not they have spawned and their eggs are gone.

Byrne Creek salmon patrol
In the foreground you can see a coho female that we processed. We cut the carcasses in half after collecting data, so that we don’t count them again. We return the carcasses to the creek for they provide nutrients to the ecosystem.

Unfortunately this coho female died before spawning. We found her full of roe. This is a recurring problem on Byrne Creek. Studies in WA state have shown that runoff from roads can carry a toxic brew that is lethal to coho, with death from such exposure happening within hours.

We get so few salmon back to Byrne Creek that every one found unspawned is a small tragedy that chips away at volunteers’ spirits.

Pets

OK, Cat, I’m Up

OK, cat, I’m up.

Headache, congestion, ache all over… so slept in a few hours.

Survived repeated rounds of nose-to-nose sniffing, ear meowing, and body walking, but literally biting the hand that feeds her finally got me out of bed.

Mission accomplished, she is now happily curled up in the guest chair in my office. Sigh.

And the stars aligning as they are, giggling in gleeful madness, I am scheduled for my flu shot today.

Business, Fishing, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

Streamkeepers Will be Watching Liberal Platform Implementation

As a long-time streamkeeper volunteer, I look forward to positive change on fisheries and environmental files under the new government. The following is what was in the Liberal platform in regard to “water.” It will take time for change to happen, but the stewardship community will be keeping a close eye on the implementation of these promises.

We will protect our freshwater and oceans.

Canada is uniquely blessed with an abundance of freshwater, and marine and coastal areas that are not only ecologically diverse, but also economically significant: our ocean-based industries contribute nearly $40 billion each year to the Canadian economy.

To protect these valuable natural resources, we will deliver more robust and credible environmental assessments for all projects that could impact our freshwater and oceans.

Freshwater
We will treat our freshwater as a precious resource that deserves protection and careful stewardship. We will work with other orders of government to protect Canada’s freshwater using education, geo-mapping, watershed protection, and investments in the best wastewater treatment technologies.

To protect our freshwater ecosystems, we will renew our commitment to protect the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River Basin, and the Lake Winnipeg Basin. We will also act on the recommendations of the Cohen Commission on restoring sockeye salmon stocks in the Fraser River.

To aid in making the best possible decisions, we will restore $1.5 million in annual federal funding for freshwater research – a program that was cut by the Conservatives – and make new investments in Canada’s world-leading IISD Experimental Lakes Area.

Oceans
Stephen Harper’s failure to meet our international commitments to protect marine and coastal areas puts these areas and our international reputation at risk.

We will make up for Conservative inaction and increase the amount of Canada’s marine and coastal areas that are protected – to five percent by 2017, and ten percent by 2020. To help achieve this, we will invest $8 million per year in community consultation and science.

We will also directly invest in ocean science. Stephen Harper cut $40 million from the federal ocean science and monitoring programs. We will restore that funding so that we can protect the health of our fish stocks, monitor contaminants and pollution in our oceans, and support responsible and sustainable aquaculture industries on our coasts.

We will use scientific evidence and the precautionary principle, and take into account climate change, when making decisions affecting fish stocks and ecosystem management.

And we will do a better job of co-managing our oceans, by working with the provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and other stakeholders. Together, we will develop plans that make the best use of our marine resources and give coastal communities more say in managing the resources around them.

Camping, Hiking, Nature, Photography

Whidbey Island Camping October 2015

Squeezed in a couple of days off with Yumi and we camped for two nights at Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey Island in Washington State. We love it there, and try to get down at least once a year.

Here are some photos from the trip:

blue sunset
Blue sunset

pink sunset
Pink sunset

orange sunset
Orange sunset

happy camper
Me looking forward to the sunset

heron in flight
Heron in flight shot from the Coupeville wharf

kingfisher in flight
Kingfisher in flight shot from the Coupeville wharf

harlequin duck
Harlequin duck off the west beach at Deception Pass. I think this is the first time I’ve “shot” one of these.

Otter eating fish
Yumi spotted this otter in the lake, and we saw it catch and eat at least three fish in ten minutes or so.

sea lion
Spotted this yawning sea lion way out in the ocean. Hi ISO, 450 mm lens handheld, so not a poster shot by any means, but still cool.

Fort Casey
Lovely sky at Fort Casey

Yumi tent
Yumi and our tent – playing with angles

Yumi log
Yumi at the end of this long log – playing with perspective

Paul breakfast
Making breakfast on the camp stove

wine fire
Relaxing by the fire with a glass of wine

Fishing, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

Putting up Dog Posters Along Byrne Creek

Byrne Creek Streamkeepers create whimsical and funny dog posters to put up along the creek in the fall to remind dog walkers that salmon are coming back to spawn. We have excellent relations with dogs and their owners — they are out there nearly every day and are excellent “eyes on the creek.”

Over the years dog walkers have come to expect the posters, and even start asking about them if they are not up by mid-October.

We have permission from Burnaby Parks to put these posters up, and we use zap-straps to attach them to trees without harming them.

yumi dog posters
Yumi preparing a poster

yumi dog poster

yumi dog poster
Yumi’s latest creation

maho dog poster
Maho’s dog poster

yumi scream dog poster
Gee, wonder where Yumi got the inspiration for this one? : -)

dog poster bridge
Attaching a poster to the footbridge

 

Streamkeeping, sustainability, community, business, photography, books, and animals, with occasional forays into social commentary. Text and Photos © Paul Cipywnyk