View our latest posts: From the Field

Monitoring Spawning Salmon on Mud Creek by Sophia Schafer

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These past few months, I got the opportunity to participate in weekly creek walks to measure numbers of spawning salmon. We identified species and recorded the individuals and their redds from each species in our assigned creek. We also were collecting data on the effect of the tire runoff pollutant 6PPD-quinone on pre-spawn mortality (PSM) in salmon. The excitement of seeing the first salmon of the season was indescribable.

Sophia’s survey partner Rebecca’s reaction to seeing her first salmon

 

 

On Mud Creek, we primarily saw kokanee and coho salmon. I highly recommend this program to anyone who has an extra hour or two a week to spare in the fall/winter. This experience taught me the beauty of salmon, there is something special about contributing to the knowledge of spawning salmon in the PNW and knowing that the data collected will be used to restore salmon habitat and populations.

Sophia measuring water temperature on a survey

Overall, we identified over 60 salmon individuals this 2024 spawning season on Mudd Creek alone. Most were kokanee, although some coho were present. It was interesting to see how some fish were physically very impacted by their journey from sea to spawning in the creek. As seen in the third photo, female salmon’s tails may be destroyed after making their redds. For anyone hoping to get some experience collecting data in the field or just want to see some salmon and contribute to their restoration, this program is excellent, and I couldn’t recommend it enough.

 

 

A lone Kokanee spotted in Mud Creek

A female kokanee carcass on Mud Creek

Expanding Horizons as a Skagit Fisheries Intern by Education Intern Kat Martin

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“Life changing” does not truly begin to describe my intern experience with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group thus far. For several months, I have had the amazing opportunity to take my knowledge of the Pacific Northwest wildlife to the next level. Never in my life did I think I would be involved with salmon the way that I am now. 

I have studied the region’s marine mammals and have always thought I had a rather profound understanding of their connection to the environment in which they live. I walked into Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group and discovered I really did not know as much as I thought I did about salmon or how they tied into nature. In the short time I have been an intern, I have learned more than I could have ever hoped to gain!

To understand the marine mammals that inhabit the Salish Sea, you really have to understand the salmonid species that are native to the Pacific Northwest. Without salmon, the lives of these marine mammals I regularly teach people about would cease to exist!

My career has always focused on education and outreach. I used to work on boats where I would lead tours about marine mammals. I learned how to interact with the public and provide unique views on the Salish Sea’s wildlife. I have also spent a great deal of time using my art business as a platform to reach people around the world. When I became an intern, I was thrown for a wild curveball when I went from regularly educating adults about animals I could speak volumes on to educating young children about animals I knew very little about! I learned to readjust my ways of teaching. It surprisingly never crossed my mind, as a naturalist, that the people I make the biggest impact on are children! Teaching kids used to be one of the most daunting parts of my internship. However, over time, I have discovered that presenting in the classrooms is one of my favorite things to do. The kids look to you for guidance and knowledge. What you give to them can make a lasting impact. 

Every aspect of this work has tied back into my day to day life. From educating the public, to deepening my understanding of the world around me. I have gained so much knowledge on things I initially never gave second thoughts to. I always say that the universe has strange ways of giving you the things that you need. This work was not something that ever crossed my mind. I had actually stumbled upon this internship by mistake. This experience, so far, has been absolutely magical and eye-opening for me. I gained a sense of purpose and community. I discovered how much of a difference I actually make. It changed my life. I look forward to what more comes my way and how I can use it to become a better steward in education and conservation. 

-Kat Martin, Education Intern 2024-2025

 

Kat teaching kids about qualities of healthy riparian habitat.

Lauren Gives the 411 (on our Education Program) by Lauren Schwartzenberger

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Over the past few months, I have had the incredible opportunity to intern with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group. This internship has been so much more than just learning about salmon–it’s been a dive into community engagement, ecological restoration, and understanding the complex relationships between people and the environment. From classroom visits to field trips, planting parties, and salmon sightings, each experience has deepened my understanding of conservation.

 

One of the highlights of my internship has been visiting local classrooms to talk about salmon and their importance to our ecosystems. It’s so rewarding to see how engaged kids can become when they learn about the salmon lifecycle, the challenges these fish face, and what we can do to help. A key aspect of the classroom activities involves the students raising salmon eggs in their schools. Each spring they release young salmon into local streams, but before that happens we take field trips to assess the release sites. Using chemistry and scientific observations, the students are able to determine if the habitat is suitable for salmon. It is always fun to guide the students through questions and watch their curiosity grow as they explore the site. 

 

Lauren made a snail friend at the Skagit River South Mount Vernon planting event…

Restoration work is one of the most hands-on aspects of my internship, and I have had the wonderful opportunity to participate in several planting parties. Alongside staff members and volunteers, we have planted countless native vegetation to help improve salmon habitats around the area. Many great memories have been made at these planting parties, and it is so gratifying to be able to give back to the environment. I am always so excited to see the volunteer turnout at these events as it shows the efforts of our community outreach and the commitment of those around us. 

 

Perhaps my favorite element of this internship was the ability to participate in salmon sightings. Seeing these incredible fish return to the rivers where they were born is a reminder of their resilience and the importance of the work that we are doing. Having never seen salmon returning to their home streams, I found this experience absolutely magical. From being able to watch a female build her redd to watching the fish struggle up the stream, this experience was one of the best my internship has had to offer so far.

My time here has taught me so much about the importance of collaboration–between people, organizations, and the environment. Every classroom visit, field trip, and planting party builds on the collective effort to support salmon and the ecosystems they rely on. It has been such a privilege to intern with Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, and I cannot wait to further my experience and gain more knowledge as I go.

 

And she made some human friends along the way, too!

A froggy friend at the planting party in West Hamilton…