Scientists Rescue Salmon Near Sacramento

Some salmon near Sacramento got a special trip for Christmas. Scientists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife trapped dozens of Chinook salmon today that were swimming the wrong way up a dead end drainage canal. Scientist Colin Purdy says the fish would have otherwise been trapped and died.

"We take the fish, we measure them, we move them into transport tanks," he says. "And in transport tanks we’ll take them in big tanks to the Sacramento River and release them in the Sacramento River."

Purdy says, after they’re released, the fish will hopefully find a tributary and spawn.

The Department has rescued more than 450 salmon in the past three weeks.