Sockeye Survival

As a Hatchery Technician for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at the Cedar River Sockeye Hatchery, I had the privilege to not only spawn and raise sockeye for release, but to participate in continual research on all five salmon species that call the river home. Research and management of the Cedar River Hatchery is done in conjunction with the Muckleshoot Tribe.

Biosampling

One out of every three sockeye spawned at the hatchery was included biosampled to contribute to a continuous data set on sockeye health and attributes. Biosampling included sexing and measuring each fish, inspecting it for copepods, furunculosis, columnaris, and fungus, and removing both otoliths for examination in a lab to determine age. Data will contribute to research studies spanning years to determine the health of sockeye coming out of Lake Washington and the Ballard Locks and the future outlook for Cedar River sockeye.

Presence of Endangered Chinook

Part of my duties included helping run the fish ladder at the Landsberg Dam. All fish that passed through the ladder were recorded, including the presence of Chinook, which are endangered on the cedar river.

As a hatchery technician, I helped spawn 3,500 adult sockeye by hand, producing over 5 million fertilized eggs. I monitored adult sockeye health prior to spawning and cared for egg health in kitoi boxes. When eggs became eyed eggs, I hand picked the eggs for loss and calculated the number of living eggs in each take. I participated in nutrient cycling by returning deceased adult salmon to the Cedar River.