New Coho salmon eggs are in the tank. Photo by Tim Shank

For 20 years at the River Center we have raised salmon from eggs, acquired from the local Hurt Creek hatchery. Visitors can witness the miracle of this iconic Northwest species up close and learn about why salmon matter.

When developing plans for the new exhibits, our museum design firm, Pacific Studios, decided to repurpose the former bathroom–already plumbed to draw clear cold water from our well–to create a room dedicated to the salmon story, complete with a new large aquarium given to us by a donor. Coincidently, the new tank fits perfectly against the back wall.

Last week, I introduced 500 Coho salmon eggs into the tank. They’ll hatch in the next few days, and you can watch them grow in our aquarium for the next 5-11 months.

The fun really begins when the fish are old enough to be released into the river. That’s when you, your children, grandkids and guests, can help with this in a memorable way:

First, you’ll get a personal lesson in the types of salmon, their life cycle, their place in the food web, and their importance to the ecology of the Dungeness River. And a rundown of the obstacles they face from predators, stream flow, changes to their freshwater ecosystems, and climate change. Secondly, you’ll learn about the challenges they face in salt water, including the hazards of their status in the food chain (an Orca’s favorite meal).

We’ll also discuss the historical importance of salmon to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and other Northwest Tribes, how their perspective differs from the “resource extraction” model, and the work they do to protect the species.

Then we catch a small fish in a cup for you. You are asked to give it a name (anything but Nemo, Shark Bait or Sushi), give this youngster a pep talk to prepare it for the great wide world, and release it into the river.

You can follow visitor’s personal stories through our program on the Dungeness River Nature Center’s Facebook, Instagram, or our newsletter to read about some of the “ones who got away.”

A special thank you to our co-sponsors all these years: the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the North Olympic Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers.

Powell Jones, Director