CANORA - Sponsored by the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, the Fish in Schools (FinS) Program got underway in Canora on Feb. 1, when 100 rainbow trout eggs were delivered to Canora Composite School.
After taking care of the fish for over four months, the Grade 5 class released then at Lady Lake near Preeceville on June 17, accompanied by Teacher Koren Baillie, Librarian Jennifer Bisschop, and Educational Assistant Michelle Anaka.
Upon arrival at Lady Lake, Baillie said they had to acclimatize the rainbow trout for release
“We slowly put lake water in with the fish so they could get used to the temperature and environment,” said Baillie. “Once the temperature was right, students released a few fish at a time into the lake. All the fish swam away!”
Joining the Grade 5 class for the excursion was Jack Craig.
“Jack was a Grade 12 biology student who helped out with daily water changes during the project, looking after the fish, and helping the Grade 5s to release them safely,” said Baillie.
Once the release was complete, the students made the most of their time at the lake. They enjoyed roasting hotdogs and marshmallows, taking part in a nature scavenger hunt, had time to explore the beach, played volleyball and played on the playground.
Baillie said the FinS program had a 97 per cent success rate at CCS.
“We were thrilled to report that 97 out of 100 the rainbow trout eggs successfully hatched; an impressive hatch rate. Our class diligently measured food, fed the fish, observed and recorded changes in fish growth, performed biweekly water changes, and learned about the fish life cycle and their habitat. A connection to math was the daily measuring of the food.”
All in all, the FinS program was a welcome part of the school curriculum.
“We were thrilled to take part in it this year,” said Baillie. "The students gained invaluable learning experiences from hands on learning. They were excited to learn and took pride in their fish! It was a bittersweet moment, releasing them into the environment, not having them around in the school library any more to see and feed each day.
“Special recognition to the Buchanan Wildlife Club and River Ridge Fish and Game of Canora for sponsoring the FinS program and making this wonderful learning experience happen,” said Baillie. “And thanks tp Tracy and Brent Strand from Lady Lake for allowing us to spend the day releasing the fish and exploring the area.”
The Fish in Schools (FinS) Program began in Saskatchewan in 2013 as a program of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. According to information provided by SWF, the program was adopted from the Alberta Fish in Schools: Raise to Release program. Thanks to the resources provided by the Alberta program, FinS was modified to provide a similar learning experience for students in Saskatchewan.
Information from the FinS technical manual states, “FinS is a vehicle for educators to teach students of all ages about trout and their habitat in both indoor and outdoor classroom settings. Over the course of four to five months, students monitor the development of rainbow trout from the egg through the fry stage in an aquarium in their classroom. Students have ample incentive to learn because they soon understand that survival of their fish depends on their ability to maintain a healthy environment in their aquarium.”
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