Fleming College

Students Helping Bring Back the Salmon at Frost Campus Fish Hatchery

Winter temperatures and frozen waters may be on the way, but that won’t stop Atlantic Salmon from making their way to the Fleming College hatchery this week. Through Bring Back the Salmon (BBTS), also known as the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Program, approximately 75,000 Atlantic Salmon eggs will soon be arriving at the school’s educational hatchery. Upon arrival, the eyed eggs will be sorted into trays where they will remain for another 4 to 6 weeks until hatching. The school’s fisheries students will raise the emerging fish until they reach the fry, fingerling or yearling stage, when they will be released into the Cobourg Brook, near Cobourg.

BBTS is jointly led by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Ontario Power Generation is lead sponsor and the LCBO Natural Heritage Fund, Banrock Station Wines, TD Friends of the Environment and the City of Mississauga are also providing major support. In all, more than 40 organizations, corporations, conservation authorities and landowners are contributing to the effort. Fleming College has been involved since the restoration program was launched in 2006. To date, more than three million fish have been released across three target streams and there are clear signs that the program is working.

Event: Major partners will join students in processing incoming Atlantic Salmon eggs at the hatchery, as part of this species restoration effort

For more information:
Lezlie Goodwin, OFAH Manager of Communications, 705-748-6324 ext 270 or lezlie_goodwin@ofah.org

Paula Walton, Fleming College Communications Officer, 705.749.5520 ext. 1370 or paulaw@flemingc.on.ca