Babine River Coho Beach Seining Program

Commencing in 1998, Babine River coho fry were strategically enhanced by conducting fry and smolt releases. A survival comparison of the fry versus smolt releases was intended to determine if fry releases into the Babine system could be used to increase the number of spawners returning. The releases of the 2000 and 2001 brood coho fry involved releasing two groups of coho fry with distinct tag codes. In both brood years, one group of approximately 40,000 fry was released into Babine Lake and the other group of approximately 40,000 fry was released into Nilkitkwa Lake. The lake habitat was preferred based on the assumption that the quantity and quality of over-wintering habitat in the lakes as compared to the Babine River, would enhance fry survival.