Acknowledging the efforts & good intent of volunteers and others involved in these projects - but WMY brings up some important points that are often either ignored or overlooked.I don't no this system that well but these projects where the dam remains in place and there is no fish ladder or fish passage have not been that successful in creating abundance. So they capture the fish and then transport them by truck into the lake. They release the smolts into the lake or upstream and they get flushed through the damn or smolt trap is put in place near the dam. Also someone has also pointed out to me it's likely that some of the best spawning habitat was flooded when it was damed. Then there is also the issue of drain down in the lake sometimes up to 10m. So if there is beach spawners they are really effected....
No one is dissing volunteers and I believe wildmanyeah and whitebuck are correct in that there are bigger issues in play. Having said that perhaps a salmon presence will help push for these necessary changes.
Nice to see some potential money come on board.
Coho returning to the Coquitlam ? Well they never left.
Oh I am FULLY aware of the issues below the dam.... Take some time to review what has been done to keep the river and its salmon alive. http://www.coquitlamriverwatershed.ca/hatcheries-habitats/ And, when DFO got serious about putting a stop to the silt dumping from Cewe. it was volunteers that blew the whistle on the midnight dumping by Cewes crew that led to charges being laid.Absolutely hats off to the habitat restoration on the Coquitlam.
One cant speak enough praise for our local volunteers.
I dont think he quite understand the issues that the volunteers and fish have with the problems below the dam WMY.
Before we even start talking about working above the dam, the issues below the dam need to be addressed. Do you really think we are over the carrying capacity of the stream below the dam?
We barely have a chum run that returns anymore!
Bryan, do yourself a favour this fall. Go for a walk spend some time on this river.
Look at some of the problems this river is facing. Preferably after some rain.