Salmon in the Classroom

Kokanee Fishing Forums

Help Support Kokanee Fishing Forums:

MackPrince

MackPrince

Washington Forum MODERATOR
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
576
Location
Vancouver, WA
I got great news this week... I was selected to raise around 250 coho with my 4th and 5th grade leadership students at school! We'll start with 10 fry in September and get 250 "eyed" eggs around January.

This is going to be an awesome way to merge conservation, sportsmanship and education for the kids. Oh, and a field trip of course to a watershed to release the coho when it is time.

mememe
-Mack

p.s. No cabin fever for me this winter. The tank will be in my office.
 
Last edited:
How cool is that? Remember, we will be needing pics!!!!!!!!101goodpost101
 
Good for you and your class! Keep us all posted from start to finish with stories and pics. Tripple M couldn't be more direct, NEED THE PICS!

Not sure how or when the "HOME STREAM" imprint is made or since you're raising these in a classroom environment, will they be released directly into the Sound?
 
Ah man SuperD you got me.

I get the tank set up on the 24th and should get my first set of fry early October.

I am very pumped about this because I work at an inner city school.

Yeah!
 
Are they giving you any help on how to keep these fish alive? Do you know anything about aquarium chemistry? Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates? What temperature do they need? How big is the tank? I'm fishing for the next week, so I won't be online, but if you don't know about these things, you should read up on them.
 
Too cool!!

MackPrince said:
Ah man SuperD you got me.

I get the tank set up on the 24th and should get my first set of fry early October.

I am very pumped about this because I work at an inner city school.

Yeah!
Click to expand...

Mack that is awesome,we need more teachers like you.There are so many things keeping kids from enjoying nature ,especially in inner city settings.It is just sad that they aren't getting exposure to the natural world.With you being a fisherman it will give them a fuller appreciation of the natural world and our part in it.Good luck keep us posted. Mark101props101thumbsup
 
Don't forget that copper will kill fish in the tank. When I made the refrigerated unit for the local school I took some shrink tube and placed it over the copper to protect the fish.
 
Really cool.
I'd love to have my own hatchery, I live a mile from a river that used to be, (Still is..) perfect spawning river, pretty much dead now, even with the current massive Sockeye return this year, haven't seen a single one. If I could put fish back in the river, and even 1 fish that returned in 4 years, I'd do it out of my own pocket.
 
Monte-
The tank and equipment are part of a grant from a local utility company and the maintenance, supplies and training are from the game dept.
 
MackPrince said:
Monte-
The tank and equipment are part of a grant from a local utility company and the maintenance, supplies and training are from the game dept.
Click to expand...

Good! I used to maintain several hundred aquariums in the salt water tropical fish business. It's not easy and my experience is old, but I know there's a lot to it, and I'm hoping for a big success for your program.
 
awesomereport That is really a Great Project for both You & the Students!!

Somehow I think they will be getting the best introduction to the outdoor world from you! It really is the people like you that go the extra mile that the Kids will remember for a long, long time!

Please keep us posted as the year moves along!
Kokonuts
 
Well, our first batch of fry arrived last Friday and so far no casualties. We have 12 coho that are 3-5" long, and the kids get a kick out of the fact that even among fish there are bullies. We've also learned that the fish dislike the flourescent lights and had to place black paper for some shadow space to mellow them out and give them some rest areas.

Here are a few pics with my cheap camera. (I'll need to borrow my wife's good SLR sometime before we release this batch in December.)

I also told the janitor no testing lures!101superman101
 

Attachments

  • S4200697.jpg
    S4200697.jpg
    91.4 KB
  • S4200694.jpg
    S4200694.jpg
    91.5 KB
EXCELLENT! The pics are fine!

Only two months in your classroom before the release date? Salt water or fresh?

It would be GREAT if you had some of the kids post their reports and lessons learned here on the site. I think we'll all learn something during this venture!

101chromefish101
 
I think it would be cool if they were tagged too, but nope, just a standard clipped fin. Wouldn't it be cool if they were tagged and in 4 years one of the students was able to catch one and knowingly say "I helped release this fish."
 

Latest posts

Back
Top