Dunn Creek Hatchery - Simpcw First Nation

Information

Project Name: Dunn Creek Hatchery Partner Group: Simpcw First Nation Contact Info:  Tina Donald, Manager Steve Jules, site manager Telephone: 250-672-9995 or 250-677-4251 Fax: 250-677-4251

Project Description

The Dunn Creek Hatchery is situated on a 4.73 hectare Provincial Crown leased property at the north end of Dunn Lake. Located 32.5 km on Dunn Lake Road north of Barriere, B.C. The hatchery started out raising Coho in 1983 in the base of the chlorination shack of the band. This proved to be a problem of moving smolts out. It was then decided to set up on Dunn Lake. The Dunn Lake hatchery was set up on the south end of Dunn Lake in 1984. A crew was hired and lake pens were built. The site was eventually moved to north end of Dunn Lake. The site would prove to be unsatisfactory due to warm water temperatures for our smolts. It lead to too many mortalities. A tenure was signed with Land and Water BC and a new site was built in 1992 on the banks of Dunn Creek. The move allowed the hatchery to be ground water fed, which was cooler water. Cooler water meant less mortalities. 

Expansions have included Chinook and coho enhancement, however, in 1989 it became strictly a coho facility. Producing and managing coho stocks are the main focus of this project.

Current Project Objectives are :

• Providing Dunn, Louis and Lemieux Creek coho salmon for coded wire tagging program;
• Operating enumeration fences on Dunn, Louis and Lemieux Creeks;
• Integrating with other fisheries projects in the area (non contract); and
• Creating awareness of the hatchery program to the general public and local schools

Chinook enumeration program for Raft River, Finn and Louis creeks has operated out of hatchery for the past several years.

The Simpcw First Nation Sustainable Resource Department manager and fisheries coordinator in partnership with DFO’s community economic development program, community advisor, oversees the hatchery program. 

Photos of the Dunn Creek Hatchery

Click on images to enlarge.
	Upon entering Dunn Creek hatchery this is what the view would be.
Dunn Creek Hatchery sign	View of four raceways that currently hold Louis, Dunn and Lemieux smolts with office build in the background

Close-up of People

Click on images to enlarge.
Weekend support staff wanding a Dunn creek male for CWT	Looking upstream from fence site – a view of Dunn creek spawning area upstream of fence site adjacent to hatchery site
Steve Jules and George Eustache checking coho in Dunn Creek side channel	Steve Jules cleaning trap box on Dunn creek of leaves

Skill Testing Questions/Answers

1. How many Coho Days have been celebrated at the Dunn Creek Hatchery?
   13
2. What other species did the Dunn Creek Hatchery raise in the very beginning of its life?  
   Chinook
3. What are the two streams that flow past the hatchery?
   Dunn Creek and Joseph Creek