Kokanee in the Classroom Program

SOMETHING’S FISHY!

KOKANEE ARE IN SCHOOL

Students and teachers at seven local schools are provided with a hands-on opportunity to raise kokanee from eggs to fry in their schools. In September, the kokanee eggs and milt are collected from adult kokanee, temporarily removed from Mission Creek. Students then raise the newly fertilized kokanee in temperature-regulated aquariums. In the spring the fry are returned to Mission Creek.

The popular program has been underway since 1997 and now includes the EECO Centre and seven elementary schools: Watson Road, Vedanta Academy, Springvalley, Black Mountain, Quigley, Dorothea Walker and Anne McClymont.

The Kokanee in the Classroom program is a valuable tool for environmental education. Students learn about the lifecycle of the kokanee and the hardships they face; they also gain new respect for the environment.

The Kelowna Kokanee in the Classroom program is sponsored by the City of Kelowna Environment Division and supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada under their Salmonids in the Classroom program.