Grade 3 and 6 students from St. Margaret’s School learned about the life cycle of salmon at the Charters River Salmon Interpretive Centre on Friday, Nov. 2.
The program, Salmon ‘Frydays’, is a partnership between CRD Parks and the Charters River Salmon Interpretive Centre.
Students participated in education activities like viewing fry coho salmon from the centre’s hatchery and examining the internal and external anatomy of a dissected male salmon.
Elida Peers, Charters River Salmon Interpretive Centre administrator, said the Salmon ‘Frydays’ program began only a few weeks ago.
“The hubbub that I hear when the kids are having a good time here is what it’s all about,” she said.
“If we’re fortunate enough to develop enough funding to get fuller programming than people will be able to enjoy something here everyday -- that’s what we’re working towards.”
Peers said the centre will hopefully be fully operational next fall.
The number of salmon that have returned to Charters River has increased from 600 last year to 2,000 this year. The river had both coho and chum salmon return.
The Charters River Salmon Interpretive Centre on Sooke River Road opened in 2011.
The Charters River Salmon Interpretive Centre was a initiative of the Juan de Fuca. The society serves the region from the Sooke Basin to the San Juan River Valley.