Conuma River Hatchery
On this page
- About us
- Visiting the hatchery
- Key activities
- Local fishing and community involvement
- When can I see salmon?
About us
The Conuma River Hatchery is located at the head of the Tlupana Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island about four kilometres upstream of the Conuma River Estuary. Originally designated as a chum enhancement facility in the early 1980s, it has evolved into a major chinook enhancement facility. The hatchery annually releases about 3.5 million seapen-reared chinook smolts into five different watersheds and estuaries in the Nootka Sound area. The hatchery also rears chum and coho in the Conuma River and chum in the Tlupana, Canton and Sucwoa rivers. Busy periods are from September to October, when adult capture and egg-take processes occur and from March to June when juveniles are reared and released.
Visiting the hatchery
Address and contact information
Mailing address:
Conuma River Hatchery
PO Box 247
Tahsis BC V0P 1X0
Telephone: 250-283-7148 or 250-283-7171
Fax: 250-283-7171
Hatchery manager: Mike Austin
Email: Mike.Austin@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Hours
8 am to 4 pm daily
Please telephone to confirm holiday hours.
Directions
From Campbell River, follow Hwy 28 to the Village of Gold River. From Gold River, follow road signs to Tahsis along the Head Bay Forestry Road for 36 kilometres. The hatchery is on the left.
Tours
For safety concerns, Conuma River Hatchery staff guide all public tours. Please call ahead to book all tours, which take about a half hour. Community groups and school programs that participate in stewardship and educational activities, such as classroom incubation and stream enhancement, may obtain guided tours as well. The Conuma Hatchery does not have any public facilities. For further information, please telephone the hatchery.
Key activities
- Indigenous partnerships
- External partnerships
- Stewardship and education
- Fish production to support sustainable fisheries
- Stock conservation
Local fishing and community involvement
- Freshwater: Region 1 - Vancouver Island
- Tidal Waters: Areas 25 and 125 (Nootka Sound/Esperanza Inlet)
- Community Projects: Central portion, east coast of Vancouver Island and adjacent mainland inlets
When can I see salmon?
| Species | Dates |
|---|---|
| Chinook adults | mid-September to early October |
| Coho adults | October to November |
| Chum adults | late September to October |
| Chum juveniles | March to April, early May |
| Coho juveniles | all year |
| Chinook juveniles | mid-February to late May |
End of September to the end of October is the best time to view adult salmon on site. February, March, April, and the beginning of May is the best time to view salmon fry on site.
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