Wednesday October 11, 2023
Comox Valley Record —
As the first leaves of autumn fall, one of nature’s most mesmerizing spectacles unfolds in the Comox Valley. As hundreds of thousands of salmon make their return for the annual spawning season, the region gives place to a symphony of life and death.
For some, this event may be a source of excitement, but for the salmon, this marks the culmination of their life journey, as they undertake a perilous final pilgrimage back to the place where their story began a few years ago.
A salmon’s life starts in the fresh waters of a lake or river, buried in a gravel nest called redd. Laid and fertilized in late fall, the eggs take on average three months to hatch.
It’s in mid-winter and early spring, when salmon hatchlings, called alevins, break free from their embryos. Protected by a layer of gravel, juvenile salmon start feeding on a nutritious yolk sac located on their belly.
Hiding for the next three months, these fledgling fish are building up the much-needed strength required to face the upcoming challenges.