FAUNTLEROY CREEK: Festive first 2025 salmon release

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Salmon hats and a salmon song gave fry a festive send-off)

Story by Judy Pickens
Photos by John Sturtevant
Special to West Seattle Blog

Preschoolers from The Cove School in the Admiral District opened salmon-release season today on Fauntleroy Creek. Teachers brought the coho fry the 22 students had helped rear through the Salmon in the Schools program, and a like number of parents, grandparents, and others came to celebrate with the children. Volunteers with the Fauntleroy Watershed Council gave a hand to be sure the inch-long fish had a gentle entry into the water.

(Dennis Hinton has been helping students put fish in the creek for 15 years)

Twenty two seems to be the number this spring – 22 volunteers to staff 22 school releases on the schedule (a record number), plus an all-ages community release on Sunday, June 1, 1:00-3:00 pm at the big bridge in Fauntleroy Park. By then, nearly 800 students will have come and roughly 2,000 fry will have started their year-long stay in the creek.

(Young, elder, and in between hands released 134 healthy coho fry)

Since late March, fry released last spring have been leaving the creek as smolts for their two years in saltwater. Volunteers will continue to check net traps in the upper and lower creek twice daily through most of May. So far, they have documented 18 smolts headed for nearshore habitat in Fauntleroy Cove to fatten up before moving into open water.

Lucy April 28, 2025 (2:30 pm)

This is unbelievably cool. What great lessons these little ones are learning. The native stories about the salmon, the artwork and dances involved are uplifting and so very spiritual! Go, kiddos, go! The future will be a better place because you care.

Merrily Stover April 28, 2025 (6:32 pm)

Yes! So impressive! All of it ! “Salmon in the Schools.” Brilliant!

Voter April 29, 2025 (2:11 pm)

This is one of the best programs around — elders and young ones working together and learning about the magic and necessity of salmon to our environment and native culture. Major thanks to all of the teachers, students and volunteers who participate in this program.