Fish Friends was designed by teachers and uses a hands-on approach to teach school children about the wild Atlantic salmon, its life cycle, habitat and conservation issues affecting its survival.
Students care for fertilized salmon or trout eggs in classroom incubation units.
Once the eggs have hatched, the children care for the young fish and observe them as they grow and develop over the winter months. During this time, the accompanying curriculum covers the importance of maintaining diverse ecosystems, conserving fish populations, sustaining natural resources, life cycles, change and adaptation, freshwater ecology, and stewardship. When the developing fish have reached the fry stage, in May or June, students transfer them from their classroom eco-chambers to nearby streams and rivers, to continue their life cycles in the wild. The Hammond River Angling Association has been a Fish Friends promoter since 1994 and has worked with hundreds of area school children to promote the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon. Currently, HRAA sponsors Fish Friends in 16 local schools.