2024 surveys show record number of salmon in Shell Creek

— Story and photos by Joe Scordino
Project leader, Edmonds Stream Team
January 1, 2025

High school students collecting data on stream conditions and salmon occurrence.

The Edmonds Stream Team completed its annual adult salmon surveys in Edmonds’ Shell Creek and Lunds Gulch Creek (located in Meadowdale Beach Park) in December. The Stream Team documented the highest number of chum salmon spawners in November 2024 since surveys began in Shell Creek in 2017.

Continue reading “2024 surveys show record number of salmon in Shell Creek”

Letter to Shell Creek residents

By Joe Scordino
November 23, 2024

Shell Creek Residents:

As many of you have noticed in your creek, we are having a banner year in the numbers of adult chum salmon returning to Shell Creek.

I want to THANK YOU for allowing the Edmonds Stream Team to continually access your property in the fall to collect data on the salmon run.  We’ll be continuing our salmon surveys into mid-December when most of our observations will probably shift to just examining dead salmon to collect data on their spawning success (we’re currently still seeing ‘new’  arrivals as  well as dead spawned-out salmon).

Continue reading “Letter to Shell Creek residents”

Letter to Edmonds Stream Team

From Joe Scordino
November 23, 2024

Students – Linked below is a news article on the Edmonds Stream Team “coming to the rescue” to resolve a fish passage problem for spawning salmon in Shell Creek.  

The stream habitat and salmon abundance data collected by students was used to justify an emergency permit from the WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to make changes to a blockage DURING the salmon run.  Normally, such instream work would not be allowed during salmon migration – – but I had the data (collected by students) to justify the emergency action.

So… THANK YOU for participating in the Stream Team.  You have made a big difference for our local salmon population!

Joe bypassing Shell creek salmon barrier
Joe bypassing Shell creek salmon barrier
Continue reading “Letter to Edmonds Stream Team”

Scene in Edmonds: Finding passage for salmon

My Edmonds News
Posted: November 20, 2024

Joe Scordino on the scene. (Photo courtesy Karen Barnes)

It is salmon migration season and significant numbers of chum salmon are actively making their way up Shell Creek. As is always the case, they need to pass many obstacles along the way. This year they were presented with a new and unexpected challenge.

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‘Give them a chance’: The fight to bring salmon back to Edmonds stream

For years, locals have begged the city to remove fish barriers in Perrinville Creek. A federal grant could help.

by Ta’Leah Van Sistine
Saturday, September 21, 2024 6:30am

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/give-them-a-chance-the-fight-to-bring-salmon-back-to-edmonds-stream/

An overflow diversion structure sits along a section of Perrinville Creek near Talbot Road on Monday in Edmonds. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Reader view: Can we stop the demise of Edmonds salmon streams?

By Joe Scordino
Posted: August 26, 2023

Joe Scordino
Joe Scordino

First it was Perrinville Creek and now it is Shell Creek that is losing its natural functions and salmon habitat — this time because of neglect and inaction by city administration in Edmonds’ Yost Park.

In the case of Perrinville Creek, the loss of salmon is due to both inaction to implement a watershed restoration plan (as promised by Mayor Nelson in a press release over two years ago), and an apparent illegal action the city took in January 2021 to totally block salmon access to Perrinville Creek.

Continue reading “Reader view: Can we stop the demise of Edmonds salmon streams?”