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Salmon of the Skagit RiverThe Skagit River is a special place for salmon. It is the only river in the lower 48 United States in which all 5 species of Pacific Salmon still spawn: the Chinook, sockeye, coho, humpy, and chum salmon. Salmon are anadromous fish meaning that they spend part of their life in freshwater, part in saltwater. Their life cycle begins when thousands of small eggs are laid in depressions dug into the gravel of a river bottom called nests or “redds.” After emerging from the gravel, some salmon frye, depending on the species, head immediately out to sea. Others live up to two years in freshwater and then begin the 1 to 5 year odyssey of eating and swimming in the ocean. Adult salmon end their life in fresh water, returning to their river of origin to mate and lay their eggs. Salmon die quickly after mating. Beneath the gravel, the cycle begins again. The scene of salmon spawning in a river can be a very powerful event to witness. The frenzy of spawning gives way to a scene of death. Salmon carcasses litter the river bottom and float onto gravel bars. Flood waters lift salmon carcasses over the river banks then recede to leave them wrapped around trees, draped over bushes, or laid among ferns and moss. Nature recycles these thousands or millions of carcasses making them food for forest predators like bear and fox, birds and eagles, and fertilizer for the sensitive trees and other plants near the rivers edge that make up the so-called “riparian zone.” Rivers like the Skagit see these scenes of mass spawning from September to mid-December as various species of salmon reenter the river to spawn and die. Come to the Marblemount Fish Hatchery from September through November to see the many chinook and coho salmon in the hatchery holding pens and inlet stream. By late November the largest of the yearly salmon runs, the chum run, is in full swing. This run peaks around mid-December with numbers ranging from a recent high of 300,000 in the year 2002 to a low of 20,000 in the year 2003. Because of the timing of the run, chum salmon are the mainstay food source for the migrating bald eagles that visit the Skagit River each winter. Eagle numbers peak late December about 2 weeks after the peak of the salmon run. Though adult salmon are only found in the Skagit River from late August through February, some juvenile salmon are present throughout the year – usually silver and king salmon frye. Watch for them in shallow side channels and pools along the rivers edge. They look like little guppies or minnows. The challenges salmon face are huge. Floods or diseases can destroy salmon eggs before they hatch. Predators like great blue herons and trout eat them in the rivers - orcas and humans at sea. The Skagit River and others on the West Coast are still recovering from the over-fishing of the early 20th century. At that time the demand for canned salmon nearly wiped out the Pacific Salmon in the lower 48 states. The building of state and private run salmon hatcheries has helped save species from extinction but it has failed to restore these species to their former size (particularly the Sockeye, King, and Silver – which were most affected by over-fishing). Destruction of salmon habitat has also taken its toll. Deforestation of the Pacific Northwest released huge amounts of silt into salmon rivers - smothering salmon eggs. Deforestation also allows the sun to heat up river water, lowering the oxygen content, resulting in the suffocation of salmon. Urban, agricultural and industrial development along Washington’s rivers is a continuing threat. People releasing huge amounts of waste chemicals into rivers can directly poison fish or interfere with their ability to ‘smell’ their way back to their home streams. Many private, non-profit, and federal and state organizations work together now to help restore rivers and streams to a more salmon friendly condition. Click on the “Salmon” links on our link page to find out more about how you can help restore the rivers and streams to increase the survival of salmon in your area. The Five Species of SalmonChinook (King, Blackmouth) – The Chinook is the largest of the Pacific Salmon species (up to 58 inches long and 135 pounds), and, considered by some, the tastiest. Because of past over harvesting it is also listed and protected under law as an Endangered Species. Kings spawn in the main stem of the Skagit River each August and September. Numbers are fairly small (several thousand) and are supported by hatchery production efforts. Adults spend 2 to 5 years at sea before returning to spawn.Coho (Silver) – The Silver Salmon mature up to 38 inches long and weighs 6 to 12 pounds. They spawn in the main stem and side channels but are powerful leapers capable of moving miles and miles up steep tributaries like the Cascade River. Coho frye spend 1-2 years in the river after hatching and are often seen lurking in side channels and shallow pools. Coho spend 1 to 2 years in the ocean before returning to the river to spawn. They are also supported by hatchery efforts.Sockeye (Red) – The Sockeye is usually compared to the Chinook when discussions of of taste occur. Because of its texture, taste, and former abundance, the Sockeye was one of the most intensely harvested species in the early 1900’s. Sockeye spawn in lakes. The former Baker Lake (the natural lake that existed before the construction of P.S.E.’s dams) on the Baker River was a major spawning ground for these fish. Construction of dams on the Baker River in the early 1920’s and 50’s blocked fish passage and drowned the old lake. P.S.E. manages hatchery and spawning facilities on the Baker lakes that guarantee the annual return of at least 3,500 Sockeye adults. A much smaller population of about 200 Sockeye have adapted to the river environment and spawn between Rockport and Newhalem in side channels.Pink (Humpy) – The Pink salmon is the smallest of the Pacific salmon species as it spends the least amount of time in the great ocean feeding (and growing) grounds – 2 years. Pinks enter the Skagit River to spawn only on odd-numbered years (e.g. 2003, 2005) and are usually the largest salmon run when they do return. In 2003 nearly 1,200,000 pink salmon returned to spawn in the main stem of the Skagit River and its tributaries. Pink salmon spawn between August and December in the Skagit. Pink frye, like Chum frye, rear in the ocean instead of the river (as with Chinook and Coho frye). Most commercial canned salmon these days consists of pink salmon.Chum (Dog) – Chum salmon are also known as Dog salmon – possibly for two reasons. Because of the sharp teeth and hooked jaw of the spawning male and, reportedly, because Alaskan Native Americans thought so little of the taste of this fish, they would only feed it to their dogs. Chum have characteristic vertical stripes during spawning. They are consistently the most populous salmon spawning in the river (from November into December) with numbers being as high as 300,000. Because of the timing and size of their run, they are the most important food source for migrating bald eagles on the Skagit River. Free from harvesting for years, due to their poor taste, and the abundance of other species, a market has recently developed in Asia for caviar made of chum salmon eggs.Two salmonid trout species, the cutthroat and steelhead, also live in the Skagit River for part of their lives. The cutthroat and steelhead can return and spawn 2 or 3 different years before dying. Amazing Facts about the Skagit River and Salmon:
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