JOYCE — Volunteers who help the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe install smolt traps on various Joyce-area streams beginning Tuesday will get their feet wet in the fish-monitoring project, both literally and figuratively.
“Smolt traps are very important to help fisheries staff determine amount of emigrating smolts to study trends in fish numbers and monitor the health of local river systems,” said coordinator Kara Cardinal of Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network, a partner with the tribe, in a press release.
“This a really incredible volunteer opportunity, so for those that are able to join, it will be a great way to learn more about monitoring fish populations in Joyce area waterways, and get to work alongside the wonderful habitat technicians from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe,” Cardinal said.
The work will be physically demanding. Volunteers must lift heavy sandbags to place the traps in the waterways and wear chest waders since they will be assembling the traps in the streams. They also are told to dress warmly in layers and bring extra clothes and gloves, as well as a sack lunch, water and snacks.
The traps will be put in such waterways as Salt Creek, Deep Creek, East Twin River and West Twin River. Carpooling with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will be available from the Park and Ride located at the top of Laird Road in Port Angeles off U.S. Highway 101 just east of the junction with state Highway 112.
Registration is required. The form is through the Clallam Conservation District at https://clallamcd.org/2023volunteerrestoration.
The work will be from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on these dates:
• Tuesday, April 18 — West Twin River.
• Wednesday, April 19 — East Twin River.
• Thursday, April 20 — Deep Creek.
• April 24 — Salt Creek.
•April 25 — Deep Creek.
• April 26 — West Twin River.
• April 27— East Twin River.
The smolt traps consist of a fence weir to help funnel smolts into a box that holds them until fisheries technicians count and identify them daily then return them to the waterway, according to Cardinal. They are left in place from mid-April through mid-June.
