Salmon in Our Watersheds – Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre

Introduction

Coho, Chum, Pink, Chinook and Steelhead Salmon all return to the Cowichan and Koksilah Rivers to complete their life cycle. Watching the salmon travel upstream, battling the mighty forces of rushing river water, finding a place to lay their eggs, spread milt and then die is a powerful sight to see. You are witnessing the beginning of one life cycle and the end of another cycle. Between the beginning and end is where things get really interesting for the salmon. They hatch, spend some time in their home stream, then make their way down to an estuary before they head out to sea. Eelgrass beds in the estuary are a critical source of food and shelter for young salmon while they are transitioning to saltwater. The life cycle of salmon is an incredible journey, and it’s one that we should all pay more attention to protecting and supporting as our climate changes.

Read

Learn about the Stream to Sea Program that the Nature Centre participates in every year. Salmon Eggs

Read about the Nature Centre’s project to conserve and protect the Cowichan and Koksilah watersheds. Watershed Restoration

Look

Did you know that eelgrass is not an actual seaweed? It is a seagrass that grows in shallow, muddy or sandy bottomed estuarine bays like Cowichan Bay. Eelgrass meadows are important nursery habitats for juvenile salmon, herring, crabs and more. Image Credit: Nikki Wright

Volunteers gather for eelgrass restoration in front of the Nature Centre at Hectate Park. In Cowichan Bay, eelgrass populations have declined due to logging activity, coastal development and increased boat traffic in the marina. Join us at our next community restoration event to help restore eelgrass meadows at the estuary! Image Credit: CENC Staff & Volunteers

Nikki Wright, executive director of SeaChange Marine Conservation Society, shows volunteers how to tie eelgrass to washers. The washers are used to keep eelgrass on the seafloor before they are transplanted into a new bed. Since 2005, the Nature Centre has worked with SeaChange to map, monitor and restore eelgrass populations in the estuary. Image Credit: CENC Staff & Volunteers

Alistair MacGregor, Member of Parliament (left), is pictured here next to William Seymour (right), former Chief of the Cowichan Tribes. Members of the Cowichan Tribes are actively involved in coastal restoration projects at the estuary. When eelgrass restoration occurs near Genoa Bay, SeaChange works with the Cowichan Tribes to harvest healthy shoots from the Cowichan Tribes Reserve. Image Credit: CENC Staff & Volunteers

A volunteer puts a basket of freshly tied eelgrass in the water while awaiting transplant by volunteer divers. Eelgrass transplant is a labour-intensive process, as each shoot is manually planted by a diver. Since 2005, eelgrass have been transplanted in various parts of the estuary, including the causeway, the north shore and Genoa Bay. Image Credit: CENC Staff & Volunteers

Volunteer divers transplant eelgrass in the estuary. The “Diver Down” flag (red flag with a diagonal white stripe) signals to nearby boats that divers are underwater. Watch a time lapse video of a diver planting eelgrass shoots. Image Credit: CENC Staff & Volunteers

Watch

Caption: Join Hayley and Eddy the Eelgrass from the Nature Centre on an imaginary tour through the watersheds of the Cowichan Valley! Water flows from the top of the mountains to lakes, rivers and eventually to the estuary, where the land meets the ocean. Eelgrass meadows in the Cowichan estuary provide an important habitat for juvenile salmon to grow and transition into a saltwater environment.

Video Credit: Cowichan Valley Regional District

Caption: Learn about the return of the Chum salmon in the estuary due to local conservation efforts. Many other types of salmon can be found in Cowichan Bay including Coho, Chinook Coho and Chum Salmon, as well as Steelhead Trout (a Salmon species) and Cutthroat Trout. Thank you to the Pacific Salmon Foundation for providing support to the Nature Centre over the past 10 years, including for riparian restoration work with youth!

Video Credit: Pacific Salmon Foundation

Caption: Cowichan Bay is known for its marina, including fishing, kayaking and cruising on the water. However, anchoring and mooring in the estuary can damage eelgrass habitats, as anchor chains drag on the sea floor. Watch how you can take action by using seafloor friendly mooring systems.

Video Credit: SeaChange Marine Conservation Society

Resources

Find our about the Cowichan Watershed Board‘s work on monitoring and supporting the sustainability our salmon in the Cowichan and Koksilah Watersheds.
Find quick facts, posters and colouring sheets on different type of Pacific salmon at Pacific Wild.
Read Pacific Salmon Foundation’s storybook on climate action for salmon.
Watch Kintama’s animation of Chinook and Coho salmon migration.
Explore Pacific Salmon Explorer’s research data on pacific salmon.
Listen to salmon sounds from the Fish Sounds database, a research collaboration with the University of Victoria, University of Florida, among others.
Teach about salmon in the food web using resources from Science World.
Teach about salmon anatomy and dissection using resources from Pacific Salmon Foundation.
Explore resources for educators from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, including information about raising salmon in your classroom!
Teach about the interconnectedness between salmon and First Nations People using ideas from First Nations Education Steering Committee.
Find salmon life cycle lessons from Sierra Club BC.
Look at SeaChange’s maps on eelgrass restoration.
Try Nature Centre’s word search on eelgrass.