KELOWNA — Drums, song, and prayer from First Nation members helped to send 3,300 sockeye salmon fry into Mission Creek on Friday evening.
It’s hoped the release will mark a return to the days when salmon thrived in Okanagan lakes.
The Okanagan Nation Alliance is continuing its salmon reintroduction program this spring with fry releases into Trout Creek, Mission Creek, and Six Mile Creek, which
all lead to Okanagan Lake.
Get daily National news
“It’s been part of our long-term salmon restoration program that we initiated in 1995,” says Howie Wright, Fisheries Program Manager with the Okanagan Nation Alliance.
“We’ve nearly completed a 12-year program for Skaha Lake and are starting our plans for Okanagan Lake.”
READ MORE: here
The fry are raised at a facility on the Penticton Indian Band reserve.
Westbank First Nation Chief, Robert Louie was the first to release a few of the small fish and wish them well on their journey.
“There’s no question this is a very historic day,” says Louie. “The release of sockeye salmon to return to Okanagan Lake is a fantastic, fantastic day.”
According to the Alliance, wild sockeye salmon stocks were all but wiped out of Okanagan lakes by the 1990s because of the building of several hydro-electric dams and the rechanneling of river systems.
- Donald Trump claims many Canadians want Canada to become 51st state
- Ontario revokes licence of dentist who changed name after helping Iran evade sanctions
- Ontario’s Ford says Canada, U.S. should avoid trade war and take on China
- A who dunnit: Halifax jogger attacked by owl in what Canadian expert warns can happen
Comments