Kokanee News Alert | Lake Sammamish Kokanee are BACK!

Go See Lake Sammamish Kokanee Spawning this Salmon SEEson

Now is a great time to view kokanee salmon spawning in creeks around Lake Sammamish. Adults of this unique landlocked salmon species are returning in strong numbers to the spawning grounds this year, with more than 2,500 fish counted so far - that's a dramatic improvement over recent years' returns.  You can see these brightly colored salmon at Salmon SEEson viewing sites along Ebright, Zackuse, and Lewis Creeks, among others.

Details for self-guided and interactive viewing opportunities are available on the Salmon SEEson website.

Improving and Reconnecting Stream Habitat Will Increase Spawning Opportunities for our Kokanee

Kokanee salmon are returning in numbers to spawn and filling the accessible reaches of streams around Lake Sammamish, including in Lewis Creek, pictured here.  These fish are documented at the upper extent of accessible habitat in a barrier culvert on Lewis Creek.  This passage barrier is slated for construction by WSDOT in 2027.  We can't wait to see what happens when these fish have farther to go!

Barrier removal and creek restoration projects create more and better-quality spawning and rearing habitat, which will no doubt help us make headway for more successful natural production of kokanee in strong return years, such as this one. (Photo by Roger Tabor, USFWS)

Scientists Hard at Work, Helping Recover the Little Red Fish

Scientists from King County's Department of Natural Resources and Parks (front and center, Dan Lantz and Jim Bower) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are hard at work fertilizing kokanee eggs for our hatchery supplementation program and collecting important data that will help us tell the success story of this spawning season with more information. 

In recent years, we are returning at least two times as many spawners as would have occurred by natural production alone by using an extended rearing strategy in our hatchery program, as explained in recent coverage of our latest, record fry release. We expect the success of this recovery strategy to be a continuing pattern given the strong run we are seeing this year!

Kudos to all of our Kokanee Work Group partners for a job well done.  Let's keep working to recover the little red fish - our efforts are starting to pay off.