King County biologists are encouraged by the large number of adult Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon discovered spawning recently in Laughing Jacobs Creek – a small stream that feeds into the lake near Issaquah. More than 300 fish were counted on this particular afternoon, as well as numerous active “redds,” or nests dug from the streambed and filled with fertilized and incubating eggs. Several female kokanee were captured from the creek for use in the ongoing supplementation program at the state’s Issaquah Salmon Hatchery. Lake Sammamish kokanee were recently denied protection under the Federal Endangered Species Act, which means it is up to local efforts to recover the species.

» Launch Lake Sammamish kokanee video in Vimeo (external site)

For information about Lake Sammamish kokanee, please contact Perry Falcone, Kokanee Recovery Manager, WLRD Regional Partnerships Unit.

Related information

• Sammamish kokanee video, spring 2012
• Lake Sammamish
• Sammamish watershed
• Salmon and trout topics
• DNRP multimedia

Related agencies

• Department of Natural Resources and Parks
• Water and Land Resources Division