ONA’s Fish in Schools program is one of the key fish education programs for youth in the region, particularly the Sockeye salmon, so that students may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat.
Since 2003 Okanagan Nation Alliance’s FinS (Fish in Schools, previously S2S-Stream to Sea) in-class program has been educating regional students and teachers about the salmon lifecycle and the importance of their ecosystem so that they may become future advocates for both salmon and their habitat. FinS supplies the necessary equipment and support needed for students to raise from egg to fry stage. ONA provides a 29 Gallon tank with cover, stand/cart, aquarium chiller, and start up supplies; gravel, filters, filter replacements, siphon, insulated cover, thermometer, water conditioners as well as the salmon spawn.
Beginning in mid-January, ONA staff delivered the fertilized eggs to the participating schools and explain the lifecycle and habitat requirements to the students. We also explain the external physical attributes of both male and female Sockeye and answer any questions. Once the eggs have hatched, and buttoned up, the fry will be fed daily until ready for release. During incubation and rearing, the tank will be monitored to ensure that water and temperatures are within the healthy limits for raising sockeye.
VIDEO: cewelna Leon Louis Praying for Sockeye Fry Release
2024 Participating Schools
Okanagan Subbasin
1) Casorso Elementary
2) South Kelowna Elementary
3) Ellison Elementary
4) Dorothea Walker Elementary
5) Sensisyusten
6) Peachland Elementary
7) Giants Head Elementary
8) Summerland Montessori School
9) Princess Margaret Secondary
10) Snxastwilxtn Recovery House
11) Enowkin Centre
12) Outma Sqilxw
13) PIB Health Centre
14) West Bench Elementary
15) Queens Park Elementary
16) KVR Middle School
17) Columbia Elementary
18) Wiltse Elementary
19) Penticton K-12 Excel
20) OK Falls Elementary
21) Tuc-el-nuit Elementary
22) Senpokchin Elementary
23) Oliver Elementary
24) Southern Okanagan Secondary School
25) Osoyoos Elementary
26) Osoyoos Secondary
27) Ntamqen School
28) Cawston Primary
29) Similkameen Elementary Secondary School
30) John Allison Elementary
31) Ecole Entre-Lacs
Upper Columbia
1) Perley Elementary
2) Greenwood Elementary
3) Hutton Elementary
4) Christina Lake Elementary
5) Big White Community School
6) Christina Lake Stewardship Society
7) Hume Elementary
8) WE Graham Community School
9) Brent Kennedy Elementary
10) Wildflower School
11) Jewett Elementary School
12) JL Crowe Secondary
13) Twin Rivers Elementary
14) Kinnaird Elementary
15) Glenmerry Elementary
16) Rossland Summit School
17) JL Webster Elementary
18) Robson Community School
19) Fruitvale Elementary
20) Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre
21) Lucerne Elementary
22) Nakusp Elementary
23) Edgewood Elementary
24) Burton Elementary
25) Ecole des sentiers-alpins
26) Ecole des Sept-sommets
27) St. Michael’s Catholic School
28) Valhalla Children’s Centre
29) FortisBC Kootenay Ops Centre
When the sockeye fry are ready, they will be released with the rest of the Hatchery fry at the Annual ONA Sockeye Fry Releases.