Volunteers Needed for Union/Tahuya Summer Chum Project

If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, enjoy getting in the river and having some fun handling wild salmon, or are able to help record incoming fish data, this is an opportunity for you. The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) is currently seeking volunteers to help with the Summer Chum project on the Union River in Belfair.

The Hood Canal summer chum is an ESA listed species. As an ongoing project since 2000, supplementation of the species has been one of HCSEG’s project priorities. Successful supplementation efforts in the past have stabilized the numbers of returning wild salmon on the Union River, which now has sustainable numbers returning by the thousands each year.
Each year, HCSEG collects 52 pairs of salmon from the Union River for spawning. Eggs collected are raised in wild salmon incubators to minimize chances of mortality. Once hatched, salmon fry are then released into the Tahuya River to supplement the natural spawners. Historically, the Tahuya River, like the Union River was a productive river for the ESA listed salmon. However, decline in fish populations due to over-fishing and alterations in habitat caused their numbers to decline. In fact, prior to HCSEG efforts, the Hood Canal summer chum Tahuya River population was a technically extinct run with only 1-2 fish returning to spawn each year. However, in the past 2 years, we have had 600-700 summer chum return to the Tahuya River as a result of our supplementation project. Continued recovery efforts and supplementation to the Tahuya system should in time replenish the stock to a sustainable level.

If you are available or have students, friends, family or other volunteers that you know of who might be available, this is the time that we need them. The site is watched 24 hours a day, seven days an week from August 15th until October 15th. Shifts are 8 AM-12 PM, 12-5, 5-10 and 10-8 AM.

For those wanting to get involved in community service, give back to the resource, work towards field experience, or a possible scholarship or internship, this is a great opportunity to do something worthwhile. We really need the help and could use your support. If you are available to help observing salmon at night, we have accommodations available at the Union site. For more information about HCSEG’s Union / Tahuya River Salmon trap monitoring, please call (360) 275-3575 or contact Julie at Julie@hcseg.org. You are also welcome to stop in at the HCSEG office located next across the street from Belfair Elementary for volunteer scheduling.