The Water Ship News ~ March

A Volunteer Service of the Goldstream Volunteer Salmonid Enhancement Association
Editor – Don Lowen
"GVSEA publishes the Water Ship News on a monthly basis for educators, secondary students, agencies and community organizations.
The ‘News informs participants in Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Stream to Sea Program in the Capital Regional District.
The ‘News also notifies students and educators of training and volunteer opportunities concerning species enhancement and habitat restoration. In turn, community organizations find the support they require to fulfill their objectives."
 
Classroom Incubation

Calendar - The following events and dates remain in the 2017/18 calendar for the Classroom Incubation Program.

1. Late April / early May – fry releases.
2. By May 31st – Submit release data.
   
   

Technical Support during Incubation - By now, all coordinators have likely checked new projects. Drew and Gale will troubleshoot SSI projects for the duration of the year. For Vancouver Island and outer gulf island projects, if you have questions or concerns about your brood, please direct them to me.


Technical Reminders

1. Once your eggs have hatched, it is important that you record the number of alevins that survive this event.
2. Ensure that your tank is wearing its jacket at all times, unless you are observing your brood. Why? The darkness is an element of natural habitat, your chiller will last longer if it doesn’t have to work so hard, and the slight amount of vibration that it produces is not an element of natural habitat.
3. Ensure that you are deflecting the force of the water from the pump away from the eggs in the basket.
4. Please update your ATU sheet daily. It’s very useful when there is an issue.

 
Target Incubation Temperature – Maintain a target temperature of 5 Celsius, with a two-degree range. Hatchery temperatures are considerably lower; however, the incubators do not perform well if you set the thermostat lower than 5.
 
Chum Hatch Has Begun – Most of the 59 chum projects began hatching last weekend. Still too early for coho, except for those that received Demamiel coho on January 12th.
 
Success to Date – One Goldstream chum and one Goldstream coho project have failed at the egg stage. If this trend lasts, it will be a very successful year.
 
No Eggs for Re-Supply – Please note that there are no longer chum or coho eggs available for re-supply.
 
Chiller and Cart Purchase – The Goldstream Volunteer Salmonid Enhancement Association has purchased and sold six aquarium chillers at a cost of $582.40 each, including tax. GVSEA also purchased six aquarium carts at $448 each, including tax. Three are still unsold.These prices are exactly 50% of the retail cost, and are subsidized thanks to a generous grant from the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Please contact me at donlowen27@gmail.com for more information and/or to purchase one of these units.
 
GFI Reminder
A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFI) protects people from electrical shock. You plug your devices, power bar or extension cord into the GFI, then you plug it into the wall.
I highly recommend it. This one sells for $36 at Canadian Tire:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-4-outlet-gfci-power-bar-0527268p.html#srp
 
Storm Drain Marking
Do you have it?
I have lost track my of one of the storm drain marking kits. If you have one, please let me know. Thank you! donlowen27@gmail.com.


Community Activities
Deadline March 1 – The Wild Postcard Project (University of British Columbia
The competition is open to kids and teens (ages 5-18) who are currently living in British Columbia.
Your artwork (whether you paint, draw, etch, screen print, etc.) must represent the biodiversity of BC in some way. Please also complete and include the competition entry form (found here).
Postmarked no later than 1 March 2018.
More details:  https://wildpostcardproject.com/bc-2018/
 
Deadline March 1 – BC Green Games
BC Green Games, Science World’s eco-storytelling contest, is open to K – 12 students in schools all over BC. 
Participating teams take action on an environmental cause that is important to them, document their work, and submit their stories to bcgreengames.ca for the chance to win $1000 and other prizes.  
Fish incubators, storm drain marking, and hatchery tours all make great BC Green Games projects. 
Share your environmental story. Submissions open now until March 1.
https://www.bcgreengames.ca/ or call 604 443 7499.


Friday March 30th and Saturday March 31st – Bioengineering with Dave Polster (Cowichan Land Trust)
Learn bioengineering techniques for restoration and reclamation of damaged ecosystems.  Day one is an indoor classroom day. Day two is in the field working on a restoration.
Cost $75.00, includes lunch on the first day and optional course manual. In Chemainus, BC. Registration required.
To register visit, https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bioengineering-with-dave-polster-tickets-43573075241, or call 250-746-0227 or email info@cowichanlandtrust.ca.
 
A LAST WILD SALMON - A Film by Watervisions
This documentary follows the life of one such salmon, underwater all the way, as it survives against impossible odds, battling natural and human forces. The film begins with one of Nature's most astonishing performances - the ancient spawning ritual - and follows each step of development in the salmon's life.
This award-winning film has been purchased by major networks and schools all over North America. 
If you want a DVD of "A Last Wild Salmon", please contact: 
Pauline@watervisions.com
WATERVISIONS
Cel (604) 729-0233 
 
Become a CRD Watershed Warden – Capital Regional District
Kids can earn their free CRD Watershed Warden badge by learning about, and taking of, their local watersheds.
Rainwater and Watersheds – A learning resources for elementary educators in the Capital Region, is an online document (pdf) which provides place-based lesson plans which can be easily adapted to various grade levels.
Free CRD Watershed Warden iron-on on badges may be earned by participating in any of the local programing or stewardship activities of your choice or that you do on your with your class.
Supporting online place-based resources include short videos, watershed maps, printable activities and graphics. Learn more at: www.crd.bc.ca/watersheds
 
Do You Teach Grade Three? Peninsula Streams Wants to Know!
The Peninsula Streams Society is looking for new schools (Grade 3) to deliver our Watershed Model and Salmon Lifecycle Program.
Can be scheduled to coincide with your school’s salmon fry release. Students will come out with knowledge on the water cycle, how watersheds function, how pollution affects the environment, and the salmon lifecycle. 
We have been delivering the program for 12 years. Please contact us at PeninsulaStreams@gmail.com or 250.363.6480 for details including program cost. 
More information can also be found at http://peninsulastreams.ca/education-programs/grade-3-program. 
Hope to hear from you!
 
New Lesson Plan: “Where the Land Meets the Sea” (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
The latest lesson plan released by DFO and designed for use in grades 4 to 11, is titled "Where the Land Meets the Sea - the Nearshore".  
The plan defines what this sensitive area of our world is, and highlights some of the little-known fish that use this place to spawn. Forage fish, so named because they are "forage", or food, for larger fish and many other creatures, are the corner stone of our food chain.  What happens to them will affect us all.  
You can find it at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/education/lessonplans-lecons/nearshore-zone-littorale-eng.html
 
Editor’s Note - The Water Ship News is an “e-newsletter” for CRD participants in the Classroom Incubation Program. Your email address is not contained in the header. To remove yourself from this mailing list, send an email from your address to donlowen27@gmail.com