Fish in schools gets started.
Hamish Stevens.

Central South Island Fish and Game are running a trial of the Fish in Schools project with three tanks in schools this year. The aim of the project is for students to develop an understanding of New Zealand salmon and the environmental pressures the aquatic habitats and waterways are facing in Canterbury. Students raise salmon eggs in specially designed tanks which allow them to closely follow their growth from egg to fry. The project highlights important issues which impact on the salmon life cycle such as water quality, abstraction, dams, loss of habitat, pollution and also increases the student's interest in fishing.

Three schools (Maheno Primary, Geraldine and Mountain View High Schools) have received tanks and have all successfully hatched eggs. The eggs sourced from the McKinnons Creek hatchery will be grown and released at a later date into local salmon rivers. Currently the students are waiting for the young alevins to use up their yolk sacs so feeding can begin.

Fish and Game would like to thank Fonterra for sponsoring the tank equipment, Glass Specialists in Timaru for supplying and assembling the tanks and the Salmon Enhancement Trust for donating the eggs and food for salmon rearing. Without help from these organisations getting this project running would have proved difficult.

Caitlin Arpel (left) and Katie Lennon with Mountainview High Schools tank

 
Dead eggs being removed from the tank

 
Caitlin Arpel checking the temperature

 

Katie Lennon monitoring the water flow

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