Advertisement

Educational centre in Enderby teaches children to become aquatic stewards

Click to play video: 'North Okanagan students learn about aquatic stewardship at Enderby education centre'
North Okanagan students learn about aquatic stewardship at Enderby education centre
WATCH ABOVE: Community reporter Shay Galor visits Kingfisher Interpretive Centre in Enderby to learn about the Stream to Sea program which teaches school children about the importance of conservation. – May 24, 2019

Kingfisher Interpretive Centre in Enderby is buzzing with school kids excited to release their home-grown chinook salmon.

They are part of a program called Stream to Sea, which teaches elementary and high school students to become aquatic stewards, protecting local watersheds.

“We deliver the program to 48 schools from Revelstoke to Cherryville,” said Neil Brookes, hatchery manager at Kingfisher Interpretive Centre. “We deliver about 40 eggs to each school. They start feeding them in February. Then when they’re ready to release, which is this time of year around May or June, they come out and let the fish go back into the river.”

In addition to releasing their salmon, the children rotate through several learning stations to learn about watersheds, aquatic ecosystems and vegetation.

Story continues below advertisement

WATCH BELOW (Aired May 1, 2019): Adult salmon released into Lake Ontario

Click to play video: 'Adult salmon released into Lake Ontario'
Adult salmon released into Lake Ontario

“This centre started in 1979 or 1980 as a community salmon hatchery when the salmon stocks were low,” Brookes said. “Our main focus now is education.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“The salmon, for us, have become a vehicle to get kids into nature and look at life cycles, food chains, nutrient cycles and just introduce them to being out in the world.”

WATCH BELOW (Aired Oct. 3, 2018): Group calls for end of all Chinook salmon fishing to save orcas

Click to play video: 'Group calls for end of all Chinook salmon fishing to save orcas'
Group calls for end of all Chinook salmon fishing to save orcas

Jordan Bridgeman is a Grade 5 student who had been raising her chinook salmon, Peanut, for several months.

Story continues below advertisement

She had mixed emotions about the release.

“It was fun, but it was also sad,” Jordan said.

WATCH BELOW (Aired May 22, 2019): Documents indicate federal fisheries officials can’t control fish farms

Click to play video: 'Documents indicate federal fisheries officials can’t control fish farms'
Documents indicate federal fisheries officials can’t control fish farms

Ben Blauuw is another student who participated in the Steam to Sea program and attended the field trip to Kingfisher Interpretive Centre.

“Today we’re learning about pollution and how we need to stop pollution from happening,” Ben said. “Then you get to know more about how the Earth works and what’s going on in the world.”

WATCH BELOW (Aired Sept. 7, 2019): Growing pressure on DFO to stop jet boats from prime salmon spawning ground

Click to play video: 'Growing pressure on DFO to stop jet boats from prime salmon spawning ground'
Growing pressure on DFO to stop jet boats from prime salmon spawning ground

The salmon population in British Columbia is in decline and Brookes says it’s due to a number of reasons.

Story continues below advertisement

“Global warming, acidification of oceans, predators and loss of habitat — mostly because of the works of man,” Brookes said. “Trying to restore that and protect it and preserve it is one of our goals.”

Sponsored content

AdChoices