42 - North Shore News -

Yourism Guide

_ SALMOND ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS | a ane
Fish hatcheries make for educational outing —

NORTH SHORE fish hatcheries hot only benefit the. local ®
fish population, they also-offer, tourists an n interesting ‘learn-

“ing experience.
“ “The ‘displays, ‘models and fish

tanks’ at. North” Vancouver's 17-
year-old Capilano Salmon Hatch--’
ery, located at 4500 Capilano Park

Rds: give visitors-a ‘good introduc:

>. ion to the government’s Salmonid ©

- Enhancement Program (SEP).

“Given: the. effects cf: moderniz-"
“ation .and ‘a: growing ‘population, |

the : Pacific salmon ‘resources . are
«half of what they, were. at the turn
“of the century. ‘The SEP began ‘in
1977; its goal. being to-increase the:
; * Number of: salmonids (five varieties
Q of Pacific, salmon and two species
“Of “sea-run’ rout): in. ‘B. Ce. and:

what's: happening on the North Shor

By PEGGY WHITTAKER
News Reporter :

coastal waters:
The Capilano: Salmon Hatchery
plays..an important, part in. the

program, ‘providing a facility in.
‘which over one million eggs each

-year..are. collected, fertilized and
_,batched "in “carefully controlled
“conditions. .The eggs are kept in
“the dark during, the 70-day incuba-
‘tion ‘period in which they. mature‘

into fry.

The fry are moved into rearing

Dam. ‘in

ponds, and are released as smolts
when they turn a Silvery color and
begin to swim with the pond's cur-
rent, which indicates that they are
ready to proceed downstream. -
From. mid-May’, through -

“Labor. Day,. guides are available an

the hatchery-to fully explain this
process to visitors: and point’ out
the displays, aquariums, : fish lad-
der and rearing ponds.

The hatchery ° is open to ‘the

public from:8 a.m. to dark, every

day of the year. Last: year, there .
were 220,000 visits to the. free at- |
“Y phoning 929-5124 in the evening. :

traction.
' On the other’ side of town is the

_Seymour_ River, Hatchery, located
at the base of the Seymour River...
the Greater; Vancouver *

dlivered to’ all North Shore household

theres only.one: place to look

“every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, .

hotel

to pick p. the: <i ee or the:

ide

. 1129, Lonsdale. Avenu
‘North. Vancouver, B C.

CO

Regional” District Demonstration
Forest. This facility attracts the
truly adventurous sightscer, as itis.
a seven ta eight kilometre walk in
to the hatchery along “the: access
road through the forest. However,
people may. bicycle in. on
weekends, and “large groups may
arrange with the OGVRD.to. bus

“their members to the hatchery, °

Scientists. are on hand to show

visitors the facility from & a.m.to ©

5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to
5. p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Group tours can ‘be arranged | by ~

The hatchery is currently ‘unde
construction, but there is still plen-
ty to see.” The’ fish . spawning. ~
periods are in April and May,” and =

. October. through’ to. December,..50

_ these canbe good times to visit,”

: Currently, the hatchery. is play- .
ing a major rolei in the -governme-

nt’s plan. to- increase the level of.

‘chinook ‘salmon’ in’ lower, Georgia

Strait. 100,000° chinook: are bein
raised at the ‘Seymour’ hatchery,

and the hatchery: staff are raising

manleipality of
‘features -
Whistler and Blackcomb moun:

the’ world- famous.

couecarine mountain! scener
dding to the relaxation and fu

nd: again the:
spectacular, ‘a’

: Columbia —
Jogy'’s ‘contract to ‘administer: the:.

Y campaign<.when:- it

~ Day, June 19.

- VANCOUVER’ S NORTH SHORE -

another three million at facilities i in.

. Deep Cove and Porteau:

Although supported by the fed
cral’ government, the free-admis- *
sion Seymour hatchery: is: volun-
teer-run by. the Seymour Salmonid

.. Society, who.took over operations

in August 1987 after the British
institute of Techno- «

hatchery expired... ©

.The Seymour Salmonid “Society *
has a“current membership | ‘of. be-
tween 300 and: 400; and: will be
« kicking - off .its summer. publicity
hosts -< the
Dogfish’ Derby on Horsehoe Bay

Another facet of rishetiee work:

Ss “ean” be: found ‘at’ the ‘West’ Van-.
~ couver ‘research laboratory at 4160

Marine’. Drive,”’-235 indoor” and
‘outdoor. ‘aquariums. ‘facilitace
research’ ‘on. salmon “production,

‘habitat’ and fish culture: Although’
“the facility” is ° ‘not-open to the.
“public, organizers hope to be able’:

‘to offer scheduled tours soon...

regular bus, and rail service — ‘also
offers visitors: European-style pen-
‘sions, “budget accommodation. and

opening the mountains’ summits to”.
“skiers and sightseers ‘who-are jook-