Spawning kokanee counted in Okanagan, numbers vary per lake: Ministry report
Global News
The number of spawning kokanee in the main valley Okanagan lakes for fall of 2021 has been counted.
The number of spawning kokanee in main lakes in the Okanagan have been counted.
A report released by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Rural Development this week shows fluctuating numbers.
For example, kokanee spawners in Okanagan Lake totalled 396,326 — up from last year’s total of 315,240.
And stream-spawning kokanee totalled 81,086, up 13 per cent from last year.
The ministry also said Mission Creek had an impressive return with 43,017, which is 60 per cent of total stream spawners.
In Kalamalka Lake, kokanee numbers totalled 67,425. However, the ministry noted that the number of kokanee in Coldstream Creek returning this year continues to be low — 50 per cent of the 10-year average.
In Skaha Lake, the number of kokanee and sockeye counted were 35,000. This is a 30 per cent decline from last year and 70 per cent below the 10-year average.
According to the ministry, these low numbers could be attributed to poor ocean survival.