Kokanee shore spawning numbers in the Interior of British Columbia were some of the highest on record since the 1970s, according to a fisheries biologist.

“This was a really high year for shore spawners. It was actually one of the highest we have on record, I don’t really have a concrete answer as to why it was so high this year,” said Eric Hegerat, a ministry fisheries biologist.

Typically, there are more shore spawning salmon than streams, which Hegerat thinks is simply because of the availability of habitat.

A total of 388,000 kokanee salmon returned to Interior creeks and shores to lay eggs this past October, well above the 10-year average of 177,000, according to a statement from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

It’s also almost double last year’s numbers when 185,000 returned Mission Creek, Powers Creek, Peachland Creek, Penticton Creek, Trepanier Creek, Lambly Creek, Naramata Creek, Trout Creek, Mill Creek, Eneas Creek, Shorts Creek, Whiteman Creek, Equesis Creek, Nashwito Creek, Vernon Creek and Robinson Creek in British Columbia, Canada.