By Sarah Brown

NSEA Stewardship Program Coordinator

As Whatcom County's most abundant salmon population, the biennial return of Nooksack River pink salmon is a cause for celebration. If you have never seen salmon before, summer can be a great time to venture out and explore, especially during an odd-numbered year like 2021! Pinks are the only Pacific salmon species that spends a fixed eighteen months at sea before returning to their natal creek to spawn. There are only a few rules to follow while looking for salmon and the most important one is to be a respectful observer. This takes many forms, such as being quiet and keeping people and pets out of the creek, not disturbing or trampling the surrounding habitat, including the salmon carcasses that you may find, and remaining patient. While some spawning runs are easy to predict, factors like climate change make the chances of seeing salmon exactly when you hope to increasingly difficult. Even if you do not catch sight of one, going salmon sighting is a fantastic way to learn more and garner a deeper appreciation for the salmon in our area, the incredible journey they make to spawn the next generation, and the threats they continue to face.

Pinks are the smallest Pacific salmon and you can identify it by looking for the spots covering their backs and tail fins and the distinct humps on the backs of the males. Since their populations are healthy, finding opportunities to see spawning pinks can be fairly easy, and NSEA's Nooksack River Stewards, through partnership with the US Forest Service, will have free, open-house Salmon Sighting opportunities on the weekends in Glacier, WA, starting in late August. The full schedule can be found at www.n-sea.org/nooksack-river-stewards. These events are filled with fun and games designed to make salmon sighting an exciting and worthwhile experience for all. Come try our Salmon Sighting BINGO and see if you can find some of the most common components of salmon spawning runs and win a prize. If we are lucky, we may even see a spring Chinook which spawn around the same time! For those that prefer arts and crafts, you can learn more about a salmon's journey while we make Lifecycle Bracelets or fold an origami fish. Don't miss out on an opportunity that only comes around once every two years!  For more information about salmon in Whatcom County, check out www.n-sea.org/sammys-information-station.