NSEA's Salmon Discovery Program provides free, educational opportunities to see salmon in the wild through salmon sighting events and by engaging volunteers to collect data on local salmon creeks through citizen science.

Salmon heavily impact local economy, ecosystems, and cultures, but their year-round presence in local waterways can be easily forgotten or missed altogether due to their migration patterns and limited opportunities to see them in the wild. To help our community better understand salmon and human impacts on their recovery, NSEA provides meaningful opportunities to interact and see salmon coupled with education and outreach that highlights the positive impact individual action can have in protecting salmon and their habitat.

2024 Salmon Sightings

Each year, we pick a few streams in Whatcom County to visit with our outreach booth, games, and prizes in celebration of the return of spawning salmon to freshwater. Come look for salmon with us! All events are open-house style, free, and great for all ages.

Whatcom Creek - Bellingham

Maritime Heritage Park, 12-3pm

  • October 12

  • November 16

  • November 23

Address is 1600 C St with parking in surrounding downtown areas.

Fishtrap Creek - Lynden

Bender Fields, 12-3pm

  • November 1

  • November 9

Parking available at 8770 Bender Rd

Oyster Creek - Bow

Taylor Shellfish Farm, 12-3pm

  • November 2

Parking available at 2182 Chuckanut Dr

Chuckanut Creek - Bellingham

Arroyo Park, 12-3pm

  • November 29

  • November 30

Parking available at North Chuckanut Mountain Trailhead, 1467 Chuckanut Dr N and follow signs to our tent.

Salmon Spotters Citizen Science Project

Volunteer with us to monitor creeks throughout Whatcom County! We provide everything you need to collect valuable data, learn more by visiting the project page below.

Learning More

Explore our resources to discover more about the state of salmon populations and how the work NSEA does connects to regional salmon recovery efforts in the Puget Sound. If you see salmon in Whatcom County, let us know!

If you have questions, please reach out to Sarah, our Stewardship Program Manager for assistance – sbrown@n-sea.org or call 360-715-0283 x 109.