Quinsam 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 Quinsam River Hatchery has gone through a major renovation to modernize and improve the facility and its operations. The installation of its own independent power plant makes it one of Canada’s most energy-efficient hatcheries. The hatchery has a Visitor Center with displays that provide information about the hatchery’s program, the salmon life cycle and salmonid enhancement techniques. The Quinsam River Hatchery provides support for community programs delivered by the local Community Advisor. It supplies up to eight million pink salmon eggs to the east coast of Vancouver Island, from Courtenay to Nanaimo. The Quinsam and Campbell rivers are very important as key streams for coho and chinook salmon assessment. The hatchery is involved in salmon tagging, adult recovery and biological sampling to support DFO and its Pacific Salmon Treaty obligations. The Quinsam River Hatchery is also involved in science research projects.

Visiting the hatchery

Directions

From Campbell River, drive west on Highway 28 towards Gold River and look for the Fish Hatchery sign. Turn left onto Quinsam Road (approximately 200 metres after the intersection with Highway 19). Follow this road for approximately 2 kilometres to the hatchery site entrance (there is a large sign that can't be missed).

Tours

The facility and surrounding rivers offer excellent opportunities to view salmon in their natural setting. Please phone ahead for information on activities. Guided tours for groups can be pre-arranged if staff is available. For the general public, there is a self-guided tour with the aid of a pamphlet. The hatchery gate is open at 8:00 am and locked at 3:30 pm. Please ensure that your vehicle is out of the area by closing time, or you will be locked in.

Key activities

• Fish production to support sustainable fisheries
• Stock conservation
• Stewardship and education
• Habitat restoration
• Stock assessment
• Coded wire tagging
• First Nations partnerships
• External partnerships
• Water management
• Lake enrichment
• Ocean productivity monitoring

Local fishing and community involvement

• Freshwater: Region 1 - Vancouver Island
• Tidal Waters: Area 13 (Campbell River and Cortes/Sonora/Quadra Islands)
• Community Projects: Campbell River area

When can I see salmon?