Oyster River Enhancement Society
On-Site At The Oyster River
On-Site With ORES
ORES operates a strategic enhancement hatchery, raising Pink, Coho, Chum and Chinook Salmon. Using a mixture of "low-tech" and "state of the art" enhancement techniques, the society transformed a "dead" river into one of the most productive volunteer-driven producers on Vancouver Island.
 Stock Capture |
 Egg Take |
 Fertilization |
 Incubation |
 Egg Picking |
 Fry Rearing |
 Smolt Release |
Habitat Restoration
The society works on habitat restoration projects for natural spawning, rearing and overwintering of salmonoids. In the past 20 years, the ORES has focused on the creation of side channel habitat and constructed several man-made channels. Side channels provide stable spawning habitat for Coho, Chinook, Pink and Chum salmon, Trout, Steelhead and overwintering habitat for rearing juvenilles.
These channels divert a small amount of water via river intakes which control the amount of water flowing through providing protection during periods of high water and prevent a loss of flow during the summer
The channels have been built with structures that salmonides use as habitat. These structures include deep pools and ponds, shallow bubbling riffles, undercut banks, boulders and large woody debris.
While representing only 6% of the total river area, the side channels account for 25% of the estimated total coho smolt production in the system and there has been a significant increase in the numbers of returning salmon.
Enjoy your walk through these side channels and respect this restored habitat. The future of our precious salmonid resource is in our hands and we all can make a difference.
The Oyster River Channels
Rippengale Channel
The Rippengale Channel is where our hatchery operations take place. The entire system is gravity fed. Click the image to take a better look.
Arthur Mayse Channel
The Arthur Mayse Channel begins near the mouth of the Oyster River. Click on the image to enlarge the map.
Raven Channel
The Raven Channel. Click on the image to enlarge the map.
Connolly Channel
The Patrick and Josephine Connolly Channel. Click on the image to enlarge the map.