(Released: September 27, 2017)

Division of Sport Fish
Tom Brookover, Director
Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Sam Cotten, Commissioner
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Contact: Jenny Gates, Fishery Biologist
(907) 260-2930

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District “Salmon in the Classroom” Egg Takes Scheduled for October 4 and 5

(Soldotna) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Aquatic Education Program in conjunction with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District begin this school year’s “Salmon in the Classroom” program with two coho salmon egg takes. The first egg take is scheduled for Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at Bear Creek near Seward and the second egg take is scheduled for Thursday, October 5, 2017, at the Anchor River in Anchor Point.

Students from Kenai Peninsula Borough School District elementary schools will be attending the two egg takes. ADF&G staff will be conducting hourly presentations at both locations. Bear Creek presentations are scheduled from 9:15a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and Anchor River presentations are scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. Students will arrive at each location to participate in the egg takes and learn about the salmon life cycle, egg fertilization, external anatomy, salmon identification, and habitat requirements. Over 750 students are registered to attend. Classes must preregister to attend the events.

Each elementary school will take approximately 300 coho salmon eggs back to their classrooms to incubate. Students will have the opportunity to observe the coho salmon eggs as they develop into free-swimming coho salmon fry. Next spring the coho salmon fry from these incubation projects will be released back into Bear Creek or at a specified landlocked lake.

The incubation projects are part of the “Salmon in the Classroom” program to teach students about salmon biology. Students will watch eggs develop and learn about salmon in their classroom this school year.

For additional information, please contact Soldotna Fishery Biologist Jenny Gates at (907) 260-2930. 

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