Life Cycle of Sockeye Salmon - Day 1 to 3 Years - Oliver, British Columbia, Canada
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T0SHEA
N 49° 13.752 W 119° 32.535
11U E 314917 N 5456045
The Life Cycle of Sockeye Salmon is on a large sign at the start of the KVR Trail. To access from Hwy. 97 turn west into the large pullout and park near the gate and it is about 100 metre walk to the sign.
Waymark Code: WMQ3HX
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 12/12/2015
Views: 2
This is an interesting location as the trail follows the Okanagan River where the Sockeye journey up the river to spawn. The best time to see the salmon is early fall: September to October.
(1) Day One – October: Eggs
After choosing a mate, the female sockeye digs a nest or redd in the gravel with her tail and lays her EGGS. One the male has fertilized the eggs with milt, the female covers them with gravel. She may dig more than one Redd with different mates. The eggs incubate over the winter months.
(2) 4 to 6 months – February to April: Alevin
Once hatched the tiny sockeye Alevin remain in the gravel, feeding from their large yolk sacs until emerge as FRY in the spring.
(3) 5 to 6 months – March/April: Fry/Juveniles
After leaving the gravel the sockeye FRY migrate downstream into Osoyoos Lake where they spend a year as Juveniles, feeding on small organisms along the shore.
(4) 1 year later: Smolts
At the endo of their first year, the sockeye Smolts migrate down the Columbia River and to sea. SMOLTS are young salmon making the changes needed to adapt to salt-water life.
(5) 1 to 2 years later: Adults
Adult sockeye spend between one and two years maturing in the North Pacific Ocean and in the circular current of the Alaskan Gyre.
(6) 2 to 3 years later: Spawners
In summer, two to three year old sockeye Spawners begin their long journey back up the Columbia, entering the Okanagan River in September to spawn in October.
Their life cycle is now complete and once they have mated and spawned the exhausted sockeye swim quietly away to die.
Visit Instructions:At least one good photo you have personally obtained and a brief story of your visit. Any additions or corrections to the information about the Waymark (for instance, have the hours open to the public changed) will be greatly appreciated.