Politics & Government
Thousands Of Kokanee Salmon Released Into Lake Sammamish
King County expects more than 14,000 fish will be released at the lake by the end of the year, building on strong population growth.
SAMMAMISH, WA — Leaders from King County and the Snoqualmie Tribe gathered Wednesday to celebrate the release of thousands of young kokanee salmon into Lake Sammamish, building on promising population growth of the native fish in recent years.
Last year, biologists recorded more than 2,000 adult kokanee returning to their spawning grounds, which officials said was more than the previous five seasons combined. The promising growth follows recommendations enacted four years ago aiming to improve salmon habitats and populations.
"Ensuring the survival of native salon requires persistence and ingenuity, and our staff and partners have demonstrated both," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "We're seeing hopeful signs for the future of 'the little red fish' that has been part of Tribal lifeways since time immemorial, and this is a moment to celebrate that progress."
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The Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group, comprised of Eastside residents, Tribal members, and state and local wildlife agencies, celebrated the latest release lakeside Wednesday before releasing the kokanee at sunset, allowing the young fish to better hide from predators and get comfortable with their surroundings, officials said.
The fish were among 12,000 flown earlier this year from an Orcas Island hatchery, where they were insulated from potentially harsh summer conditions. King County wildlife officials said more than 14,000 kokanees will be released by the end of the year, including 8,000 in October alone.
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Some are offspring from kokanee that were collected during the last spawning season and housed at the state's hatchery in Issaquah, which allowed more time for temperatures to cool and oxygen levels to improve at Lake Sammamish.
Officials said new culverts along Zaccuse Creek also allow fish to pass under roads and trails more easily, helping kokanees reach their native streams for spawning. More projects are in the works along the George Davis and Lewis creeks.
Learn more about the county's kokanee efforts below:
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