It's time for coho smolts to begin their long journey from Hyde Creek to the ocean.
Thousands of fish will be released Saturday, April 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hyde Creek Education Centre and Hatchery in Port Coquitlam, and the public is welcome to witness the occasion.
This is a chance for the youngsters to see nature at work and help Hyde Creek Watershed Society members move small buckets of salmon from the rearing pond into Hyde Creek.
The fish were incubated from coho salmon eggs in the fall of 2010 through the alevin and fry stage by members of the Hyde Creek Watershed Society. Now, the smolts are approximately 18 months old and are ready to travel to the ocean, where they will continue growing into large adults.
In the fall of 2014, these adult salmon will find their way back to Hyde Creek to spawn.
In addition to helping with the salmon release, the public is invited to visit the education centre and have a tour with one of the volunteer members. There will also be an opportunity to observe the new coho salmon fry that have emerged from the eggs incubated in the fall of 2011. There will also be exhibits set up for viewing, crafts, microscopes to look through and a working model of the Hyde Creek watershed to examine.
A fundraising barbecue sponsored by Coronation Insurance will also take place.
The event runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3636 Coast Meridian Rd., Port Coquitlam. Parking is available at the Hyde Creek rec centre on Laurier Avenue. For more information, visit www.hydecreek.org or email [email protected].
Port Moody Ecological Society's annual Fingerling Festival, a similar event, is scheduled for May 5. Watch The Tri-City News for details closer to the event day.
