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Upper Skagit Indian Tribe examines steelhead scales »
The Upper Skagit Tribe is analyzing scale samples to determine the age of steelhead returning to the Skagit River.
Unlike most species of salmon, steelhead can spawn repeatedly before they die. They mature at 2 or 3 years, and can stay at sea up to three years before returning to fresh water to spawn.
Upper Skagit tribal staff took scale samples from 75 wild steelhead to be examined using equipment at the University of Washington. Analysis of steelhead scales can tell researchers how many years a steelhead has spent in fresh water before out-migrating and how long it spent at sea. The analysis also will show whether the steelhead migrated back out to sea after spawning in fresh water.
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News
Skokomish Tribe addressing shellfish restoration needs in Hood Canal »The Skokomish Tribe is targeting several lower Hood Canal beaches for restoration efforts this summer.
Shellfish populations near the mouths of the mainstem of the Skokomish River as well as Rendsland and Twanoh creeks have declined within the last decade, said Margaret Homerding, the tribe’s shellfish management biologist.
“While the habitat restoration work for salmon at the mouths of these waterways has been important, the shellfish …
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Hatcheries Are Necessary Tools »Salmon hatcheries are under attack by people with very short memories. They have forgotten why many hatcheries were built in the first place.
Most were built to make up for lost natural salmon production caused by habitat damage and destruction. Today, more than half of the chinook and coho we harvest are hatchery fish. That’s a direct reflection of the huge amount of natural salmon production …
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NWIFC Blog
Elwha River Restoration: Sediment plume forming at the mouth of the Elwha River »The latest dramatic changes in the Elwha River include the highly anticipated sediment plume forming at the river mouth.
The Seattle Times’ Lynda Mapes has been blogging about the sediment recently, including posting aerial photos of the river mouth. Her post explores how the sediment will help rebuild the beaches near the river mouth and compares the beach ecology near the Elwha River with the …
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