Contributing to the circle of life.
More than 40,000 salmon chum were released into Noons Creek in Port Moody today (May 6) by hundreds of Tri-Cities families — and potential future nature volunteers.
This marked the three-year return of the Fingerling Festival, hosted by the Port Moody Ecological Society for the 29th time and the first since 2019.
Previous restrictions on gatherings resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic had postponed the popular free family-friendly event, considered the largest of its kind in the Lower Mainland per the Rivershed Society of BC.
The goal is to educate the public about preserving local ecosystems and their positive impacts on the regional community.
Volunteers at the Noons Creek Hatchery placed the baby salmon into small buckets, which participants then took to a point along the water's edge of their choice.
Carefully, the buckets were placed in or just above the water and the salmon were sent swimming and beginning, what will ultimately be, a four-year journey to the Pacific Ocean by way of the Burrard Inlet.
Meanwhile, inside the Port Moody Recreation Centre, more than 70 watershed and environmental organizations set up booths and kids activities.
This included Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mossom Creek Hatchery, Friends of DeBoville Slough, SHARE Family and Community Services, and the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society among others.
Bobs and Lolo provided the live entertainment, while volunteers cooked hot dogs and served up sweets.
@tricitynews Release the salmon. 🐟🪣 #tricitynews #portmoody #fingerlingfestival #fishfestival #noonscreek #salmon #babysalmon ♬ original sound - TriCityNews
