The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) says they are anticipating the largest Chinook Salmon return on record in Bellingham.
In a collaborative effort between WDFW, Bellingham Technical College (BTC), Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC), and the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe, more than 7,000 Chinook are expected to return to the Whatcom Creek.
“We have been working collectively and diligently to bring back salmon for all of our tribal people, as well as all Washington state residents and our future generations,” said Lisa Wilson, vice chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and a member of Lummi Nation leadership.
“We created a 10-year, co-managed hatchery plan for these Chinook and we are now seeing the results of this hard work.”
The salmon are raised in the Samish Hatchery, run by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
When the fish are big enough to survive on their own, they are released where Whatcom Creek meets Bellingham Bay, a WDFW release said.
The Chinook are raised to increase food for orcas, support tribal fishing, and teach students how to raise salmon in a hatchery.