Thousands Of Kokanee Salmon Released Into Lake Sammamish
SAMMAMISH, WA — Leaders from King County and the Snoqualmie Tribe gathered Wednesday to celebrate the release of thousands of young kokanee salmon into Lake Sammamish, building on promising population growth of the native fish in recent years.
Last year, biologists recorded more than 2,000 adult kokanee returning to their spawning grounds, which officials said was more than the previous five seasons combined. The promising growth follows recommendations enacted four years ago aiming to improve salmon habitats and populations.
"Ensuring the survival of native salon requires persistence and ingenuity, and our staff and partners have demonstrated both," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "We're seeing hopeful signs for the future of 'the little red fish' that has been part of Tribal lifeways since time immemorial, and this is a moment to celebrate that progress."
The Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group, comprised of Eastside residents, Tribal members, and state and local wildlife agencies, celebrated the latest release lakeside Wednesday before releasing the kokanee at sunset, allowing the young fish to better hide from predators and get comfortable with their surroundings, officials said.
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