In my first two months at Skagit Fisheries I’ve learned tons about both the salmon and the people of this community. I’ve been inspired by all the volunteers coming together for our Tree Planting events and our Salmon Spawner Surveys with the intention to learn about and restore salmon habitat and populations. One of my favorite new facts to offer folks when they say, “There’s no salmon in this creek, it dries up every year”, is that while streams may dry up seasonally, many have pools upstream may have had redds in them that, if kept in the proper conditions, will have juvenile salmonids rearing in them year round. On my first salmon spawner survey the lower portion of the channel was completely dry but further upstream we saw hundreds of juvenile coho and several rainbow trout; this week we saw dozens of beautiful, adult coho making their way upstream!

It’s been so fulfilling to see the bigger picture of restoration; it supports our salmon, forests and wildlife, as well as encourages us to be connected to our more than human community.

 

Please help us welcome our new AmeriCorps members for the 2022-23 service year!

Myrriah Crowley, Restoration Associate

Myrriah grew up in the redwoods of California and moved to the PNW several years ago to explore the wild and wonderfully biodiverse region. She came to Skagit Fisheries after graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in Environmental Science and emphasis in Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecology; and previously, she earned a degree in Horticulture with an emphasis on Organic Ag and Crop Production at Cabrillo College in CA. She enjoys gardening, foraging, hiking, good food and cold water. Among many things, Myrriah is excited to build a relationship with the community that keeps our waters, salmon, people and environment healthy and thriving here in the Salish Sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenzie Kesling, Education Associate

Kenzie is a Pacific Northwest native as she was born and raised in the greater Tacoma area. She is a recent graduate of Western Washington University with a Bachelors of Science in Biology/Anthropology and a Bachelors of Arts in Spanish. At WWU, Kenzie was a student leader and spent three years working in the dorm as a Resident Advisor. In her spare time, Kenzie likes to read, write, draw, and explore local shops/eateries. She is a history buff and her favorite book series are the Harry Potter books. Kenzie is excited to be a part of the SFEG team and help serve the Skagit community.

Unfortunately the weather and stream conditions are conspiring against us so we have opted to cancel. Stay safe and warm!

 

Join us at Pressentin Park to view spawning coho salmon in the side channels of this recently restored site

Where: Pressentin County Park, located at 60060 SR 20 in Marblemount, WA

When: Saturday, December 3, Noon-3pm

Bring all your fishy questions!  No need to register, just come see the fish!  Parking is very limited, so please carpool!

Questions? Contact us at 360-336-0172 or sfeg@skagitfisheries.org

 

Coho image by Brandon Cole