Fleming College

Fishing experts Bob and Wayne Izumi and dozens of local school children lent a hand in helping Fleming College and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) release more than 5,000 Atlantic salmon yearlings into the Cobourg Creek on April 18.This is the third spring release of the salmon as part of the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon Restoration Project. Fleming College is raising the salmon at the Frost Campus Fish Hatchery, providing hands-on experience for students in the Fish and Wildlife program, who assist with monitoring the growth of the salmon and help with stocking the fish.Other partners in the project include the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and local conservation authorities.Banrock Station Wines, an Australian-based winery which has a history of participating in conservation activities, is providing funding for the project. Company representative Ted Robinson addressed the students before stocking got underway.“This project is the largest (we are supporting) outside of Australia. It has great meaning for us and we hope it has great meaning for you too.”Bob Izumi, host of the long-running TV show Real Fishing, thanked the students for their efforts and involvement.“It’s Friday afternoon and we’re standing here at a creek – I like this classroom,” he said.“This is truly history in the making, to introduce Atlantic salmon back into the waters of Lake Ontario. They are a hard-fighting fish and an amazing creature,” he added. A crew from the Real Fishing show were on-hand to film the salmon release for an upcoming episode.Atlantic salmon were extirpated from Lake Ontario and its tributaries in the 1800s due to logging practices and over-fishing. Restoring the species is a widespread, long-term effort. Other project supporters include the Fishing Forever Foundation and the LCBO.