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Centennial High School Salmon Project
- The Centennial High School Salmon Project has two parts: the Burrard
Inlet Marine Enhancement Society, run by the high school alumni
and community members, and the Fisheries Ecology Program, a Grade
12 science course offered as part of a career preparation work
package. Two fisheries ecology teachers, who recognized the value
of field experience in the high school curriculum, initiated the
project 21 years ago. It began as a school club in which several
students started a hatchery at Mossom Creek on the north shore
of Port Moody. Today, the project has 75 sponsors, including the
City of Port Moody, and many community volunteers. Not only has
it provided a great experience for youth, it has strengthened
the community and restored salmon populations to creeks which
have not had any salmon for years.
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- The Marine Enhancement Society raises 150,000 fish every year.
The fertilization, hatching and introduction of salmon species
works as follows:
- female and male fish are caught on the Indian River at the end
of Indian Arm in the fall of each year
- the eggs and sperm obtained from the fish are fertilized and incubated
- fertilized eggs are maintained throughout the winter at a particular
temperature and dead eggs are removed from the incubation tray
- the eggs hatch in January and are kept in aluminum troughs where
they are fed daily using automated feeders until the time for
natural migration comes
- during the migratory season, the fish are introduced to estuaries.
Coho salmon, which spend the whole year in fresh water, are released
right away into ponds and creeks while those salmon species that
spend time in salt water areas are kept in sea pens for a while
until they get used to salt water.
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- Category: Fisheries
- Project: Centennial High School Salmon Project
- Address: 570 Poirier Street, Coquitlam, BC V3J 6A8
- Phone: (604) 936-7205
- Fax: (604) 937-5933
- Contact: Ruth Foster (Teacher) or Rod McVicar (Teacher)
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