A mature Chum salmon nearing the end of its life in Napoleon Creek, meters away from Nanaimo River Hatchery. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Salmon enhancement

‘This day and fundraiser is huge for us:’ Nanaimo Fish Hatchery hosts hands-on event

Nov 1, 2025 | 8:39 AM

NANAIMO — It won’t be hard at all to spot a spawning salmon splashing its way up a creek behind Nanaimo River Hatchery.

The hatchery’s popular annual Spawning Day Fundraiser takes place Sunday, Nov. 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Nanaimo River Hatchery, located at 2775 Rugby Rd., off the Trans Canada Hwy.

Hatchery manager Brian Banks said family-friendly activities include spawning demonstrations, guided and unguided stream walks, dissections and the ability to release a young Coho salmon.

“Right now, there’s a lot of Coho you can see and some Chum spawning as well. It’s a nice place to come for a walk and see the spawning salmon,” Banks told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Event itinerary for the 2025 Nanaimo Fish Hatchery Spawning Day Fundraiser event. (Nanaimo River Hatchery)

changing rooms

New dressing room under construction at Oceanside Place

1h ago

Parksville trail

Parksville trail project linking Community Park and Englishman River Estuary to get underway

4h ago

Best in Sport

Nanaimo celebrates Sport Achievement Awards and Hall of Fame inductions

20h ago

Typically, the Nanaimo River system sees in the range of 30,000 to 40,000 Chum return, along with smaller volumes of Chinook, Coho and Pinks.

Upwards of 2.5 million eggs in all four species are produced annually at the hatchery, Banks noted.

Contracted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Banks said funding remains tight as their costs continue to escalate.

“We’re a non-profit society that runs the hatchery here, so having this day and fundraiser is huge for us.”

Admission is by donation, which goes directly to a multitude of salmon enhancement initiatives, Banks said.

The annual Spawning Day Fundraiser includes an opportunity to win several prizes.

A salmon barbecue prepared by Nanaimo Fish and Game Club will be available, while Banks said multiple community booths will be set up.

He said the event is a popular draw for families of school-age children.

“We see the same ones year after year,” Banks said. “To see the kids come out and just understanding what we do here and how important it is extremely valuable. It is a big thing for us to showcase what we’re up to and how important this work is.”

Banks said in the range of 2-3 thousand students visit Nanaimo River Hatchery annually to learn more about the life-cycle of Pacific Salmon, and their ongoing restoration efforts.

Subscribe to our daily news wrap. Local news delivered to your email inbox every evening. Stay up to date on everything Nanaimo and Oceanside.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook