Kids raise baby salmon at school

Thirteen Southland schools are raising baby salmon for release into the province’s rivers in late November.

Southland Fish & Game is in its third year working with schools to provide education programmes on salmon and water quality.

Fish & Game field officer Erin Garrick said clean water was vital for the well-being of salmon.

Equipment given to the schools by Fish & Game and set up by them consisted of a tank,

water filter, aerator and chiller.

The schools each received 50 chinook salmon eggs in June, with the hatching a short time later.

Garrick said the main aim of the programme was for children to learn the life cycle of salmon and importance of water quality.

Fish & Game supply food to the schools for the feeding of the salmon, as well as information on caring for them.

Most of the schools taking part are primary level.

‘‘We outline what they need to do and pop into the schools a few times to see how it’s all going,’’ Garrick said.

When it is time to release the salmon into rivers, Fish & Game officers are on hand to help.

At about the same time the officers ask the children questions regarding what they have learned from looking after the salmon and the challenges the fish faces in their new environment.

‘‘Some of the kids get attached to them [salmon] and get quite emotional when they release them,’’ Garrick said.

Some children hope that in the future they will see the salmon they raised swimming in a river.

‘‘They say [to the salmon at release time], ‘we’ll see you in a couple of years’.’’

Fishing company Sanford Ltd supplies a mature salmon to each school at the end of the programme for dissecting to further educate the pupils about the fish.

After discussion on different parts of the salmon’s body, it is gutted and cooked for the children to eat.

Garrick understood schools had rosters for assigning duties to children to ensure the salmon’s welfare, such as certain days to change the water and feeding schedules.

‘‘They take ownership [of the programme],’’ Garrick said of the children.

She has noticed in schools that occasionally, after a water change, the salmon die.

‘‘For some reason it happens ... It could be if bore water is used.’’

PHOTO: JOHN HAWKINS/STUFF Southland Fish & Game field officer Erin Garrick checks young Chinook salmon which are part of an education programme for school children in the province.