Sunshine Coast Salmonid Enhancement Society held its annual Salmon Release Festival May 17, at Chapman Creek Hatchery. Hundreds of visitors helped release some 18,300 coho salmon smolts into Chapman Creek. The young fish “will make their way to the ocean to continue their life cycle until they return to spawn in the years ahead” (from scsalmon.org). Saturday’s event began with songs of welcome from Alfonso Salinas and members of shíshálh Nation, and included information from Streamkeepers, BC Wildfire Service, Bear Alliance and others, as well as fly tying and casting demonstrations, arts and crafts, and a scavenger hunt. Among the visitors was Sunshine Coast MLA Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship (above), pictured with Hatchery volunteer Lee Strom.
