Tag Archives: Basil Creek Culvert

Rivers & Oceans

First Chum Egg Count Of The Year – Is Terrific!

The final count for Cortes Island’s 2024 Chum run is not yet in, but according to local streamkeeper Christine Robinson, “We have never seen a return like this during the 34 years we’ve lived on Cortes, but the phenomenon is up the coast as far as Alaska. It’s not specific to Cortes and the Discovery Islands.”  

“It’s down into Washington state as well,” added her husband and fellow streamkeeper, Cec Robinson. 

On Monday, November 18th, five Cortes stream keepers and a semi-retired DFO employee from Campbell River gathered in the Klahoose Hatchery to count this year’s first egg take from Basil Creek.  

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Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

5,000 Chum fry released back into Basil Creek

More than 20 people gathered at the Klahoose hatchery in Squirrel Cove to watch around  5,000 Chum fry be released back into Basil Creek on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Six of them were women and girls from the Klahoose village, who came to sing a prayer song. Seven were homeschool students, enrolled in the Partners in Education (PIE) program, who came with their mothers. There were also a handful of Cortes Island streamkeepers, three Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) personal and two reporters. 

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Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

Harvesting salmon eggs on Cortes and the Greater Campbell River area

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is working with local groups to harvest salmon eggs throughout the Greater Campbell River area. 

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Rivers & Oceans

The Chum have returned to Basil Creek

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This program was funded by a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the Government of Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative. 

The Chum have returned.

Squirrel Cove’s eagles have been announcing this to anyone listening, for weeks.

Three juveniles rose to flight, in response to the human presence at the mouth of Basil creek. They left their meal on the bank. The head of a salmon had been pecked off. Its body lay further up the bank.

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Environment, Finances

May 12th Cortes Virtual Meeting: FOCI’s Larger Picture Vision

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Every year, the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) allots Cortes Island $25,000 to be distributed to Cortes Island organizations as Grants-in-Aid. While the final decision is made by the SRD Board, the process begins locally. This year Regional Director Noba Anderson has committed to making her recommendation based on the input of Cortes not-for-profit organizations. She asked that they go beyond thinking in terms of the grant and put forward proposals that are of a “bigger minded gutsy nature.” Nine Cortes organizations subsequently submitted 20 project proposals. The most ambitious, six proposals costing a total of $362,936, came from the Friends of Cortes Island Society (FOCI). This is clearly far beyond Grants in Aid and the May 12th Cortes Virtual Community meeting was devoted to a discussion of FOCI’s larger picture vision.

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