Each Fall the 6th, 7th and 8th graders along with community members, teachers, and the project coordinator, spend several days surveying along a 2 mile reach of the Salmon River.  They count live fish, process  the salmon carcasses, and collect environmental data.  
    Processing a carcass consists of several steps.  The surveying group measures the length of the fish's body, which is called the fork length.  They then check to see if the adipose fin is present.  If the adipose fin is clipped, then it is a hatchery fish.  If the fin is present, it is a wild fish.  The hatchery fish's heads are cut off  and turned in because they have a special coded tag implanted in their head.  The surveyors also check to see if the fish is male or female.  A male has a hooked jaw, while a female does not.  They check the fish to see if it has spawned yet by stepping on the belly.  If the belly releases eggs or milt, the fish had not yet spawned when it died.  They tag the clear -eye or fresh carcasses and return them to the water.  The tagging process allows the CA Fish and Game Department to estimate how many salmon are returning each year.