The Salmon School
hatchery program has benefitted countless children of various ages in many
towns and municipalities. Our program is currently active in thirty-six schools. I am hoping
that with this grant, this program can continue to flourish and continue educating
today’s youth about fish culture.
A History of the School Salmon Hatchery Program
In 2010 I joined the
Lake Huron Fishing Club and restarted the School Salmon hatchery program with
one School. The money for the program was
supplied by their conservation account. In 2011 we had three Schools in
southern Bruce County, with the Conservation Account picking up the tab again.
But I was told that would be all the Clubs money that could go into the Salmon
Hatchery Program. In 2012 we were
approved for $6,000.00 from the Libro Credit Union Community Grant Funds and we
expanded to ten Schools including Goderich Public, Brookside Public, Wingham FE
Madill, Wingham Maitland River Elementary, Teeswater Hillcrest Public &
Sacred Heart, Walkerton Sacred Heart High School, Kincardine Huron Heights,
Kincardine Tiverton Township and North Port Public in Port Elgin.
In 2013, Wingham
Maitland River Elementary moved into their new building and decided not to stay
with the program. Bruce Power formed a Partnership with the Lake Huron Fishing
Club and $12,000.00 was designated for the School Program. We then expanded to seventeen schools, adding
Goderich High School (GDCI), Mildmay Sacred Heart School Junior and Senior
Buildings, Ripley Huron Community School, Port Elgin Saugeen Central Elementary
School, Southampton G.C. Huston, Wiarton Peninsula and Walkerton District
Community School. There were six Schools on a waiting list. Goderich Public decided not to stay with the
program. There were plans to expand this
program when funds became available.
Bruce Powers partnership
supplied funding and in 2014-15 we added six new schools; Northwoods Elementary
Ethel, Resurrection Christian Academy in Guelph, Immaculate Conception in
Formosa, St Nicholas Catholic School & Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
in Waterloo, and Sacred Heart Catholic School Wingham.
We currently have
twenty-one schools in the program with a growing waiting list. Bruce Power’s
commitment allowed us to expand again in 2015-16. We had a few schools drop out for different
reasons but there will be twenty seven schools involved with the program this
year. That should add up to over 1,000 students directly involved with raising Chinook
Salmon in their classrooms or libraries. In 2016-17 there are more new schools with
Chesley District Community School, Parkview Public in Komoka, Woodland Heights Public Elementary School in
London, E.C. Drury School for the Deaf, Craig Keilburger Secondary School in
Milton, Mountain View Elementary and Jean Vanier Catholic High School in
Collingwood from Sarnia to Milton to Collingwood to Manitoulin Island.
To make this all happen
we have formed a Partnership with the Waterloo/Wellington club from the (CBAF) Canadian
Bass Anglers Federation, (BPSA) Bruce Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association
Wiarton, (SSA) Sydenham Sportsmen Association Owen Sound, Bluewater Anglers
Sarnia, United Fish and Game Club of Manitoulin Island. This year we added
Forest City Bassmasters Club London and the (GTAA) Georgian Triangle Angler’s Association Collingwood.
We would like to send a huge "Thank You” to Bruce Power for making this a
reality.
This year we have a
great bunch of Clubs working with us to help grow to thirty-six schools raising
salmon from Manitoulin Island to Sarnia to Milton to Collingwood to
Waterloo/Wellington to Wiarton to Owen Sound to London, and there are more
interested in joining the LHFC School Salmon Hatchery Program next year.
Funding
The first two years and
our first three Aquariums were paid for out of the LHFC Conservation
account. The third year I applied for a
grant from Libro Credit Union for $10,000 and received $6,000.00 as they
already gave $4,000.00 to another group out of that year’s allotment. We
expanded by seven Schools with an extra $1,000.00 from our Conservation
account. Over the next year LHFC and Bruce Power entered into a Partnership for
three years that would have $12,000.00 to help expand by seven more schools
that year to reach seventeen schools in four different counties. Enbridge donated
$4,000.00 to help with four of our schools. In 2013-14 the Toronto Sportsmen
Show donated rod & reels to hand out to each of the Schools involved with
the School Hatcheries, so we asked that each of the students submit a written
or art project on the program, and if they put their best effort forward, their
name was put into a hat with a chance to take a Rod and Reel home. In 2014-15
Rapala gave us a Rod and Reel, Sufix Line and Trigger X baits for each class
that was helping raise Salmon. BlackFly Lures gave 33 packages of 3
spinnerbaits to be handed out with the tackle packs and at each of the schools
that we presented, Bassmagnet gave packages of their Stinger to add to the
package, Fish'n Canada gave 22 packages of
baits, Angling Sports Inc. London gave $100.00 of bait, Gay Lea Foods gave
cards for 22 Free Ice Cream Cones, Ace N JJ's Tackle Shop Walkerton gave a
tackle box for one lucky student, OFAH, Ontario out of Doors, and Ontario Power
Generation gave away 500 cloth back pack and 500 magazines; one for each
student in the program. Fisheries and
Ocean Canada gave a cloth bag, Ontario/Learn To Fish gave out 100 Posters, 500
Booklets, Measuring Sticker, Identification Card etc….enough for each student
involved.
In
2015-16 BlackFly Lures stepped up and donated spinnerbaits again, and they were
handed out at the different schools that I attended, with some of them going to
the Fishing Friends booth at the CNE in Toronto when I was there volunteering. http://www.blackflylures.com/
And Big Jim donated a few boxes of Just
Fishing Magazine last year that was handed out at the schools that I visited. http://www.justfishing.ca/
CTV
London News story: Brookside School Salmon Hatchery
I’m
hoping to get Rods and Reels, tackle packs, magazines, bags and any other
fishing related products or information that I can hand out to help keep the
students active throughout the year until they release their Salmon in the
spring of each year.
Big
Al’s Canada has been a big supporter and delivers the equipment needed to a
contact in all of the clubs that we deal with, which saves me a lot of driving.
http://www.bigalscanada.com/
Thank
you for considering this program for the $1,000 grant. The money would be put to good use and would
further the School Salmon Hatchery Program, educating countless youth.
Lake Huron
Fishing Club Port Elgin Salmon Eggs are in the majority of the Schools 25.
(SSA)
Sydenham Sportsmen Association Owen Sound has their Salmon Eggs in 5 Schools.
Bluewater
Anglers Sarnia has their Salmon Eggs in 6 Schools.
United Fish
and Game Club of Manitoulin Island has there Salmon Eggs in 1 School.
This year Brookside Public School made a trip to Kincardine
to release their/our Salmon and had a tour of the Trout Hatchery and the
Lighthouse Museum them 31 students plus adults headed to Silver Lake for the
afternoon of Fishing from shore and off the docks before headed back to school.
It was very windy but some fish were caught and fun was had by everyone that
took part.
This year KW Muskies Canada members are helping with 2
schools and Thames River Anglers Association will be
doing one.
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