Quinsam River Salmon

Quinsam River

The Quinsam River is a tribuatry of the Campbell River which is confluences approximately 3 km upstream of the estuary. The Quinsam River is a lake headed river, and is located in the traditional territory of the We Wai Kai First Nation. The Quinsam is home to large runs of Chinook, coho, pink and steelhead. Chinook and coho salmon are enhanced at the Quinsam Hatchery. Chinook are released in two groups (traditional and late release) and coho are released in three groups (fed fry, traditional and late releases). Steelhead are not enhanced and are captured at the Quinsam fence Wolf Trap.

Quinsam River Hatchery

Quinsam River Study Area

Figure 1. Quinsam River Study Map showing sampling and PIT antenna/array loc_loc_code. Map is interactive

PIT Tags Deployed in Quinsam River Salmonids

PIT tagging in the Quinsam River salmon began in 2020, when the first pit tags were deployed from the Bottlenecks Study in hatchery coho salmon. Hatchery Chinook salmon were first PIT tagged in the spring of 2021. The Quinsam system does not have an early marine tagging component and Quinsam salmon captured during microtrolling or adult tagging are the only other contributions to pit returns.

Figure 2. Total PIT tags deployed for Fall Chinook in each year and stage

Figure 3. Total PIT tags deployed for Coho in each year and stage

Quinsam River Juvenile Coho Outmigration Timing

A mainstem 30 ft HDPE PIT antenna was installed under the Highway 28 in August of 2022. This single antenna may be used for outmigration detections, but without a secondary antenna, detection efficiencies cannot be derived until adult returns. Additionally, constant vandalism has caused additional issues.

Figure 4. Quinsam River Hatchery Chinook Outmigration Detections 2023 and 2024.

Figure 5. Quinsam River Wolf Trap Tagged Coho Outmigration Detections 2023.

Figure 6. Quinsam River Wolf Trap Tagged Coho Outmigration Detections 2024.

Quinsam River Mainstem PIT Array Detection Efficiency for Adult Returns

The original two transect PIT array comprised of 2 - 30 ft HDPE Biomark antennas was installed in June of 2021. However, due to private landowner issues and a lack of collaboration from BC Parks, the array was removed in the spring of 2022. A Quinsam River lower PIT antenna was installed under the Highway 28 bridge (90) the antenna was installed in August 2022 and is comprised of a single 30 ft HDPE Biomark PIT antenna. A full stream two transect PIT array was installed upriver at the Quinsam Hatchery, ~ 500 m below the mainstem fence, in July 2023. Each transect is comprised of 2 - 30 ft HDPE Biomark PIT antennas. Two custom PIT antennas were installed in the spring of 2021 in the Quinsam attraction channel (9a, 9b).Temporary antennas are installed at the outlet of the coho earthen pond in the winter and spring for the earthen pond overwinter survival study. Detection efficiency for this system is calculated at the maintsem PIT array (921 and 922).

Table 1. Quinsam River Mainstem PIT Array Summary of Unique Detection’s and Detection Efficiency for Coho salmon 2023.

[1] 107 [1] 107 [1] 91 [1] 147 [1] 172.846153846154 [1] 0.382352941176471 [1] 227 [1] 227 [1] 27.24 [1] 0.892857142857143 [1] 234 [1] 234 [1] 20.9865470852018 [1] 0.917695473251029 [1] 0.994553376906318

Quinsam River Coho Adult Return Detection Efficiency 2023
	Unique Tags Detected	Detection Efficiency
Quinsam Mainstem at Confluence	107	0.38
Quinsam Mainstem Lower	227	0.89
Quinsam Mainstem Upper	234	0.92

Table 2. Quinsam River Mainstem PIT Array Summary of Unique Detection’s and Detection Efficiency for Coho salmon 2024.

[1] 407 [1] 407 [1] 347 [1] 192 [1] 225.198847262248 [1] 0.643784786641929 [1] 424 [1] 424 [1] 175.829383886256 [1] 0.706867671691792 [1] 534 [1] 534 [1] 71.8633540372671 [1] 0.881386861313869 [1] 0.987614630170475

Quinsam River Coho Adult Return Detection Efficiency 2024
	Unique Tags Detected	Detection Efficiency
Quinsam Mainstem at Confluence	407	0.64
Quinsam Mainstem Lower	424	0.71
Quinsam Mainstem Upper	534	0.88

Quinsam River Detections Through Time

Detections of tagged salmon movements within the Quinsam River are shown below (Table 3; Figure 4).These are movements of fish filtered to one distinct detection per day.

Figure 4. Detections Through Time at the Quinsam River Mainstem Array.