Let the spawning season begin!
Mid-October is always a fascinating time to live on southern Vancouver Island, as the salmon run begins, and lasts until early December.
Salmon runs have already begun or finished further up-island, as Campbell River has already seen thousands of salmon take to the river, but southern regions of the island only just now stepping into salmon spawning season.
The most popular spot in Greater Victoria to watch the annual salmon run is definitely Goldstream Provincial Park, which features a salmon spawning stream with thousands returning every year.
Around this time of year, the salmon begin to come out of the ocean, and return to the very waters they were spawned.
Their life cycle is ended after they forge their way up the Goldstream River to a shallow riverbed where they then spawn and die.
During this time, the males change dramatically by developing brighter coloured scales and hooked jaws—a very different appearance from how they look when caught in the ocean.
According to Goldstream Provincial Park, the totality of the salmon run lasts about nine weeks, varying from year to year.
The most common type of salmon that can be spotted in the Goldstream riverbed are chum salmon, however coho and chinook salmon also appear in the river, as well as some steelhead and cutthroat trout.
“If you watch quietly and do not disturb the fish, you will likely see some working their way upstream, while others, in pairs or groups, dig, defend their ‘redds’ or nests, and spawn in the gravel,” reads the Goldstream Provincial Park guide to the salmon run.
“The female selects the spawning place, and digs the ‘redd’ or trench for her eggs. This she does by turning on her side and repeatedly lifting her tail violently away from the gravel. A partial vacuum lifts the gravel, and the current moves it a little way downstream, leaving the desired trench.”
According to the Park, once the redd is nearly completed the female then tests its depth by arching her body and feeling for the bottom with her extended anal fins.
While this occurs, the male guards her close by, to fight off rival males who approach the redd.
This is what their newly developed hooked jaws are used for, along with their large, strong teeth.
Once the trench is ready the female deposits her eggs, also known as or roe, and the male fertilizes the eggs with showers of white “milt.”
One interesting aspect of the chum salmon’s reproductive ritual is that they do not pair as definitely as most kinds of salmon, resulting in one female often pairing off with two or more males.
Next steps in the process is for the female salmon to cover the redd, along with the roe, before she and her male partner grow weak and slowly die.
In March, the salmon eggs hatch into tiny ‘alevins’ and live in the riverbed off their yolk sac before the young chums leave the gravel, and go to sea.
In 2024, the nine-week salmon run brought in over 40,800 visitors to the park.
Goldstream Provincial Park’s rules and tips for salmon watchers
According to the Park, visitors must remember that the salmon come first, and ask that visitors adhere to the following rules:
- Keep dogs on a leash out of the river, or don’t bring dogs at all
- Approach the river bank slowly and quietly
- Don’t throw anything in the river.
Additionally, there are some tips that hopeful salmon watchers should consider for the best salmon run experience.
It is recommended to avoid wearing bright coloured clothing which salmon can see, especially red, purple and pinks; avoid weekend afternoons visits because the park is very crowded; car pool if possible; wear polarized sunglasses to cut down on glare from the water; and visit the Goldsteam Nature House to learn more and ask questions.
