The Fish Are Here

By Deb Kramer

This week, I had the opportunity to go “salmon hunting” with Steve Holmes and Brian Allee of the South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition. Earlier in the week, they had seen several fish, including REDDs. And, I did get to see one, albeit a dead one.

That outing was still worth it. I learned a lot about Chinook salmon. After a large storm, if they are ready to spawn, they swim up a creek, preferably one they were born in. The females create the nest or “REDD” and lay their eggs. While creating the REDD, they swish their tails to pile up gravel. Ultimately, they not only create a nice pile of rocks, but the fish’s tail loses all its scales, and the bone is exposed and white.

South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition held a “fish party” over the weekend where several fish were seen.

This morning, our Team 222 leads were invited down to the Guadalupe for a viewing of our local Chinook. The fish didn't disappoint and near the end, a larger fish joined the party. It's so rewarding to see Chinook present throughout the Guadalupe Watershed.

And, Roger Castillo created a cool video showing the observations he made of the salmon spawning.

Finally, I did get to see a live salmon today. It was most likely laying its eggs, and a younger fish was probably fertilizing it. I’m so grateful to see this success story.

So, the salmon that are here are a true testament to the value of community members coming together with agencies for a healthy waterway that can support salmon runs. Keep it up! Our efforts do matter.