Enhancement
The Nicomekl Enhancement Society (NES) currently at 60 members incorporated on April 4th, 1991 under the Society Act having originally formed 1989 as a small scale volunteer salmon hatchery named "Fish for your Future". The organizer Dave Evans, a well known outdoorsman and Langley Rod and Gun Club member was elected the first President. NES then became a founding partner of Langley Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) which currently has 5 other partners groups - Salmon River Enhancement Society, Yorkson Watershed Stewardship Committee, Bertrand Creek Enhancement Society, and West Creeks Enhancement Society.
In 1990 with the assistance of Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Community Advisor Joe Kambietz the group set up a temporary salmon egg incubation tank on private property on the lower reaches of Anderson Creek. In their first year 125,000 Chum fry where released into the Nicomekl River system.
NES is the only Enhancement Society holding club membership within the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) and has members serving it's Board of Directors for Region 2 - Lower Mainland. Residents of Elgin Saving Creeks form Urban Effects (RESCUE) who hold NES membership and serve on our Board of Directors.
Since 1991, NES has incubated, raised and released over 3 million salmon - Chinook (red and white), Coho, Chum, and Pink into the Nicomekl River and it's many tributaries within the municipalities of Township of Langley, City of Langley and City of Surrey. NES hatchery releases on average 200,000 salmon fry annually and includes both fry and smolts provided by DFO Lower Mainland hatcheries located at Chilliwack, Chehalis and Inch Creek. Current annual capacity of the hatchery is 300,000 eggs.
At this show, Bruce Coulter a well known Langley outdoorsman noticed the NES displays and asked about our work. Bruce obtained a membership and after knowing the members better offered a portion of his land (1.66 hectares) to NES as an incubation site with a Nicomekl tributary (Hatchery Creek) running through it.
NES first success came in 1994 when the first Chum salmon returned to spawn near our hatchery site after an absence of 80 years. This achievement was followed in 2006 with DFO declaring the Nicomekl River "sustainable" for sports fishing retention for 1 each hatchery Coho and Chinook. Previously, retention had not been permitted for over 20 years. To commemorate this event, NES donated a concrete salmon statue named "Ernie" to the City of Langley where it sits in Portage Park.
In 1994 amid much fanfare Bruce Coulter graciously deeded this parcel of land to NES.
NES partners with School District #35 by providing 'eyed' salmon eggs for the Classroom Incubation Program. At fry stage, the students return to our hatchery site to release their fry and recieve guided tours of the hatchery operation. About 1200 enthusiastic students and teachers attend each April making this Month a very busy time.
NES members are very active at various environmental, educational, policy forums and also participates in salmon spawning habitat restoration projects throughout the Nicomekl River Watershed with local governments and other partner organizations.
|
Year
|
Chinook (RED)
|
Coho
|
Chum
|
Pink
|
Chinook (WHITE)
|
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | 85,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 0 | 30,000 | 150,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 0 | 35,000 | 85,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 25,000 | 4,500 | 50,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 21,300 | 70,700 | 50,800 | 700 | 0 |
| 1995 | 22,300 | 38,000 | 70,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 51,445 | 16,500 | 65,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 56,569 | 46,000 | 158,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 65,000 | 28,000 | 160,000 | 32,000 | 35,500 |
| 1999 | 0 | 68,894 | 65,170 | 0 | 31,332 |
| 2000 | 0 | 37,600 | 84,388 | 25,000 | 32,600 |
| 2001 | 0 | 55,500 | 144,000 | 0 | 21,400 |
| 2002 | 0 | 48,500 | 125,000 | 8,000 | 45,000 |
| 2003 | 0 | 45,000 | 100,000 | 0 | 35,000 |
| 2004 | 44,500 | 44,000 Smolts 12,000 Fry | 125,000 | 147,000 | 5,500 |
| 2005 | 34,500 | 15,000 Smolts 57,000 Fry | 100,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 41,500 | 64,000 Smolts 53,000 Fry | 86,500 | 99,500 | 0 |
| 2007 | 46,610 | 200 Smolts 11,100 Fry | 100,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 37,000 | 32,000 Smolts 29,200 Fry | 100,000 | 192,520 | 0 |
| 2009 | 51,006 | 52,535 Smolts 9,743 Fry | 100,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 43,612 | 54,000 Smolts 25,598 Fry | 50,000 | 134,249 | 0 |
| 2011 | 22,503 | 75,125 Smolts 42,482 Fry | 52,000 | 0 | 0 |