Celebrate salmon return

The Okanagan Nation Alliance and Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance will be hosting two open houses this fall to celebrate the annual salmon spawning.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, join interpreters at either the Okanagan River Restoration Initiative site just north of Oliver or at Penticton's Okanagan Lake dam to learn more about the salmon spawning enhancement projects along the Okanagan River and the sockeyes' journey to the ocean and back.

The 2024 run is the largest sockeye run since records have been kept, a direct result of these ONA initiatives.

The salon undertake an incredible 6,000-kilometre journey in their life cycle, travelling through many different habitats. The ONA has been working year after year to restore the natural spawning habitat in the South Okanagan

Currently, the ONA is anticipating that 670,000 sockeye will return to the Columbia River with 80 per cent of those heading to the Okanagan water north of Osoyoos, according to Richard Bussanich, ONA’s head fish biologist.

The open house events run rain or shine at:

• Okanagan River Restoration Site, parking at 6431 Station Street, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Okanagan Lake Dam near the Rose Garden in Penticton, 2 to 4 p.m.

It is anticipated that there will be plenty of visible spawning action in the river.