Kokanee Swimming Up Moran Creek

 — by Michel Vekved —

Mike O’Connell and Dave Caster removing fertiziled eggs from Cascade Lake. When rinsed with cold water, the eggs become a little less fragile.

On Tuesday morning a group of fish enthusiasts and experts gathered to help spawn kokanee from Cascade Lake for the Moran Creek hatchery, a cooperative effort between Friends of Moran, Long Live the Kings and State Parks.

For weeks, the kokanee had been gathering in groups and playfully jumping in the water just a little ways from where Moran Creek feeds into Cascade Lake. On Monday night they made their move into the creek.

The kokanee were held that night for spawning the next morning. Roughly three pounds of eggs were harvested and fertilized. These eggs are now placed into the troughs inside the hatchery where they will grow and be monitored by park staff and volunteers. This is the first kokanee hatchery spawning. It’s the first time sufficient numbers of kokanee have returned so that eggs could be collected for the hatchery; and, left for the natural spawning process.

Oversight of the hatchery is provided by Mike O’Connell who is a fish biologist and hatchery manager for Long Live the Kings, Glenwood Springs Hatchery here on Orcas. Friends of Moran have been funding key components at the hatchery for several years in addition to remuneration for Mr. O’Connell’s time and expertise at the Moran Creek Hatchery.

Kokanee are landlocked salmon. The kokanee you will see in the creek are about 3-4 years old. They were raised in the hatchery then released into Cascade lake. They have lived the entire life in the lake. When they near the end of life and are ready to spawn they return to the creek that was imprinted on them when they were just eggs.

Kokanee are still grouping together and swimming up Moran Creek. Visitors can carefully walk along the creek and see the natural spawning process and the kokanee’s life cycle.

If you are interested in helping Friends support a sustainable kokanee hatchery for Moran Creek and Cascade lake visit the OICF grant catalog where you can help feed a fish for a lifetime. A gift that gives for generations to come. Or visit us online at friendsofmoran.com