Eulachon

Habitat Distribution

• Native to the BC coast; spawning populations use the Nass, Skeena, Fraser, and several Central Pacific Coast rivers including the Klinaklini and Kingcome.
• Adults spend most of their lives feeding in cold nearshore Pacific waters and coastal inlets, returning to rivers only to spawn.
• Populations south of the Nass River in BC are assessed as Endangered or Threatened under COSEWIC; the Nass/Skeena population is listed as Threatened.

Key Locations

• Nass River, BC — one of the strongest remaining runs; Fishery Bay is the traditional harvest area for Nisg̱a'a Nation communities.
• Skeena River system, BC — supports the Threatened Nass/Skeena population alongside the Nass.
• Fraser River, BC — subject to its own DFO Integrated Fisheries Management Plan; population is Endangered and runs have declined sharply since the mid-1990s.
• Central Pacific Coast rivers (Klinaklini, Kingcome), BC — historically productive, now part of the Endangered Central Pacific Coast population.

Specific Spots

• During spawning runs, eulachon concentrate in tidal reaches and lower river sections — areas where ocean tides push against river current create the turbulent, oxygenated water they favor.
• On the Nass River, the stretch known as Fishery Bay sees the densest aggregations, where tidal pull funnels fish into predictable channels.
• Schools move with tidal cycles, so timing a net or dip net to coincide with the incoming or outgoing tide dramatically affects catch rates.