The Dunn Creek Hatchery was placed on evacuation alert on July 23, following discovery of the Dunn Creek wildfire on July 22.
Simpcw First Nation, the Skeetchestn Band and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Salmonid Enhancement Program actioned the hatchery wildfire plan at the time of the alert.
“The team began working together and determining immediate courses of action for the safety of the hatchery staff and the Coho currently being raised at the hatchery,” said Tina Donald, Simpcw fisheries manager. “This resulted in an early release of a portion of Deadman Coho that were transported from the site on July 24 to Deadman River. This initial release helped to lessen the pressure on-site should the fire situation escalate.”
Due to the progression of the fire on July 25, an evacuation order was placed on the hatchery, resulting in the lengthy transport and release of the remaining Deadman Coho salmon," said Donald.
“Dunn Coho still remain on-site at the discretion of hatchery staff, though the release would be directly from the facility and swift to conduct if necessary."
Coho salmon have 36 different distinct conservation units within British Columbia, differentiated by the salmon’s unique ecology, life history and genetics, and two of those units are part of an enhancement program at the Dunn Creek Hatchery.
The Dunn Creek Coho belong to the North Thompson Coho Conservation Unit, and the Deadman Creek Coho belong to the Lower Thompson Coho Conservation Unit.
The Simpcw hatchery team says that due to the species' diversity, habitat requirements, and other key differences from neighbouring populations, each conservation unit must go back to its natal stream for release, which is part of the hatchery wildfire plan. This is why the Deadman Creek Coho needed to be transported back to their home stream this week, and not be released directly into Dunn Creek, while safe access to the hatchery was still achievable.
Donald expressed appreciation to the team on behalf of Simpcw Fisheries.
“We would like to thank everyone for their teamwork and quick response during the relocation of the Coho salmon during the recent wildfire threat from the Dunn Lake Fire. Many thanks go out to Department of Fisheries staff, support biologist Janna Thompson, and community advisor Tiffani Furlong; Spius Creek Hatchery staff Nathan Hauser and Wade Chivers; Dunn Creek Hatchery staff (operations supervisor Tyler Bowie, James Celesta, and Rebecca Quiding); and Triton staff member Shawn Johnston.
“We are grateful to all who helped move the Deadman Creek Coho and thankful that each move was met by Bob Hewitt, manager of Skeetchestn Band fisheries, for release.”