HERRING in Sitka

The end of March and the beginning of April is the time when herring come to spawn in Sitka Sound.  It is an exciting time of year.  The dark and rain of winter opens to an eruption of ocean life.  Sea lions and whales follow the rich nutrients of the herring.  King salmon show up in greater numbers to feed.

This year, I followed the herring into Sitka too.   I knew from the webcams that the weather had been glorious.  But the morning after I got there, it was a bit foggy.

I rode my bike over to play our traditional Sunday morning pickleball on Japonski Island.  The sun was glinting behind the fog.

 The bridge piers were barely visible in the fog.  A herring seiner was at the workfloat goofing around with the net.

When I looked down from the bridge, the water was milky and tinged with green.  Various flecks of foam dotted the water.  That means that the herring had spawned.  The females lay eggs in the water and the males spread their sperm all over the place.  It's not very specific like humans and mammals, but it works.   When I came in on the plane, I saw miles of spawn that looked  so white, green,  and foamy that it almost looked like frozen sea.

Here's a photo in the fog looking the other way from the bridge.  Streaks of white meander in the water.  The boats are packed into ANB harbor on the right, as well as all the harbors.  Humans follow the herring too - and the town comes alive with people and fish.