In a recent photo posted (yesterday) on Facebook by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, almost 100 Pacific Lamprey can be seen passing through the fish ladders at Bonneville Damn.
Superhighway of Pacific Lamprey
“The Bonneville Dam fish ladder is currently a superhighway of Pacific Lamprey. So far this year, nearly 7,000 have passed the counting window and the season is just getting going. Photo courtesy Anna Allen, CRITFC.”
Pacific Lamprey vs Sea Lamprey
Pacific lamprey are native and they belong here. Sea lamprey and Pacific lamprey are two different species. Sea lamprey are native to the Atlantic Ocean and the rivers and tributaries on the East Coast of the U.S., but they are invasive to the Great Lakes.
We Need Them
The rivers, including all the fish population, and the entire PNW ecosystem needs Pacific Lamprey to thrive. They provide vital nutrients for everything in the region. From plants and animals to humans, Lamprey are enjoyed by all (well, maybe everyone/thing except their host, but they don’t usually end them.
“Never Eat Again”
The adult Lamprey that swim back from the ocean and make the journey home to spawn will “never eat again” before they become fish food as they say because their carcasses provide important nutrients to river ecosystems after spawning. The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission posted a comment that said this, “Once adult lamprey transition from salt water to fresh to return home, they never eat again. Sometimes this can be more than a year without food as they prepare to spawn and then die, just like salmon.”
Declining Populations
The numbers of returning lamprey have declined throughout the Columbia River Basin, making this news even more exciting because I’m hoping more make it up the Snake River there are only a few places where lamprey remain to seemingly be abundant in season.
Pacific Lamprey Taste Good
People enjoy eating Pacific lamprey, which are calorie-rich and vital to the food web. They have at least 40 predators: juvenile lampreys are eaten by fish and birds, and adults by fish, birds, and various mammals. Predators prefer Pacific lamprey over salmon because they are higher in fat and calories.
Why Pacific Lamprey Matter
Great News
This is great news for everyone, even if you don’t know it yet. With any luck, we may actually notice a positive impact from the conservation efforts that have been taking place. If the number of Lamprey continue to flourish, so will all the other animals that benefit from their nutrients, including you. Thank you for reading.
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Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/critfc
https://critfc.org/fish-and-watersheds/columbia-river-fish-species/lamprey/
