The HOWARD ENGLISH HATCHERY on Goldstream River where we have:
1.)An abundant supply of good flowing water - thanks to the co-operation of the Greater Victoria Water District.
2.)A heated building that houses:
- An incubation room where the fertilized salmon eggs are kept undisturbed in banks of heath trays until they hatch as alevin. Their conspicuous yolk sacs are almost completely absorbed or "buttoned up" after approximately 4-5 months, depending on water temperature (Our capacity is about 1.5 million eggs).
- A work area or "wet lab" where several fish culture related activities are performed. This area also doubles as a classroom, a meeting room, and a coffee room.
- A roofed in rearing area where, once free of their yolk sac, the now free swimming fry are held in aluminum "Captroughs" (Capilano Troughs). Feeding is accomplished mainly by automatic feeders. These feeders however have to be filled and looked after regularly.
3.)Two large outdoor 40 ft. raceways or "mega troughs" where the smolts are fed by hand.
4.)Several covered 12' fibreglass, self cleaning, round rearing tanks; which also hold the adult males & females in the fall as we wait for them to ripen prior to collecting their gametes (eggs and sperm).
5.)Saltwater net pens, which handle about 250,000 CHINOOK per year.
6.)Brood stock collection and enumeration fence and trap, on the Goldstream River.
7.)Other satellite hatchery work on Shawnigan, Millstream, Craigflower, Colquitz, and Reay watersheds on the south easterly tip of Vancouver Island.
8.)An Education and Awareness program which includes classroom workshops and involvement in the joint Federal-Provincial programs entitled: - "Salmonids in the Classroom" - "Gently Down the Stream" - The federal training initiative "Streamkeeper"