ONA’s Fish in Schools (FinS) program educates students about the life cycle of salmon, especially Sockeye salmon, and the importance of their ecosystem. Since 2003, this program has helped students and teachers understand salmon conservation, intending to create future advocates for salmon and their habitats. ONA provides all the necessary equipment and support for students to raise salmon from eggs to the fry stage, including a 29-gallon tank, aquarium chiller, and salmon spawn.
ONA staff deliver fertilized salmon eggs to participating schools and educate students about the salmon life cycle and habitat needs. Once the eggs have hatched and buttoned up, the fry is fed daily until ready for release. During incubation and rearing, the tank is monitored to ensure that water and temperatures are within the healthy limits for raising sockeye. 31 schools in Okanagan Subbasin and 29 schools in Upper Columbia have signed up to participate in the program in 2024.
In a recent event, hundreds of students from Okanagan Indian Band’s Cultural Immersion School released the salmon fry into the Salmon River in syilx Okanagan territory. The event was joined by dozens of other syilx Okanagan Nation members, with representatives from the Ktunaxa Nation for the ceremonial release of ntyitix, or salmon fry, into the river.
The fry released by the students came from Okanagan Nation Alliance’s kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ Hatchery in Penticton. As part of the Fish in Schools program, the alliance donates the fish spawn and necessary equipment to classrooms for raising the fish throughout the year.
2024 marked the 20th annual year of the commitment to kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓, meaning “cause to come back” which refers to bringing the salmon back to their waterways. The Okanagan Nation Alliance has hosted around 10 ceremonial fry releases between May and June throughout their territory. 60 elementary and secondary schools have participated in the ceremonial releases this year.
This year, the Okanagan Nation Alliance released 1.5 million sockeye salmon and about 5,000 chinook salmon from their hatchery into local waterways with the help of local schools. Last year, they released around five million sockeye salmon.
The salmon ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining the health and balance of aquatic and terrestrial environments. Salmon are not only a key species in the food web, supporting wildlife such as bears and eagles, but also contribute to nutrient cycling in rivers and forests, making their conservation vital to the health of entire ecosystems.
Programs like ONA’s Fish in Schools (FinS) are essential in ensuring future generations understand the importance of salmon and their habitats. By engaging students in hands-on learning and fostering a connection to the natural world, the program empowers them to become advocates for salmon conservation. The efforts to restore salmon populations, like the release of millions of fry into local waterways, underscore the significance of these initiatives in preserving the delicate balance of our ecosystems for generations to come.
Source: The Tyee
