The Port Renfrew Salmon Enhancement Society operates the Chinook Salmon Ocean Grow Net Pen rearing project.
This year will be the eighth year of the volunteer project that rears 40,000 juvenile Chinook salmon from the San Juan Hatchery.
The juvenile salmon are held in net pens for about 20 days before release into the ocean. This process more than doubles the survivability of returning Chinook to as high as 2 per cent of the total released. This means the project raises more Chinook than are caught by the recreational fishery in the Port Renfrew area. The project has raised and released more than 200,000 Chinook salmon over the past seven years.
The project is supported by Department of Fisheries and Oceans but does not receive funding from the province or DFO. It is operated completely with volunteer labour and donations. Since the inception of the program over 4,000 volunteer hours have been donated by the local community, Pacheedaht First Nation, Valley Fish and Game Club, local businesses and that Southern Vancouver Island volunteers from Sidney to Nitinat. The Port Renfrew Salmon Enhancement Society and Chinook Net Pen project is completely operated by the volunteer sports fishing community and its supporters.
Thank go to all of the organizations and individuals for their continued financial and volunteer support of the Port Renfrew Chinook Net Pen Project
If you would like to learn more about this project visit www.valleyfishandgame.com.
If you would like to make a donation to the Port Renfrew Salmon Enhancement Society Contact Gord Allen at: gordallen@shaw.ca” or Bob Gallaugher at: gallaughers1@shaw.ca