SALMON SPAWNING CHANNELS

The Fulton Channel is one of two sockeye spawning channels on Babine Lake, which are operated as part of the Salmonid Enhancement Program of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. It is the largest of its kind in the world.

A pair of spawning sockeye will lay about 30,000 eggs. Under natural stream conditions, only about 10% of those eggs will survive to emerge as fry. Of those 300 fry, 40% will survive to become smolts. Of those 120 smolts, less then 5% will survive to return to the Skeena as adults. And of those six adults, up to four fish may be caught leaving only two adults to continue the cycle.

With ideal flows and clean well-sorted gravels, spawning channels can increase egg-to-fry survival rates by up to six times the natural rate. The larger the number of fry produces can result in a similar increase in adult returns. Instead of just six fish surviving to adulthood from a spawning pair, now there could be up to 30 additional adults available for harvest.

Babine Lake was found capable of supporting more sockeye fry than could be produced in the natural spawning areas around the lake. These channels were built to increase fry numbers, and benefit commercials, sport and First Nations fisheries for sockeye. Babine sockeye now normally account for over 90% of the returns to the Skeena River. The best time of the year to see the salmon is August-September.