For the second year in a row, volunteer watchers tallied an exceptional number of coho spawners – 254! – in Fauntleroy Creek. This count exceeded last year’s 244 by 10, putting it in the No. 2 position behind 2012’s all-time high of 274.
A work party on Oct. 13 cleared the way for the large, bright fish to get through a logjam on the beach to reach the mouth of the creek and spawning habitat. More than two dozen volunteer watchers saw them between Oct. 25 and Nov. 15.
Another exceptional number: the 440-plus people of all ages who visited the spawning reach to see the action and learn about habitat stewardship.
Watchers noted where they saw spawning, and volunteers will check those locations this winter for “home hatch.”
Find a summary of the Salmon Watch here.
Photo by Tom Trulin