Salmon swimming home

Coldstream and Vernon waterways are seeing increased traffic as Salmon migrate back to their home streams.

“It’s a marvellous thing to see something that is often out in the deep,” said Jason Hwang with the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

"The big adults come back, they tend to spawn in clearer waters and often time in small streams.”

These Salmon can swim all the way through the North Pacific to Alaska and Russia. They are then able to find their way home by detecting the water chemistry.

“They use their senses and find their way back to pretty much exactly where they were hatched from. This is one of those things that are amazing about Salmon because every place is a little different," said Hwang.

Many of these places are also experiencing the impacts of climate change. The increase in temperatures and natural disasters are pushing the Salmon outside of the normal ranges, and it can take generations for them to adapt.

“We have to start doing things that you might not have had to do 20 or 40 years ago in order to make sure you have sustainable conditions for salmon and sustainable salmon populations," said Hwang.

But if you do want to see the Salmon during their migration period. There are certain things people can do to make sure they aren’t causing any damage.

“They don't need people, you know, chasing them around with sticks, or letting their dog run in the stream and chase the salmon,” said Hwang.

“It's the kind of thing that a little extra thought and care to realize that something really special is going on, and we should look after it.”